The Desert Rats (film)
| The Desert Rats | |
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| Directed by | Robert Wise |
| Produced by | Robert L. Jacks |
| Written by | Richard Murphy |
| Starring |
Richard Burton James Mason Robert Newton |
| Narrated by | Michael Rennie |
| Music by | Leigh Harline |
| Cinematography | Lucien Ballard |
| Edited by | Barbara McLean |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
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Release date
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Running time
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88 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1,320,000 |
| Box office | $1.1 million (US rentals) |
The Desert Rats is a 1953 American black-and-white war film from 20th Century Fox, produced by Robert L. Jacks, directed by Robert Wise, that stars Richard Burton, James Mason, and Robert Newton. The film's storyline concerns the Siege of Tobruk in North Africa during World War II.
During mid-April 1941 in North Africa, German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel (James Mason) and his Afrika Korps have driven the British Army into headlong retreat toward Egypt and the vital Suez Canal. Standing in Rommel's way is Tobruk, a constant threat to his supply lines. The 9th Australian Division are charged with holding the port for two months, at which time they are to be relieved.
The defending Allied general (Robert Douglas) chooses British Captain "Tammy" MacRoberts (Richard Burton), an experienced field officer, to take command of a company of newly arrived, untried Australian troops. The no-nonsense MacRoberts is disliked by the undisciplined Australians. He is surprised to see in their ranks his former schoolmaster, Tom Bartlett (Robert Newton). Bartlett, an alcoholic, later explains that after being dismissed from his job in Britain due to his drinking, he went to Australia and joined the army while intoxicated. MacRoberts offers to transfer him to a safer billet, but Bartlett turns him down.
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