Le renard du désert

Original title: The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel

IMDb RATING

6.9/10

6.9K

YOUR RATING

James Mason in Le renard du désert (1951)

Trailer for this film based on the best selling novel

Play trailer2:21

1 Video

33 Photos

Biography Drama War

The story of the final years of the respected World War II German general, Erwin Rommel.The story of the final years of the respected World War II German general, Erwin Rommel.The story of the final years of the respected World War II German general, Erwin Rommel.

Director
- Henry Hathaway
Writers
- Nunnally Johnson
- Desmond Young
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.9/10

6.9K

YOUR RATING

Director
- Henry Hathaway
Writers
- Nunnally Johnson
- Desmond Young
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 win total

Videos1

Trailer 2:21

The Desert Fox

Photos33

+ 28

‘Snow White’ Stars Test Their Wits

Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot, and director Marc Webb take our Ultimate Disney Quiz.

Watch now

9:57

More like this

6.7

Les rats du désert

7.2

Coulez le Bismarck!

6.5

Tonnerre sur Malte

6.6

Rommel, le stratège du 3ème Reich

5.4

Le 5ème commando

7.4

Torpilles sous l'Atlantique

7.2

6.4

6.5

6.1

7.4

Les briseurs de barrages

7.6

L'affaire Cicéron

Storyline

Edit

Did you know

Edit

Trivia
Erwin Rommel's widow, Lucie Marie Rommel acted as a technical consultant and adviser to this movie. She was played by Jessica Tandy in the film itself. Mrs. Rommel lent the production some of her husband's personal artifacts and liaised with Nunnally Johnson, the film's producer and screenwriter. As Frau Lucie Maria Rommel, Mrs Rommel later also acted as a military consultant to the film Le Jour le plus long (1962) made by 20th Century-Fox, the same studio that produced this movie.

Goofs
The opening commando raid shows at least a dozen German soldiers killed. In reality, only four were killed.

Quotes
Field Marshal Gerd von Runstedt: [It's] too late for me. I'm seventy now - too old to fight, too old to challenge authority, however evil... but not too old, however, to wish you and your friends the best of luck in their extremely interesting enterprise.

Crazy credits
The 20th Century Fox logo appears without the usual fanfare.

Connections
Edited from Victoire du désert (1943)

Soundtracks
The Army Air Corps Song
(uncredited)
Music by Robert Crawford
Heard during the scenes of D-Day and the ensuing battles

User reviews77

Featured review

"This Is The Thanks I Get?"

For meritorious service above and beyond the call of duty to his country, Rommel was advised in the end to 'off' himself. No trial necessary, as he was guilty until proved innocent, and why waste everyone's time. But, of course, he was working for the original 'wild and crazy guy'.

"The Desert Fox" is an excellent biopic and is an idealized version of Rommel's military career, particularly as it pertains to Germany's WW II Afrika Corps. It is one of James Mason's best pictures, right behind "Odd Man Out" and slightly ahead of "A Star Is Born". It is a sympathetic portrayal of a man torn between loyalty and love of country, and perhaps a man a little slow on the uptake regarding current internal military affairs. Supporting acting was in very capable hands and there was chemistry evident between Mason and his wife, played by Jessica Tandy. Good script, good direction - hard to find a flaw in this one, which played on FMC the other morning.