Liebeslied der Wüste

As to why this film is not available, my sister who formerly lived in California thought this movie was privately owned by Irene Manning's and/or her husband and that is why it has not been released to the general public. I was very young when I saw this but remember the beautiful technicolor and music. When video came to be, I looked and looked but never saw anything about the movie and not even about the main stars Dennis Morgan and Irene Manning. I assumed that the decision not to put it on video and TV might have been a commercial one.

It was in 1944, when my relatives and neighbors, all were very much concerned about the War. My mother and I went to see the Desert Song movie. I was so impressed by the scenery and Dennis Morgan as the hero. One scene were he was looking over a dune at the Nazi soldiers, is so vivid in my mind. After the movie was over and we got home, the phone rang and we were told all of our relatives in Europe were safe and our relatives in the Army were safe. So this movie was really important to us. Thanks or the opportunity to vent my thoughts.Believe it or not only one other person that I know saw the movie, and now he is dead too. Thanks for all.

The 1943 and 1929 version of the film have been shown on television - though only in black and white, and not for many years. In the 1950's when studios started to see television as a source of revenue - and a cheap one, at that, where they could make some coins by releasing what ever films they had not yet managed to destroy to this new "boob tube". The result was any number of films that should not have seen the light of day, were broadcast regularly - though in the case of many 3 strip tech prints - one of the strips was used to make a b&w 16mm neg - and the prints hat are available are from that source. The 1929 & 1943 versions of the desert song have been circulating for years and if you look hard enough - you'll find them - the quality varies, and they are always in B&W, but its better than nothing (there's even a B&W DVD on the market of the Nelson Eddy version). BTW another film that was release to TV, that should not have been was Richard Dix's Ghost Ship - though recently the rights to that have been sorted out.

The various commentators on the 1943 version of The Desert Song cleared up (and confirmed?) the suspicions of a 9-year old boy who thoroughly enjoyed the movie in 1944. It was only after many years and reminiscences (in addition to a fascination with the history of World War II) that I began to wonder why this movie never appeared in public again.

MY suspicions were confirmed by briantaves of Washington, DC in his comment on The Desert Song; viz., that the politics of North Africa and Vichy French were involved. Considering the time-line of the filming and release (1943-1944), it would appear that the American invasion of Morocco in November of 1942 was involved in the original planning. Our troops were actively resisted by the French troops in Morocco (under the control of the Vichy French (collaborators with the Nazis). A tricky situation considering that the "Free French", led by Charles DeGaulle in London, were our allies.

As for the copyright issues regarding one song (that keep the movie from being viewed once again), fuggedaboutit! Even as a 9-year old, I knew it was a good movie.

My only comment is that such a wonderful film should not be placed somewhere on the shelf and forgotten thru the years. It is too great a picture to not allow the many people (like myself) who would love to purchase it and show it to their family and friends to enjoy for as many times as they wish. And besides, I think Dennis Morgan was a wonderful singer and a very handsome actor. And so, once again, I am hoping that whoever places these films on video will take all our comments into consideration and take notice of the many people who feel the same as I do about this film. The newer version with Gordon MacRae does not appeal to me at all. I want the old version. Let's just say it is the nostalgia part of me that is hoping that this can be accomplished.