User reviews

While the WWI raged in Europe British troops were fighting in a far corner of the world . Small solitary patrols moved over the vast Mesopotamian desert that seemed on fire with the sun . The molten sky gloated over them . The endless desert wore the blank look of death . Yet these men marched on without a murmur , fighting an unseen Arab enemy who always struck in the dark . A brave group (Wallace Ford , Boris Karloff , Reginald Denny , among others) of British cavalrymen lost in the desert are shot by the Arabs (Francis Ford , John Ford's older brother , appears in an uncredited role as an Arab) , one by one and twelve battered fighting men battle it out to the finish . Dead the commander officer they are subsequently commanded by the sergeant (Victor McLagen) , then arise boiling passions in the burning sands .

The movie gets brief psychological remarks about diverse character studios , especially the religious fanatic Karloff and although is completely developed on the wide desert , the tale results to be claustrophobic . Produced by RKO with a script by Dudley Nichols , usual Ford's screenwriter . Merian C.Cooper (King Kong) as executive producer intervened profoundly in this film along with main producer Cliff Red . The picture was shot for two weeks (1933) in Yuma desert which represented Mesopotamian desert (Modern Iraq) . The temperature on the Yuma locations could be as hot as 150 degrees and actors were limited to working two hours a day . Philip McDonald (novel's author being based the movie) had been recruited in the British cavalry during WWI (1917) and he then wrote an intrigue and suspense tale , adding his war memories . Furthermore , Andrew McLaglen actually served with the Irish Fusiliers in Mesopotamia during World War I at the same time this story took place . Max Steiner's musical score was Academy Award nominated, and this classic composer re-used the main title music he wrote for this film for the main title music for Casablanca , albeit with a slightly different instrumentation and tempo . Magnificent direction by the master John Ford and excellent interpretations make this a very good film . Subsequently remade and reworked several times : ¨Sahara¨ (by Zoltan Korda) with scenarios in Libya desert ; ¨Bataan¨(Tay Garnett) in Philippines jungle ; ¨Last of Comanches¨ (Andre De Toth) in Califonia desert ; and even part of ¨Flight of Phoenix¨ (Robert Aldrich) in Sahara desert . The motion picture will appeal to cinema classics moviegoers .

The second film version of an archetypal adventure story is arguably the best despite some dated elements; John Ford deftly handles the proceedings and Max Steiner's stirring score - which at times foreshadows his later one for CASABLANCA (1942) - is a major asset. The solid cast of character actors is highlighted by Boris Karloff's remarkable turn as a religious fanatic who is slowly driven crazy by the amorality of his comrades and the futility of their struggle against unseen Arab attackers. The film can not only be seen to form part of the "British Empire" sub-genre of adventure films - with THE LIVES OF A BENGAL LANCER (1935), THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE (1936), THE FOUR FEATHERS (1939) and GUNGA DIN (1939) being its most notable contemporary examples - but, if one were to stretch it a bit, also paves the way for more modern stuff like John Carpenter's ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 (1976). It's unfortunate that nowadays, only the 66-minute reissue version seems to be available rather than the original, full-length 74 minute version. Over 20 years ago, I missed my one opportunity to watch this one on Italian TV and have been on the lookout for it ever since; however, I did manage to catch two similarly-themed wartime actioners, BATAAN (1943; with Robert Taylor) and SAHARA (1943; with Humphrey Bogart) over the years which were quite good in their own right. Curiously enough, Cyril McLaglen had played the same part played here by his brother Victor in the earlier 1929 British film version.

John Ford's critically acclaimed film has lost some of its punch, but still delivers an emotional feeling of helplessness, as the lost patrol is menaced by unseen Arabs, and are picked off one by one until few are left. That feeling is reinforced when a rescue airplane lands and the pilot, unaware of the danger, cavalierly walks toward the men, who try to signal him to take cover. But there are bit too many dead spots between the action sequences. And Boris Karloff tends to overact his religious fanatic role, which got on everyone's nerve, including mine. Still, the film is beautifully photographed and has a good Max Steiner score.

