ben hibburd
The Desert Rats is a fairly standard 1950's World War II picture. The film focuses on a theatre of war that doesn't get covered as much in media. The action takes place in North Africa, and primarily the siege of Tobruk. As the British and Anzac forces had to repel Rommel's forces, wave after wave over the course of eight months, using every trick in the book to make sure that the German forces were unable to reach the Suez canal.Robert Wise does a good job of shooting exciting action scenes that were better then a-lot of films at the time. The problem is this film is basically a ninety minute fire-fight. Which isn't a huge negative, what is, is the lack of characterisation or plot. I can't remember a single character from the film as they all blended together and became faces rather then characters.The film also lacked any real tension until the last twenty minutes when you could actually feel the exhaustion from the characters after battling for months on end. As a pure action film it does a good job of showing the toll war can have upon soldiers. It's just a shame that none of the characters had any sense of personality or individualism. Over-all this film makes for a decent watch on TCM on a Sunday afternoon, other then that it doesn't offer much. This is a rare case of a film that would be perfect for a remake.
Martin Bradley
It wasn't a great part and it wasn't a great film but this early performance from Richard Burton showed just how great an actor he might become. Unfortunately Hollywood, Taylor and the bottle often seemed to get in the way. In "The Desert Rats" he is the young officer leading his men into battle or more specifically, into the battle for Tobruk and he really is very good and as war films go, this is a tight and exciting picture, (it clocks in at under 90 minutes). Robert Wise was the director and you can tell this movie was directed by a great editor; there isn't a wasted moment in the whole film and the action scenes are brilliantly handled. James Mason once again appears as Rommel and there's a fine supporting performance from Robert Newton as Burton's old schoolmaster, now a private in his command.
SnoopyStyle
It's 1941. Field Marshal Erwin von Rommel is pushing towards the Suez Canal. Allied forces are hold up in the port of Tobruk threatening his supply lines. Capt. Tammy MacRoberts (Richard Burton) is picked to lead a group of newly-arrived green Australian troupes. They struggle to hold on for two months and end up surviving for eight until relief.The accuracy is questionable to be generous. The story of the raid feels especially unreal. At least, they get captured. This works as an old-fashion war movie. There are bits of good action. Burton and cast are good. It is good action but a little slow in long stretches.
Spikeopath
The Desert Rats is directed by Robert Wise and written by Richard Murphy. It stars Richard Burton, Robert Newton, Robert Douglas, Torin Thatcher, Chips Rafferty and James Mason. Music is by Leigh Harline and cinematography by Lucien Ballard.The follow up to The Desert Fox (it's not a sequel) from two years earlier, was in essence an attempt to readdress the balance after The Desert Fox annoyed certain quarters with its admiration for what a great soldier Field Marshal Rommel was. So here we have the battle of Tobruk orchestrated by the astute Robert Wise, the plot is simple, but the characterisations are most certainly not, with lead men Burton and Newton terrific.This important part of the war is given mature treatment, with the battle sequences realistically staged and the tactical nous of allied force leaders rightly given credence. Sadly Mason is barely in the picture, which is more frustrating when you witness the extended scene that is shared between Mason and Burton, a British film fan's dream right there. While elsewhere it should be noted that this is, perhaps inevitably, not an accurate history lesson, so students of Tobruk don't be basing your thesis on this telling.Still, a good quality war pic for sure. 7/10
AD
