Sahara

The TV was on while I was busy with a household chore, so I missed some of the beginning. Then the story started to catch my attention and boy am I glad to have discovered Lambert Wilson. Someone else already said it... his eyes, his lips, his sheik's stature. He was mesmerizing and had great chemistry with Brooke. Her acting was better than I've seen her in later films. She handled the character role rather well, except for the boy/moustache sequence. Definitely a cheesy movie, yet I couldn't stop watching. The fantasy story drew me in and swept me away... yes, kind of like a Harlequin romance. Did I mention that Lambert Wilson is breathtakingly handsome? As soon as the credits rolled and I caught his name, I ran to google the web. He's French?! Mais certainement!

Ludicrous bodice-ripper starring the wooden Brook Shields as the kind of plucky romantic heroine who can change outfits in mid-kidnapping. Features such silliness as nomadic Bedouin chiefs who keep stone dungeons on hand, other Bedouin who have frosted lipstick and gold lame party outfits lying around, more Bedouin going on a human hunt using leopards instead of hounds (the leopards are kept on leashes where they can't chase anything), hairstyles that range from 1910 to 1983 (story set in the 1920's), incredible continuity problems with the trans-Sahara race that forms the basis of the plot (Brooke spends about a week in one spot, and suddenly the other drivers all appear at once; her two assistants appear and disappear randomly) etc. etc.

Just about the dumbest, silliest, most badly acted, worst plotted excuse for a movie you'll ever see. Young Brooke Shields is so bad that you swear she couldn't get the lead in a a high school play, much less a real movie. Even by the low standards of the romance genre, it's pathetic.

OK, I am a big Brooke Shields fan (that's why I have bought a DVD of this movie), but, honestly, I can understand why she was nominated for a Razzie award for this one... But it's not only the unfortunate Brooke, (except for C. Lambert, who plays the Arabic sheik in love with Brooke's character) the acting is uniformly bad in this movie. The parts where there are attempts at "humour" are the worst parts. The parts where there are attempts at drama come a close second worst. Or maybe the parts where there are attempts at romance. Nevertheless, the movie picks up some strength towards the end. The tribal battle scene is very good and the scene where Brooke is placed in a pit with black panthers and leopards is marvelous. For a western-made movie set in the Orient, I also liked the idea that the male protagonist was a non-westerner: you don't have a heroic white guy saving the white damsel in distress. Brooke's character is not the typical weakling damsel in distress either, she is a strong character herself.

I'm a pushover for the Saharan setting, but discovering Lambert Wilson was the best surprise. He made the whole movie. His eyes, voice, stature......just wonderful. I liked the adventure of the movie.......much like the Great American Race.

Okay, so it's no Academy Award winner. The writing is poor, some of the movie is just plain silly, but there is a lot to enjoy.

I love the chemistry between the Brooke & Lambert Wilson... the seductive and emotional nature of their scenes together. Lambert Wilson takes my breath away! He did in 1983 when I first saw the film (okay, I'll admit -- a few times). I just finally found a copy recently and watched it again for the first time in 23 years or so, and he STILL takes my breath away! Brooke is beautiful and he is terribly handsome -- his face, his eyes, his voice -- he looks at her as if he's going to drink her. It's incredible. Mesmerizing. In my book, this is one of the sexiest movies ever (and without actually having any sex in it).

I looked up Lambert Wilson on IMDb and realized I didn't recognize him 20 years later in "Matrix Reloaded" or the newer "Sahara" (but it had been a long time -- the french accent and clean-shaven face threw me off). It looks like he's been working steadily in France all along, thank goodness. I'm thrilled to know he's been a success. I hope he'll do more American films. Oh, and the score was haunting. It added a lot to the film.

And one more thing: Brooke was practically a child when she did this film. I thought her acting was fine, especially considering her age and the poor script with which she had to work.