The Lost Patrol (1934)

A John Ford war movie five years before his breakthrough movie, "Stagecoach," is interesting at least in relation to his career. So I watched this (on Warner Archive Instant).

And his lifelong themes are here—men in the wilds facing their weaknesses. His war films and westerns all have qualities of machismo, for sure, but they aren't just masculine adventure flicks. That's what makes even something like this minor effort stand up over time. When two of these men, after seeing their fellow soldiers die one by one, sit and smoke a pair of cigarettes and talk about themselves and their lives and their halted dreams, you have the depths of the movie. And of John Ford.

The plot is a contrivance—a British WWI patrol gets lost in an Arabian desert with hostile fire around them. As each of the dozen or so men dies, either from standing up at the wrong time, making a run for it, or just losing their mind in the heat, you zero in on the few that remain. And on the idea of survival. But none of this is particularly realistic. In fact, most of the film is supposed to be a night and it's bright as noon.

But Ford must have known it was a fable he was laying out, and he knew as well the realism he needed in the interactions between the men, all ordinary fellows. Except for one religious nut played with believable excess by Boris Karloff, and he also is a symbol of what their options are.

And so it steadily dwindles on, the men and the film, honing down to the final moments of desperation. And then a big sudden end which feels about right. That's what is odd, somehow—the actions of the main characters become more and more realistic as they get more extreme.

For those interested in Ford's famous blocking out of how his movies are shot, this is a decent example. Because most of it was shot on this oasis set, he could control within these confines the angles and the use of space of confinement well. Which is partly what the movie is about, too, thinking about either escape or entrapment and death. Not a great movie, but with an aura of greatness here and there and in the overview.

John Ford's the Lost Patrol probably reflects Ford's views on life in general . Ford knew what he wanted in the way he handles the various actors in their parts and each fulfills their role admirably . Karloff is a bit over the top at times and evidently Ford wanted that . Ford's symbolism is reflected in the setting , the circumstances and the characters and is enhanced by Max Steiners' brilliant score . The characters are a " Grand Hotel " collection , but each having his own views about life and how death meets them.

The setting is Mesopotamia , the original Garden of Eden as pointed out by Karloff . Here is Eden ruined by the fall of man , bleak , barren and deserted .There are only ruins with very little nourishment for sustenance . Death is represented by the unseen Arabs. It strikes without warning or without being seen . It strikes at the most inopportune times . All want an opportunity to fight this unseen enemy that has decimated their ranks.It strikes mercilessly and cruelly and shatters all hope . Man facing his mortality controls nearly all of the discussions and the reminiscing .

The helplessness of man in the midst of his circumstances seems to be Ford's "arch" for this film . This is conveyed by the inability to see the enemy or know when he will strike . He steals the provisions needed to survive and there is no way to retrieve them .The seeming 'victory' of reaching the oasis shatters that illusion after the first night .

One other commented on the anti-Christian ( or religious ) bias of Ford that shows itself in this picture . One strong point that Ford makes is that there is ' no help from above '. The airplane seems to be a sign that help has arrived , but that hope is soon shot down . Then the two men discuss that they know nothing about flying ( read religion ) . Their final act of helplessness and unbelief is to burn the plane . No help is coming from above ( God ) .

I sat spellbound watching Ford weave a masterpiece of a tapestry of symbolism . Here is Ford at the top of his game and illustrating his genius whether you agree with his philosophy or not . This is not just a story ( and it is a great one at that ) , but it is man's response to life . That is where and why the attempted remakes have failed . They see only the struggle and try to focus on that . The struggle against odds has been done in every genre ,so they bring nothing new to the table . Ford used the struggle as a tableau for the deeper struggle of the basic dilemmas of man and life.

I will watch this over and over .

THE LOST PATROL from the British Army in Mesopotamia desperately defends itself in a tiny oasis from Arab attackers.

John Ford directed this powerful Great War tale of agonizing heartbreak and desperate perseverance. The film becomes a character study as the eleven soldiers succumb, inevitably, to madness and snipers' bullets. Ford craftily keeps the Arabs unseen for an hour, making the implacable desolation of the sun scorched desert the men's worst enemy.

