Desert Legion

Desert Legion
Directed by	Joseph Pevney
Produced by	Ted Richmond
Screenplay by	Irving Wallace; Lewis Meltzer
Based on	novel The Demon Caravan by Georges Surdez
Starring	Alan Ladd; Richard Conte; Arlene Dahl
Music by	Frank Skinner
Cinematography	John F. Seitz
Edited by	Frank Gross
Production; company	Universal Pictures
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date	April 3, 1953 (Los Angeles); May 8, 1953 (United States);
Running time	86 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$1,650,000 (US)[1]

Desert Legion is a 1953 American Technicolor adventure film directed by Joseph Pevney starring Alan Ladd, Richard Conte and Arlene Dahl.

Plot

Ladd stars as a soldier in the French Foreign Legion who stumbles across a lost city in the desert mountains of Algeria in North Africa.

Cast

Alan Ladd as Paul Lartal
Richard Conte as Crito Damou / Omar Ben Khalif
Arlene Dahl as Morjana
Akim Tamiroff as Pvt. Plevko
Oscar Beregi as Si Khalil (as Oscar Berefi)
Leon Askin as Maj. Vasil
Anthony Caruso as Lt. Messaoud
George J. Lewis as Lt. Lopez
Sujata Rubener as Dancer (as Sujata)
Asoka Rubener as Dancer (as Asoka)

Production

The film was made by Universal Pictures, and based on a 1927 novel The Demon Caravan by Georges Arthur Surdez.

It was Alan Ladd's first film for Universal since becoming a star. It was a one-picture deal and gave Ladd a percentage of the profits, a relatively novel thing at the time.[2][3] (He split profits with the studio 50–50.[4]) Joseph Pevney was assigned to direct.[5]

Ladd had broken his hand during a fight scene towards the end of his most recent film The Iron Mistress, but recovered to begin work on Desert Legion on 7 July 1952.[6]

Akim Tamiroff joined the support cast. It was his first Hollywood film in three years.[7]

References

'The Top Box Office Hits of 1953', Variety, January 13, 1954
Schallert, Edwin (May 2, 1952). "Kramer Will Film Story of Airplane Pioneers; Ladd in 'Desert Legion'". Los Angeles Times. p. B9.
THOMAS M. PRYOR (May 2, 1952). "KRAMER WILL FILM STORY OF WRIGHTS: Producer Buys Book by Fred Kelly About Air Pioneers as Basis for New Movie". New York Times. p. 21.
J. D. SPIRO HOLLYWOOD. (July 20, 1952). "HOLLYWOOD REPORT: Plan to Aid Smeared Scenarists Is Voted Down by the Writers Guild -- Addenda". New York Times. p. X5.
THOMAS M. PRYOR (May 31, 1952). "CHARLES LAUGHTON SIGNS FOR 'SALOME': Arrives in England but Will Return Soon to Play Herod Opposite Rita Hayworth". New York Times. p. 13.
"Ladd Ready to Go in 'Desert Legion'". Los Angeles Times. June 15, 1952. p. D2.
THOMAS M. PRYOR (June 17, 1952). "TV COMEDY STARS SIGNING FOR FILM: Lucille Ball and Her Husband, Desi Arnaz, May Do Sequence in Billy Rose's Picture". New York Times. p. 23.

External links

Desert Legion at IMDb
Desert Legion at the TCM Movie Database

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[1] 'The Top Box Office Hits of 1953', Variety, January 13, 1954

[2] Schallert, Edwin (May 2, 1952). "Kramer Will Film Story of Airplane Pioneers; Ladd in 'Desert Legion'". Los Angeles Times. p. B9.

[3] THOMAS M. PRYOR (May 2, 1952). "KRAMER WILL FILM STORY OF WRIGHTS: Producer Buys Book by Fred Kelly About Air Pioneers as Basis for New Movie". New York Times. p. 21.

[4] J. D. SPIRO HOLLYWOOD. (July 20, 1952). "HOLLYWOOD REPORT: Plan to Aid Smeared Scenarists Is Voted Down by the Writers Guild -- Addenda". New York Times. p. X5.

[5] THOMAS M. PRYOR (May 31, 1952). "CHARLES LAUGHTON SIGNS FOR 'SALOME': Arrives in England but Will Return Soon to Play Herod Opposite Rita Hayworth". New York Times. p. 13.

[6] "Ladd Ready to Go in 'Desert Legion'". Los Angeles Times. June 15, 1952. p. D2.

[7] THOMAS M. PRYOR (June 17, 1952). "TV COMEDY STARS SIGNING FOR FILM: Lucille Ball and Her Husband, Desi Arnaz, May Do Sequence in Billy Rose's Picture". New York Times. p. 23.