Odd movie for John Ford since what's on screen could have been done by a score of less talented directors. My guess is that his movie-making personality had yet to assert itself and that screenwriter Dudley Nichols is the molding force here. Clearly, Nichols is behind Karloff's wacky religious fanatic given Ford's generally sympathetic view of religious folks (The Searchers, for one). Note the parody of "Onward Christian Soldiers" as Karloff advances into the desert behind a huge crucifix. Such caricatures would largely disappear during the restrictive Code era soon to follow, 1934.
True, the acting is pretty stagey as often happened with Ford, but exaggeration was not unusual for the time. Fortunately, the often comedic Victor McLaglen shows an effectively somber side, providing the movie's needed dramatic core. Note too, that there's little of Ford's celebrated poetic eye for natural landscapes. Instead, he films in pretty un- ornamented literal fashion.
I agree with those who believe the film has lost much original impact. The florid acting, Karloff's especially, certainly doesn't help. And for that matter, neither does the British pilot who exits his plane looking and acting like he's going to a prom date instead of a war zone. There are the other implausibles pointed out by other reviewers, so no need to repeat them here. Unfortunately, the sum total of these negatives works against the film's effectiveness, especially for modern audiences.
Nonetheless, there's still that really creepy element of instant death. It strikes the patrol suddenly and silently, stalking them like an evil metaphysical force. It's this unusual dimension, sort of like our worst nightmare, that continues to lend the movie real distinction and unnerve the viewer. Too bad, in my book, that the screenplay relents in the end when we see the men (Arabs) behind the force. Better that they had been kept out of audience reach and remained a shadowy presence throughout.
But my guess is the script couldn't end by implying that the Arabs had won the battle. So eventually the natives get mowed down in good conventional fashion; McLaglen gets rescued in good conventional fashion; and the British colonialists ride into the sunset in good conventional fashion. One of the film's strengths is that it's ambiguous enough that we can't be sure how it will end. Thus the conventional ending for me is a disappointment, unworthy of what's gone before.
Consider how forceful the film would be had no member of the patrol survived and the attackers remained unseen. That would have violated political correctness, but also resulted in a more memorable movie. After all, in real life, the so-called good guys don't always win, and sometimes it's helpful to be reminded of that. And sometimes an unhappy ending also makes for good, memorable cinema. Too bad this movie, with so much pre-Code potential, couldn't or wouldn't carry forward its unnerving side and end outside the box.
True, the acting is pretty stagey as often happened with Ford, but exaggeration was not unusual for the time. Fortunately, the often comedic Victor McLaglen shows an effectively somber side, providing the movie's needed dramatic core. Note too, that there's little of Ford's celebrated poetic eye for natural landscapes. Instead, he films in pretty un- ornamented literal fashion.
I agree with those who believe the film has lost much original impact. The florid acting, Karloff's especially, certainly doesn't help. And for that matter, neither does the British pilot who exits his plane looking and acting like he's going to a prom date instead of a war zone. There are the other implausibles pointed out by other reviewers, so no need to repeat them here. Unfortunately, the sum total of these negatives works against the film's effectiveness, especially for modern audiences.
Nonetheless, there's still that really creepy element of instant death. It strikes the patrol suddenly and silently, stalking them like an evil metaphysical force. It's this unusual dimension, sort of like our worst nightmare, that continues to lend the movie real distinction and unnerve the viewer. Too bad, in my book, that the screenplay relents in the end when we see the men (Arabs) behind the force. Better that they had been kept out of audience reach and remained a shadowy presence throughout.
But my guess is the script couldn't end by implying that the Arabs had won the battle. So eventually the natives get mowed down in good conventional fashion; McLaglen gets rescued in good conventional fashion; and the British colonialists ride into the sunset in good conventional fashion. One of the film's strengths is that it's ambiguous enough that we can't be sure how it will end. Thus the conventional ending for me is a disappointment, unworthy of what's gone before.
Consider how forceful the film would be had no member of the patrol survived and the attackers remained unseen. That would have violated political correctness, but also resulted in a more memorable movie. After all, in real life, the so-called good guys don't always win, and sometimes it's helpful to be reminded of that. And sometimes an unhappy ending also makes for good, memorable cinema. Too bad this movie, with so much pre-Code potential, couldn't or wouldn't carry forward its unnerving side and end outside the box.