British actor Victor McLaglen is the absolute backbone of the film. Beefy McLaglen--who had his own distinguished military career in World War One--is perfectly believable as the stalwart sergeant with the task of keeping his men alive at the water hole until relief can arrive. Bullying, blustering, brave, his is a heroic performance of a man fighting titanic odds.

Gaunt Boris Karloff appears as a religiously fanatical private; his final scene, carrying a large cross up a dune, is especially memorable. Also in the patrol are Wallace Ford as a lively music hall performer and Reginald Denny as a gentleman with a past. Among the other men are good-natured Billy Bevan, sturdy Alan Hale and naive teenager Douglas Walton.

Max Steiner's powerful soundtrack propels the plot onward to its inevitable conclusion.

During World War I, a British Army patrol loses communication and must fend for itself while dealing with Arab snipers. McLaglen is quite good as the sympathetic leader of the troop. The actor's career would peak the following year with a Best Actor Oscar for "The Informer," another Ford film before he became a reliable member of Ford's stock company of supporting actors. Karloff, taking a break from a string of horror films he was making during the time, is horribly over-the-top as a religious fanatic. The premise of the story is compelling and the desert cinematography is impressive but the uneven script fails to sustain the interest.

No, 'The Lost Patrol' is actually not as bad as that review summary (me trying to think of a summary that wasn't too generic or overused as others) made it sound. It has divided viewers and critics and it is not hard at all to see why. There was a lot of potential here, one of golden age cinema's best, more consistent and most influential directors in John Ford, an interesting idea for a story, music from Max Steiner and a talented cast (especially love Boris Karloff, a horror film icon).

'The Lost Patrol' really isn't one of Ford's best and it is actually one of my least favourite earlier efforts of his and a lesser effort of his overall to me. It does contain some of the best work of some of those involved, while others do not come over well which will be elaborated upon below. Is 'The Lost Patrol' bad? Absolutely not. It takes a lot for me to call any film of Ford's bad and this is no exception. The execution though was disappointing and very flawed.

Shall start with the good things. 'The Lost Patrol' looks great, some obvious rear projection aside on occasion. The photography is very beautiful and atmospheric and the scenery is typically quite majestic. Steiner's score has gotten mixed reviews here, for me it was lushly orchestrated (not surprising as it is Steiner), sweeping and deliciously exotic but can see why others found it intrusive and not always original (personally found the referencing affectionate and effective). There are signs of Ford's directorial brilliance, the more action oriented scenes are powerful and rouse.

Acting is generally not bad with one glaring exception. Victor McLaglen gives a ferocious and commanding performance in the lead role and Reginald Denny is just as excellent. Wallace Ford also excels in a type of role that he was always comfortable in.

Unfortunately, Karloff gives a rare bad performance in a truly bizarre part that was like watching an uncomfortably strange cartoon. His outrageously exaggerated acting is really at odds with everything else. Really appreciated that the film really did take time to try to make the characters meaty but this takes up too much of the cartoon and only McLaglen's character has much meat or felt realistic, the others felt like stereotypes and not always sensitive ones. The script has some thoughtful and intriguing moments but suffers from too much long-winded talk.

Furthermore, the story never properly comes to life, sometimes uneventful, and is a tonal muddle. Indicative of trying to do too many things and it was not clear what the film was trying to be. There is not enough suspense, very little is realistic here and the comedic moments jar and come over as odd.

In conclusion, a tricky one to rate and review and just didn't gel for me. All personal opinion. 5/10

The wonder of the desert is it's immensity. In it, man and time blend to create the illusion of life, when in fact, it's tugging it into the shifting sands. This early Black and White film depicts the story of a British Desert Patrol, written by Philip MacDonald and is directed by John Ford. The film begins with the commanding officer being killed and ironically enough, is the only one who knows where the Patrol is headed. From then on, the cast which has Victor McLaglen playing The Sergeant arrive at a desert Oasis and do their best to survive against desert tribesmen who are systematically killing the soldiers. Boris Karloff plays Sanders, a conscience ridden soldier who succumbs to the desert isolation by becoming a religious fanatic. With Wallace Ford, Reginald Denny and Alan Hale in the cast, the movie becomes a study of men, each with his own thoughts on life. This is a wonderful, though at times a bit over the top film, but one which has established itself a an early Classic. Good Show. ****

Terrific action adventure, opening with wonderful Max Steiner score. It's simply and economically told, a forerunner of Southern Comfort. Karloff is way over the top, a bit more subtlety might have worked out for him. It's also pretty talky and some of the dialogue is unconvincing but on the whole it's a minor classic. So why isn't this movie available on video?

