The Desert Song (1943)

Why so much hype?

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Unaware that this had been considered unavailable for many years, I had sought this out and for years only had a badly edited black and white version of this from some local TV station somewhere that looked as if it had been copied down half a dozen generations. That was horrible to try to watch even though I hung on to it just for the privilege of having. Nobody in the movie collecting business knew of any color prints available, and even the 1929 version appeared to have been locked away as well. The 1953 version did make its way to VHS, and a 20 minute short ("The Red Shadow") appeared on TCM in it's early days. Out of the blue this version from the war era came out on home video in all its colorful glory, but unfortunately, what I witnessed upon my discovery of the original print may not have been worth my search.The mixture of the glorious score (greatly cut) and the setting of World War II did not mesh in my opinion, and perhaps this is an operetta best left to recordings than stagings, having failed with Broadway revivals both in 1946 and 1973. It's silly and inappropriate as war propaganda, and reminded me more of a Maria Montez/Sabu adventure with songs. Dennis Morgan was fine as a romantic lead, but his singing after a while is grating. Irene Manning was fine as a B leading lady or the other woman but fails to impress in her one A lead. Bruce Cabot is serviceable as Manning's suitor, and Lynne Overman is a notch above the annoying Dick Wesson in the 1953 remake. The new songs aren't memorable in the least, but the original score does get a good recording from the Warner Brothers sound department. War musicals work better with real entertainers putting on a show, but mixing sword and sandal with Nazis and Sigmund Romberg sadly fails.

I have never read a set of comments as intelligent about any other film. I too saw it in 1944 or thereabouts, when I was 8, and I've never forgotten it. I am sorry to have to observe, though, that it is almost certain that that this stirring and beautiful old movie will not be telecast or made easily available to the public in any form for the foreseeable future. The reasons have nothing to do with copyright or ownership. They are political, as is indicated by the otherwise puzzling changes that were made in the 1953 version. Quite a book could in fact be written about this film and a few others of the era in connection with the vision of liberty and heroism they display against background of WWII and the politics since.

The 1943 and 1929 version of the film have been shown on television - though only in black and white, and not for many years. In the 1950's when studios started to see television as a source of revenue - and a cheap one, at that, where they could make some coins by releasing what ever films they had not yet managed to destroy to this new "boob tube". The result was any number of films that should not have seen the light of day, were broadcast regularly - though in the case of many 3 strip tech prints - one of the strips was used to make a b&w 16mm neg - and the prints hat are available are from that source. The 1929 & 1943 versions of the desert song have been circulating for years and if you look hard enough - you'll find them - the quality varies, and they are always in B&W, but its better than nothing (there's even a B&W DVD on the market of the Nelson Eddy version). BTW another film that was release to TV, that should not have been was Richard Dix's Ghost Ship - though recently the rights to that have been sorted out.

I have always loved this movie but couldn't remember the actress/singer, only that she was called Margot. My grandmother took me to the movie when I was 9 yrs. old. Since it has been so long ago I didn't know the plot, just loved the color and the music. We had a Music Festival in our town with Dennis Morgan as a guest and of course he sang One Alone, I'll never forget that day. I would like to hear & see him again someday so I hope the movie will be released . My daughter loves the old musicals & I would like her to see this version of The Desert Song. Is there any thing we can do to get this movie released so more people could enjoy??