La dernière charge

So far, now in 2024, and as a movie buff since fifty years now, I can consider this movie as one of the best movies ever made about French Foreign Legion, just after William Wellman's BEAU GESTE - and not its TV remake. And I still research since forty years Charles Marquis Warren's DESERT HELL, also about French Foreign Legion, but I still can't find it. And I guess I am not the only one. So, back to this one, yes, it is a solid film, pulled by a solid cast, direction and story too. Jawdropping action scenes, mindblowing for such a film. George Raft is excellent in this role for which he was not too used too, if you consider his filmography. Also among of the best roles for Marie Windsor. One of my favorite from director Robert Florey. The story itself is not that interesting though, I prefer BEAU GESTE of course, but that's on another scale.

This is an odd film from the onset due to the odd casting choices. First, having an older (and decidedly lazier) George Raft in the romantic lead seemed silly, though most of his manly roles at this point his his career seemed to think he was 10-15 years younger. Second, and this is the most serious, who would have thought that Marie Windsor could look like the Emir's daughter?! She looks about as North African as Zsa Zsa Gabor and sounded like a débutante! The film begins with Raft being asked to go on a special mission to escort the sultry Ms. Windsor to her father at his fortress. Why was Raft chosen? Well, according to the film he is some sort of super-stud ladies' man and the Commanding Officer wanted Raft to romance Windsor and get her "on our side"!! Really. I'm not making this up, folks! George Raft is a major stud in this film(!). Naturally, at first they don't get along but then later they are quite snuggly (a standard cliché in such films). When she discovers that her Daddy, the Emir, is a nasty jerk, she helps Raft. What a dame. Well, more like what an anachronistic dame--one who acts like no woman in her situation would have acted like.

After the romantic stuff, the film becomes a movie about French Foreign Legion troops being besieged in the desert--like BEAU GESTE, ABBOTT AND COSTELLO IN THE FOREIGN LEGION, BEAU HUNKS and a dozen other films. NO surprises here and it looks almost like a slow motion and dull version of the standard "White man in the desert" film.

When I read the book The George Raft File I was shocked to learn that this Foreign Legion epic was actually shot in Morocco in actual locations with the cooperation of the Moroccan Royal Family and the Legion. If the French were looking for a recruiting tool for the Foreign Legion, they'd have been better doing a remake of Paramount's Morocco or Beau Geste.

Some elements of those two films get into Outpost in Morocco. The story such as it is has George Raft in a role that should have been Tyrone Power's if it had been a better script seducing lovely Marie Windsor, daughter of one of the local sheiks. Windsor's father is Eduard Franz who's stirring up rebellion against the French. Can Marie stop it and save her beloved Raft at the same time. If you care you might give this a look.

This film has the look and feel of a tax write off. Everybody here just goes through the motions. Raft is too wooden to seriously be considered as a romantic figure and Windsor does so much better when she's playing bad girls. Akim Tamiroff as a transplanted Cossack in the Legion comes off best, a dubious distinction for this film.

I guess the American cast also did it for a free trip to Morocco. Good a reason as any.

Although "Outpost in Moroco" was made in 1949 it has more in common with adventure films that were made during the 1930's. I suppose along with "Morocco" "Beau Geste" and "under Two Flags" is makes up a quartet of American black and white French Foreign Legion films. "Outpost in Morocco" was actually filmed in Morocco with the co-operation of both the French government and the Legion. The story has the romance of the Legion with a love affair between a rebel Amir's daughter Cara, played by Marie Windsor and a french officer Captain Gerard played by George Raft. The are the desert campfire scenes, escapes over rooftops, an outpost on the frontier, desert marches and men struggling to survive through lack of water. The action sequences are very well produced and photographed. The story obviously does not take place in 1949 because there is nothing mechanized in this film. Also we get to see George Raft and Mari Wilson dance the tango in an early sophisticated cafe scene( it has a cirtain similarity to Rik's in Casablanca) - the film is probably set in the 1920's. Good fun.

The film was serialised as a strip in a British comic called "Film Fun" after its release in Britain in 1950.

A bleak, remote setting is the background for this Foreign Legion tale of adventure which moves along steadily with few dull moments, at least for me.

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Akim Tamiroff in his role as Lieutenant Glysko. He certainly excels as a character actor, breathing new life into whatever role he takes on. There's quite an exciting battle scene midway and some fierce racing horses as a battle unfolds.

George Raft and Marie Windsor were seldom at the top of my charts yet they are well suited in this film and meld nicely in the romantic episodes. I'd regard this one as standard entertainment, no frills.