The Desert Song

I fell in love with the Desert Song movie with Dennis Morgan & Irene Manning when I was young and years later I was a hairdresser and did Irene Manning's hair. She gave two of us operators a copy of the movie on a VHS tape and I have had it ever since. I am sure it would be illegal to copy it or sell it or anything else but when I see the comments of people who would love to see it again it frustrates me. It is not as clear as modern Technicolor but still a great movie and the music is wonderful;. I have no idea as to the added song or which one it was, but the film is still exciting to see and I am 78 years old. It is pure nostalgia and I with all of you would like to see it released to the public.......... Patricia

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.

Saw this movie (many times) as a boy living on the lower east side of New York City. Excellent escapism and a wonderful introduction to semi classical music. Dennis Morgan was a very positive actor, equally convincing in a musical or flying a fighter plane in WWII China. He had a the range of vocal and dramatic qualities to thoroughly entertain.

The one scene with him riding the top of the dunes, calling his men to attack with a melodic battle cry (just approaching "high C") is a terrific way to start a movie. Irene Manning was a good match. Still remember their version of "One Alone" and the Riff's singing "All".

Sorry the movie can't be released, such chemistry is rare.

Chuck Ingraham

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.

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.