Sword in the Desert

In the Hollywood history, there were not so many pictures speaking of the Israel state birth: the was EXODUS (Otto Preminger), CAST A GIANT SHADOW (Melville Shavelson) and SWORD IN THE DESERT- this very one. I don't know any other film, but after all, maybe there are some existing. But this early one, produced in 1949, is really gritty, accurate, faithful to actual events and an early performance of Jeff Chandler, justifies to watch this underrated film, maybe one of the best from director George Sherman, rather specialized in westerns. It is actually directed like a western, with the same camera movements. Good film, solid script.

Recently discovered this film on TCM-and watched with great interest. Firstly, this appears to be the first Hollywood film addressing the subject of the new state of Israel shortly after these actual events took place so the creative efforts into the making of this film were very raw and very little opportunity for revisionist plotlines are in evidence. The most noticeable portion of the story is how the British are portrayed essentially as transitional occupiers and keepers of the peace just waiting until they leave the region on the verge of war.....not a very positive portrayal but perhaps it was very accurate for the time....The Dana Andrews character is somewhat curious in retrospect since the Zionist organization had its share of more than willing collaborators who believed in the cause.....The film now seeing this in 2021 for myself has been overshadowed but countless screenings of the 1960 film Exodus which goes into far greater detail given its length...All in all, this film does serve as a dated curiosity piece for film lovers of historical subjects.

This tidy little Universal "B" about the Israeli fight for independence would be interesting if just for the subject matter alone--there were few, if any, contemporary Hollywood pictures that dealt with that particular struggle--but this isn't a bad picture in and of itself. Dana Andrews plays a ship captain who smuggles Jews into Israel purely, at first, for the money, but finds himself being caught up in the cause his "cargo" is fighting for--and also falling for an Israeli girl (the exotic beauty Marta Toren, who, although she looks like she just stepped out of an Arabian Nights tale, is actually Swedish). Director George Sherman was an expert at turning out tight, energetic little actioners, and continues that tradition here. The Andrews/Toren romance slows things down a bit, but not enough to do any fatal damage. A neat little picture with an interesting perspective on a subject not often touched upon, with a capable cast, good pacing and quick bursts of action that all combine to hold your interest. Check it out.

This is another movie I haven't seen in years, although it was last broadcast on AMC. (Despite the setting, it was filmed on the California coast.) Unfortunately, they have not said when, or if, they plan to re-air it.

The story line is quite true-to-life, insofar as historical fiction can be. The number of non-Jewish volunteers helping the Haganah during the Jewish struggle against the British mandate was quite amazing, and they did so for a variety of reasons, from a sense of justice, to Zionist motives, to a desire to get a 'lick in' at England.

British imperial duplicity was so accurately depicted here, that, when the movie was released, the British government protested that it slandered Her Majesty's government. Methinks they didst protest too much.

In reality, there were Brits in the Mandatory Administration who favored the Jewish struggle for an independent homeland, as there were those who favored the Arabs, but most saw it as a foreign posting in their careers, a job to be done fairly, but always with an eye to Britain's interests, even as they protested that they were acting on behalf of the 'natives'.

A complex time, reduced to a movie whose verisimilitude is striking. The Haganah exploits depicted, such as the blowing up of all bridges (not that there were that many) at the borders of Mandatory Palestine, and the announcement of the High Commissioner's replacement (before he learned of it) did happen.

This is the earliest movie about the Ha'apalah, the illegal immigration into Mandatory Palestine before the independence of the State of Israel. Other movies set in the same time and place are Kirk Douglas' "The Juggler" and "Cast a Giant Shadow".

I can only hope it becomes available on video or CD, as I would like to see it again.

PREDATING THE PRODUCTION and release of EXODUS by about a dozen year or so, this film presents us with a fictional account of the movement toward a Jewish Homeland. Basing the story on real life incidents that occurred involving the smuggling of mostly European Jews into the Holy Land, doing so in spite of regulations to the contrary imposed by the British; who controlled Palestine ever since the end o World War I.

ADDITIONALLY, Resistance WAS given by he various Arab peoples who lived there. This is the first dramatization of conflicts and problems which exist right down to this very day, hour and minute.

THE CAST ASSEMBLED was again most capable, talent-laden and appropriately seasoned. Headed up by Dana Andrews (as a cynical, world- weary gentile ship captain), he is ably assisted and supported by: Marta Toren, Stephen McNally, Jeff Chandler, Phillip Friend Hugh French, Liam Redmond and even Hayden Roarke. Many others also participated.

IN HORT, CYNICAL ship's captain (Dana Andrews) has a deep change of hart and a veritable Epiphany concerning hi view of lie and the World itself. His cold, indifferent attitudes slowly get eroded as he observes the determination of those displaced, penniless people, braving it all; in an all or nothing drive to settle in and found the modern State of Israel.

THE ACTIONS PORTRAYED, as well as the characters depicted, were largely symbolic and intended to rally World-wide support for the home-lander movement. We vividly recall one particular exchange among those lines. When Capt. Dillon (Mr. Andrews)) discovers a rebel soldier to be from Ireland and asks him just why he is there. All decked out in his best uniform of the IRA, the Irishman answers; "Because this is where this fight is!"

A VERY MEMORABLE scene featuring Christmas Eve in Bethlehem closes out the movie's emotional appeal to America and the World, regardless of whatever one's religion may be.