This starts out on a very dramatic note as the officer in charge of a British patrol somewhere in the desert (it's presumably World War I and the desert is presumably in Iraq, since later in the movie there's a mention of "Mesopotamia") is shot by a sniper as he leads his troops. The problem? The officer hasn't shared his orders with anyone, so the patrol (now led by a Sergeant) has no idea what it's supposed to do, or where it's supposed to go. So, the basic premise is set up right from the start. After that dramatic opening, the movie does plod along a little bit for a while, with nothing much for the viewer to do but watch the soldiers traipse through the desert. It picks up steam again, though, when the patrol stumbles upon an oasis with an abandoned mosque. This provides water and shelter, but also makes them a fairly easy target for the mysterious snipers, who start to pick the patrol off one by one.

This is a pretty good movie. It gets a bit wordy at times as the various soldiers reflect on their personal lives, and while we do learn a lot about what they have back home, it seemed artificial - people generally don't talk that way. Still, there's real suspense involved as the movie winds down, because you really don't know if any of these guys are going to be able to come out of this alive. In addition to Victor McLaglen as the Sargeant, the cast is highlighted by Boris Karloff as a soldier who's also a religious fanatic. I wasn't taken by his performance at first. He seemed to have an other-wordly look and sound that would have suited his character of Ardath Bey in "The Mummy" but didn't seem - at first - to work here. But as the movie goes on, and Karloff's "Sanders" begins to go insane under the pressure, that type of presence begins to make sense and actually works quite well by the end.

A very good movie. 7/10

Perhaps because the sound quality was so bad, perhaps because nothing much seemed to be happening, but I didn't really like this film.

It was rather downbeat, frankly.

However, Victor McLaglen gave one of his best performances.

He was not a bigger-than-life character, not a stereotype, but very life-like.

Wallace Ford also gave one of his best performances, in what was one of his best roles.

Watching this on TCM, I heard Robert Osborne say Boris Karloff's performance drew mixed reviews, and I come down on the side of those who said he was exaggerated.

Since it is a classic, I believe everyone ought to see this, at least once. There was certainly a lot of talent, on both sides of the camera.

Exciting desert warfare film, compelling today, 60 years later. A fine Max Steiner soundtrack with excellent performances by Victor McLaglen, Boris Karloff, Reginald Denny and rest of cast. Unlike Gunga Din (1939) where the British were armed with U.S. Springfield '03 rifles and Colt revolvers of the early 1900's the weapons in Lost Patrol are authentically British WWI -- Lee Enfield rifles, the Lewis Gun from the airplane and it seems the officer's revolver is an Enfield of the period and attached to a lanyard in one scene. I see an underlying theme here that seems to have been overlooked. It is strongly anti-Christian throughout. Karloff as the religious fanatic soon to go mad brings on much of this, but not all. A couple of instances: Karloff reading the religious service over the body of the lieutenant is cut short by McLaglen, "Amen". Karloff confronts Reginald Denny telling of his pleasures of the flesh: "You must have faith!" Denny: "Why?" Karloff cannot answer. When Pvt. Pearson is buried, one suggests building a wooden cross for the grave. McLaglen: "Put his sword there. I think he would like that." Strange direction for John Ford, I would say! I have not read the novel "Patrol" that this film was based on. It would be interesting to learn if this theme is apparent. By the way, Lost Patrol was remade as "Sahara"(1943) with Humphrey Bogart. It is not nearly as good, but at the time it was a good wartime morale booster.

A group of soldiers in WWI get stranded in a deserted desert outpost and must fend off enemies both from without and within.

