History Film / Sahara1943

Generally regarded, along with films like ''Film/ThirtySecondsOverTokyo'', ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'' or ''Film/InWhichWeServe'', to be one of the relatively few wartime movies that holds up today outside of its propaganda value. It was a loose adaptation of a 1936 Russian film ''The Thirteen'', itself an adaptation of Creator/JohnFord's ''Film/TheLostPatrol'', and was remade in 1995 with Creator/JimBelushi in Bogart's role.

Generally regarded, along with films like ''Film/ThirtySecondsOverTokyo'', ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'' or ''Film/InWhichWeServe'', to be one of the relatively few wartime movies that holds up today outside of its propaganda value. It was a loose adaptation of a 1936 Russian film ''The Thirteen'', itself an adaptation of Creator/JohnFord's ''Film/TheLostPatrol'', and was remade in 1995 with Jim Belushi in Bogart's role.

''Sahara'' is a 1943 WorldWarII film directed by Zoltan Korda, starring Creator/HumphreyBogart as Master Sergeant Joe Gunn (and an M3 Lee tank named ''[[ICallItVera Lulubelle]]'').

''Sahara'' is a 1943 [[WorksSetInWorldWar2 war film]] starring Creator/HumphreyBogart as Master Sergeant Joe Gunn, and an M3 Lee tank named ''[[ICallItVera Lulubelle]]''.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/saharagok.jpg]]

!Tropes in ''Sahara''

Generally regarded, along with films like ''Film/ThirtySecondsOverTokyo'', ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'' or ''Film/InWhichWeServe'', to be one of the relatively few wartime movies that holds up today outside of its propaganda value. It was a loose adaptation of a 1936 Russian film ''The Thirteen'', itself an adaptation of Creator/JohnFord's ''Film/TheLostPatrol'', and was remade itself in 1995 with Jim Belushi in Bogart's role.

* DownerBeginning: The Allies losing the Battle of Tobruk, [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere which forces Gunn and his tank crew (and later the survivors of an Allied field hospital) to run away across the Libyan desert and hope to hell that they can find more Allies to regroup with]].

* YouAreInCommandNow: Captain Halliday cedes authority to Gunn, as it's Gunn's tank.

''Sahara'' is a 1943 [[WorksSetInWorldWar2 war film]] starring HumphreyBogart as Master Sergeant Joe Gunn, and an M3 Lee tank named ''[[ICallItVera Lulubelle]]''.

* ChromosomeCasting: There are no women in the film at all.

''Sahara'' is a 1943 [[WorksSetInWorldWar2 war film]] starring Humphrey Bogart as Master Sergeant Joe Gunn, and an M3 Lee tank named ''[[ICallItVera Lulubelle]]''.

* WorthyOpponent: Notably, the film is much more sympathetic to [[UsefulNotes/FascistItaly the Italian Giuseppe]] than [[ThoseWackyNazis the Germans.]]

Generally regarded, along with films like ''Film/ThirtySecondsOverTokyo'', ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'' or ''Film/InWhichWeServe'', to be one of the relatively few wartime movies that holds up today outside of its propaganda value. It was a loose adaptation of a 1936 Russian film ''The Thirteen'', itself an adaptation of Creator/JohnFord's ''Film/TheLostPatrol'', and was remade itself in 1995 with Jim Belushi in Bogart's role. Not to be confused with ''Film/{{Sahara}}'', the Clive Cussler adaptation.

* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: Three American tankers, a British Medical Corps captain, his four Commonwealth officers (including an Anglo-Irish and a South African), a Sudanese Sergeant Major and their Italian and German prisoners

Generally regarded, along with films like ''Film/ThirtySecondsOverTokyo'', ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'' or ''Film/InWhichWeServe'', to be one of the relatively few wartime movies that holds up today outside of its propaganda value. It was a loose adaptation of a 1936 Russian film ''The Thirteen'', itself an adaptation of Creator/JohnFord's ''The Last Patrol'', and was remade itself in 1995 with Jim Belushi in Bogart's role. Not to be confused with ''Film/{{Sahara}}'', the Clive Cussler adaptation.

* WeaponsUnderstudy: As is the case with many war films from the period, the German armoured vehicles are played by American ones in drag. Von Schletow's plane is also an early-model Mustang.

* WeaponUnderstudy: As is the case with many war films from the period, the German armoured vehicles are played by American ones in drag. Von Schletow's plane is also an early-model Mustang.

* WeaponUnderstudies: As is the case with many war films from the period, the German armoured vehicles are played by American ones in drag. Von Schletow's plane is also an early-model Mustang.

* CooperationGambit: Gunn first offers "water for food", so that both parties can then go on their way resupplied. Then he offers "water for guns" to stop the Germans advancing on the retreating allies. Von Falken won't consider either. [[spoiler: After his death, his men are so thirsty their attempt at a last charge turns into a stampede for the well and they gladly throw down their guns.]]

* CooperationGambit: Gunn first offers "water for food", so that both parties can then go on their way resupplied. Then he offers "water for guns" to stop the Germans advancing on the retreating allies. Von Falken won't consider either.

* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: Three American tankers, a British Medical Corps captain, his four Commonwealth officers,

* WorthyOpponent: Notably, the film is much more sympathetic to [[UsefulNotes/FascistItaly the Italian Giuseppe]] than [[ThoseWackyNazis the Germans.]]

*

* RagtagBunchOfMisfits:

After the Battle of Gazala, Gunn and his remaining crew are separated from their unit during the retreat. Heading south across the desert to rejoin their command, they encounter a bombed-out field hospital, where they pick up Captain Halliday and his own motley band of four Commonwealth soldiers and a Free French corporal. Shortly after that they add the Sudanese Sgt Mjr Tambul and his Italian prisoner, and finally a crashed Luftwaffe pilot