The Desert Song (1953): Cast & Plot
The Desert Song is a 1953 romantic music film directed by H. Bruce Humberstone, starring Raymond Massey as Sheik Yousseff, Ben Astar and Gordon MacRae. It runs 1 hour 50 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 50m (110 min)
- Director
- H. Bruce Humberstone
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Warner Bros. Pictures
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Desert Song About?
The premise of The Desert Song without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Sheik Yousseff poses as a French ally, plotting revolt, opposed by Riffs led by Professor Paul Bonnard, who sabotages trains. Birabeau and daughter Margot arrive; Bonnard tutors her and she loves Captain Fontaine. Benji Kidd, aided by dancer Azuri, discovers passages into Yousseff’s palace; Bonnard kidnaps Margot to expose Yousseff, but his men capture her.
The Desert Song Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- scene during opening credits
- based on broadway musical
- horseback riding
- general
- tutor
- treachery
- supply train
- prisoner
- palace
- investigation
- foreign legion
- desert
+38 more Show fewer
- captain
- american
- singing
- song
- frenchman
- father daughter relationship
- male female relationship
- violence
- soldier
- slang
- singer
- sheik
- secret passageway
- revolt
- remake
- oasis
- newspaper reporter
- muslim
- morocco
- moonlight
- kidnapping
- investigator
- incognito
- impostor
- hostage
- gunfire
- gun battle
- garden
- french government
- french foreign legion
- fort
- disguise
- deception
- death
- dance girl
- damsel in distress
- africa
- based on stage musical
The Desert Song Cast & Characters
Raymond Massey leads the cast as Sheik Yousseff, with Ben Astar as Sheik and Gordon MacRae as El Khobar / Paul Bonnard. Directed by H. Bruce Humberstone; 17 actors are credited in all.
- Director H. Bruce Humberstone
- Raymond Massey as Sheik Yousseff
- Ben Astar as Sheik
- Gordon MacRae as El Khobar / Paul Bonnard
- Steve Cochran as Captain Claude Fontaine
Also Starring in The Desert Song
· 13 more- Allyn Ann McLerie Azuri
- Dick Wesson Benjamin 'Benjy' Kidd
- Ray Collins Gen. Birabeau
- Kathryn Grayson Margot Birabeau
- Paul Picerni Hassan
- Jack Tornek Riff Guard
- Trevor Bardette Neri
- Cosmo Sardo Legionnaire
- William Conrad Lachmed
- Frank De Kova Mindar
- Charles Perry Legionnaire (uncredited)
- Mark Dana Lt. Duvalle
- Bhogwan Singh Old Villager
More from H. Bruce Humberstone
More films directed by H. Bruce Humberstone: Madison Avenue, Tarzan’s Fight for Life, Tarzan and the Lost Safari and The Purple Mask.
The Desert Song Plot Summary
What happens in The Desert Song from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
The film largely follows the original plot, but with a few meaningful alterations that reshape character dynamics and the tone of the story. Benjamin ‘Benjy’ Kidd, Dick Wesson, is reimagined as a comic Bob Hope–like coward rather than a stiff stereotype, injecting light humor into tense moments. El Khobar, Gordon MacRae, is presented as the mild-mannered Latin tutor and anthropologist whose disguise masks a far warier ally. He is hired by Gen. Birabeau, Ray Collins, to keep Margot Birabeau, Kathryn Grayson, from flirting with his regiment, while Azuri, Allyn Ann McLerie, and Hassan, Paul Picerni, add depth to the ensemble as the plot thickens.
Full summary
The whole story of The Desert Song, scene by scene
How Well Do You Know The Desert Song?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Which actor portrays the dashing masked hero El Khobar?
Cars in The Desert Song
2 cars on screen: the 1924 Renault 40CV and the 1910 Renault 9CV Taxi.
-
1924 Renault 40CV Minor role -
1910 Renault 9CV Taxi Minor role
The Desert Song Also Known As
3 alternative titles, including “沙漠之歌” and “Canção do Sheik”.
- Also known as
-
- 沙漠之歌
- Canção do Sheik
- El Khobar - Schrecken der Wüste
Seen The Desert Song?
Movies Like The Desert Song
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Desert Song, The Desert Bride and Desert Sands.
The Desert Song FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of The Desert Song, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Desert Song?
The Desert Song runs 1 hour 50 minutes (110 minutes).
When was The Desert Song released?
The Desert Song was released on May 20, 1953.
Who directed The Desert Song?
The Desert Song was directed by H. Bruce Humberstone.
More films by H. Bruce Humberstone Who is in the cast of The Desert Song?
The Desert Song stars Raymond Massey as Sheik Yousseff, Ben Astar as Sheik and Gordon MacRae as El Khobar / Paul Bonnard, among 17 credited actors.
Does The Desert Song have a post-credit scene?
No. The Desert Song has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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