Victor McLaglen leads the ensemble cast which also includes the excellent Reginald Denny, the hopelessly histrionic Boris Karloff (as a religious nut), and the hunk of beefcake Sammy Stein, who spends much of his time with his shirt off. The film becomes an exercise in existential angst as the stress of the situation begins to erode the psyches of the men and they start getting picked off one by one. John Ford makes some solid directorial choices (like never allowing us to see the Arabs who have the men pinned down, letting us experience the dread of the unseen that unravels the soldiers), even if the movie overall is a little thin to be as profoundly memorable as some of Ford's later pictures.

Max Steiner was nominated for Best Scoring in the very first year of that category's existence at the Academy Awards. Whatever else you may have to say about the score, you can't deny that there is certainly a LOT of it. The music never stops, and it's easy to understand how the film got nominated at a time when it was still common for movies not to have much of a music score at all.

Grade: B+

This early John Ford "talkie" (1934) crams in a lot of action and tension in just over an hour. It's the kind of classic film that could stand a good remake considering the subject matter and today's headlines in the Middle East. The plot is simple but effective. A dozen British soldiers on patrol in the Mesopotamian desert are attacked by an unseen force of Arabs. Their commanding officer is killed by a sniper and he was the only person who had knowledge of their exact location in the endless arid landscape. With no hope for reinforcements, the remaining soldiers are soon stranded on an obscure oasis and picked off one-by-one. Victor McLaglen is superb as the ranking sergeant trying to hold his dwindling force together. Boris Karloff is excellent (albeit a bit "over the top") as a religious lunatic who attempts to "convert" his comrades and the enemy to no avail. Adding to the suspense, the bewildered soldiers never see their attackers. The film's larger message regarding the utter futility of war hangs over the proceedings like a funeral shroud---but never gets in the way of the action. The surprising and shattering ending to this tale is one of the most unforgettable moments in 1930s cinema. Ford went on to make bigger pictures, but not too many were better than this one.

THE LOST PATROL plods along in the desert sun accompanied by a Max Steiner score that gives some life to the proceedings, as a small group of British cavalry gets lost on the hot desert sands and takes refuge in an oasis.

VICTOR McLAGLEN is head of the patrol and he's his usual blustery self and BORIS KARLOFF is a Bible quoting soldier devoid of his usual horror make-up. In other supporting roles are REGINALD DENNY, excellent as a gentleman soldier and WALLACE FORD and DOUGLAS WALTON as the lesser of the ill-fated soldiers. ALAN HALE has a brief role, as does SAMMY STEIN as a robust Jewish soldier. DOUGLAS WALTON is sensitive as the nineteen year-old soldier comforted by McLaglen when overcome by fear and fatigue.

Once the lost patrol reaches the oasis, it becomes clear that there's a stagey quality to the dialog in an attempt at character development, but McLaglen remains genuinely convincing as the tough but tender-hearted man who has to keep his men alert in the face of Arab snipers.

The action is slow, but Steiner's music has a mixture of exotic flavors mixed with the feeling of wind, sand and military themes. For '34, the very fact that the music is so prominent is an unusual factor.

A wild-eyed Karloff tells Reginald Denny: "You're a gentleman. You must have faith!" and Denny, after extolling the virtues of women natives, says: "Why?" Once again, McLaglen has to take a firm hand in keeping his men under control. Karloff, with a mad stare in his eyes, eventually goes out of his mind and has an unusual final scene.

The story ends with McLaglen the last man standing by the time the cavalry arrives and everyone marches off into the desert dunes while Steiner's music reaches a pitch of military flavor.

Not bad, but not the best of John Ford either. Watchable mostly for McLaglen's performance which is worthy of an Oscar nomination--but the only nomination went to Max Steiner's score.

