Bogart In The Desert War

Is Bogie Making a Rude Gesture Here?

1943's Sahara Seeks a Last Drop Of Water

Desert warfare with Humphrey Bogart traversing sand in a tank with diminishing cast in support, their being plucked one-by-one after Lost Patrol fashion. This was among most beautifully shot black-and-white films, thanks to Rudolph Maté behind cameras; his work stood out even against an industry's best. J. Carroll Naish is an Italian taken prisoner who'll gladly switch sides, our impression during WWII that his countrymen were more misguided than lethal. Germans, on the other hand, are pure bad and will aim for the back if mercy is unwisely shown. Location looks to be a real Sahara, but this was shot closer to home and proved less an ordeal than it looks. Bogart was hot off Casablanca, as in truly arrived as a major star, and Columbia was lucky to have him at such peak of interest. For his part, Bogie waited till last moments to cram dialogue to memory, then went out and delivered as though he'd spent all night at prep rather than social drinking. HB had sense enough not to tempt fate by going back to the stage where reams of dialogue had to be memorized. Sahara gets a huge enhance thanks to HD streaming off I-Tunes, being another of those for which uptick in clarity adds stars to modern-day reviewing. I'd increase it to four from a three my old 16mm print would have earned. Vintage pics are truly reborn thanks to higher definition.