This film is really a classic piece of work of what I don't know. I generally enjoy the older black and white movies and I don't mind making allowances due to age but here there is no room to cut any slack. We have a group of soldiers pinned down in an oasis by an unseen enemy. So far we have the basis for a good plot. But things go seriously awry from that point forward. First off the enemy as unseen as they are, are only attacking from one direction and although they seem to be able to move in and out of the oasis at will and kill guards as they want, why they just don't wipe everyone out is beyond me. Another plot hole and one of my favorites was in an enviorment with snipers lurking about why would any one climb up a palm tree and just perch on top is beyond me. Do I really need to say what happens next. I almost expected to hear the old cliché' issued in many a 1950 WW II movie.."Gee sarge there isn't an enemy within 50 miles" Bang! I don't think Boris Karloff could have over acted anymore had someone told him too. I mean this is bad to the point where he really gets annoying after the first two lines. After that your begging for someone to shoot him. The whole movie to sum it up is a group of people trapped doing stupid things that lead to their death. While the whole time the viewer is thinking one more down one step closer to the end. Bad film and not even worth looking at.

No director impresses me more consistently than John Ford. Add The Lost Patrol to the list of his second tier triumphs - it's a cliche, but if anyone else had made this film, it would probably be their masterpiece. A British officer, riding through the Arabian desert in 1917, refuses to share his orders with his subordinates. When he is sniped by an unseen assailant, his six companions have to fend for themselves. They luckily run into an abandoned mosque, where they hold up. Their pursuers, on the other hand, now have them cornered, and start picking them off one by one. Victor McLaglen, a year before he performed his Oscar winning role in Ford's even better The Informer, was not yet pigeonholed as the Irish drunk. He has a straight British accent in this movie, which somehow makes him a bit less great, in my opinion. I just guess I have a soft spot for him as a lout! He's still excellent, however, as the troop's new captain. The other actors are also good. Especially worth mentioning is Boris Karloff as an overly religious man driven insane by the situation. That's a cliche now, but I'm guessing it wasn't in 1934. I don't think I've ever seen Karloff not buried under make-up. He's still playing a horror role, I suppose. At one point he slowly tries to escape the mosque, using a cross as a walking stick. God, what a beautiful scene. Ford's direction is brilliant. Although this is a slightly darker movie than many of his others, there are still several touching Fordian moments in which the soldiers discuss their families. McLaglen has a particularly wonderful moment as he converses about his son, whose mother died in childbirth. At first he hated the child, but he really couldn't help but love him. The smile on his face when he describes his son's life is enormously affecting. Max Steiner's score, although a bit overused at time, is mostly exceptional. At one point, the troop's situation seems about to be relieved. The music becomes triumphant. But a well-aimed bullet stops the score dead in its tracks. This is a great film. 9/10.

It's a great concept for a story, this group of British WWI soldiers wandering through a desert in the Middle East and being harassed by Arab snipers. The religious-minded soldier (Boris Karloff) points out that they are near the location of the original Garden of Eden, but it's now a desert, and after their leader is killed, they're lost and don't even know what their mission is supposed to be. There are some pretty powerful metaphors in play here, though more probably could have been done to expand on the theme of the absurdity of war, and of man's inhumanity to man in this bleak place.

Unfortunately the film is all over the map tonally as well, with the men veering from telling lighthearted stories about people back home even after they find themselves in dire circumstance, to them suddenly snapping and idiotically charging the sand dunes (and of course then being sniped by the unseen enemy). There is the stench of cultural condescension in the air as well, with one of the guys (Reginald Denny) talking about his exploits in Southeast Asia with Malaysian girls younger than 21 (that's the age he says they should be poisoned), and the Arabs being described as dirty, sneaky swine instead of intelligent for their guerilla tactics. The film has that element of the British prevailing over the hostile environment, instead of truly exploring the darker themes that may have made it a masterpiece.

Still though, it's a good story, and one told without a lot of distractions in its 73 minute run time. Director John Ford makes the most of the dramatic desert scenery, and the makeshift graves with the swords in place of headstones are a lasting image too.

Favorite quote: Sanders (Karloff): You must have faith! Brown (Denny): Why? Sanders: Why? In heaven's name man, what do you believe in? Brown: What do I believe in? Would it really interest you? Oh, a lot of things. A good horse, steak and kidney pudding, a fellow named George Brown, the asinine futility of this war, of being frightened, of being drunk enough to be brave, and brave enough to be drunk...