Sword in the Desert

Those interested in the pre-1948 history of Israel will find this movie interesting and entertaining.

It reminded me in some ways of an early version of Otto Preminger's Exodus.

I think that they could have done more with Dana Andrews' part, but still worth watching.

In the Hollywood history, there were not so many pictures speaking of the Israel state birth: the was EXODUS (Otto Preminger), CAST A GIANT SHADOW (Melville Shavelson) and SWORD IN THE DESERT- this very one. I don't know any other film, but after all, maybe there are some existing. But this early one, produced in 1949, is really gritty, accurate, faithful to actual events and an early performance of Jeff Chandler, justifies to watch this underrated film, maybe one of the best from director George Sherman, rather specialized in westerns. It is actually directed like a western, with the same camera movements. Good film, solid script.

Sword in the Desert was a quickly made feature film trying to cash in on the headlines concerning the rebirth of the State of Israel. The hopes and dreams of millions of Jews around the world who for two generations sent in sometimes pittance contributions to the Jewish Committee who started BUYING land in Palestine from the Ottoman Empire in the hopes of carving out a homeland for displaced people finally was realized a year earlier.

The origins of Israel are always obscured by Arab propaganda about Zionist Imperialism. The nucleus of Israel is from land BOUGHT and then formalized by United Nations partition. When six Arab nations disagreed and attack Israel beat them back and acquired more than what she was originally intended for. That's also how they later got the whole of Jerusalem, when three nations attacked Israel again in 1967 in the Six Day War.

Dana Andrews plays a captain of a tramp freighter who's making a nice living smuggling Jewish refugees into Palestine. He's strictly a cash and carry operator, but one time he gets himself caught up with his cargo when the British find him with same. He gets rescued by the Hagannah along with the rest of the refugees. After living with the Hagannah and seeing what they're up against, he becomes a committed Zionist himself. Of course the Zionist cause was definitely helped by having the beautiful and shapely Marta Toren working on his conversion. To Zionism, not to Judaism.

The part of Kurta the charismatic Hagannah leader was the one that gave Jeff Chandler his first real notice. Chandler, who's real name was Ira Grossel was himself Jewish and one who felt his roots very deeply. Later on he made a well publicized trip to Israel in the late Fifties and expressed a wish to be buried there. When he died in 1961 his wishes were not carried out by his daughters and his ex-wife. Nevertheless, Chandler always treasured this film because of what it meant to him both professionally and personally.

Stephen McNally has a substantial role as Hagannah fighter David Vogel and Irish actor Liam Redmond plays a former IRA man who joins up with the Jews because the British are tilting their neutrality way over to the Arabs. A lot of former IRA men did join up with the nascent Israeli cause and died for the creation of the Jewish state. Ironic that later on another generation of the IRA sided with the Arabs.

Sword in the Desert was quickly put together and its hurried preparation does show. Still it's a good, but hardly a definitive story about Israeli independence. For that we would have to wait for Exodus and Cast a Giant Shadow.

Obscure and Somewhat Shallow, this Attempt at Shedding Some Light on the Contemporary Middle East-Palestine-British-Israel Situation/Conflict in 1947 is Hardly Anything More than a Lopsided Account of a Few Boatloads of Refugees Being Subjugated in the British Controlled Region.

As Entertainment, it is an OK Movie. As History Not so Much. At the Time the British were so Incensed that the Film was Banned in that Country for Decades. Elsewhere this Hot-Button Movie was Barely Seen and the Distribution was Minimal and Forget TV. That is Until Recently Thanks to TCM. So there is a Chance to See it Today.

The Cast Playing Mostly Stereotypes does OK with the Material but it is Heavy-Handed Most of the Time and the Christian Persuasion with the Christmas Time Setting, the Carol Singing, and the Heaven Sent Ending is Hokey, but was a Cheap way of Swaying Folks to the Cause.

It is a bit Creepy when the British put the Jewish Refugees, Including Children with Raggedy Ann Dolls in Tow, in a Barbed Wire Encampment (more heavy-handedness), that must have Weirded Out Post War Audiences and Angered More than a Few People. The British were Definitely Portrayed in this Film as Nazi-Lite.

There are a Few Lines from British Commanders about Not Wanting to Be There. "We should let God police the area." Overall it is Worth a Watch for its Place in Hollywood History. A "Lost" Curioso that Certainly hasn't "Lost" any of its Relevance if You Look at Today's Headlines.

Recently discovered this film on TCM-and watched with great interest. Firstly, this appears to be the first Hollywood film addressing the subject of the new state of Israel shortly after these actual events took place so the creative efforts into the making of this film were very raw and very little opportunity for revisionist plotlines are in evidence. The most noticeable portion of the story is how the British are portrayed essentially as transitional occupiers and keepers of the peace just waiting until they leave the region on the verge of war.....not a very positive portrayal but perhaps it was very accurate for the time....The Dana Andrews character is somewhat curious in retrospect since the Zionist organization had its share of more than willing collaborators who believed in the cause.....The film now seeing this in 2021 for myself has been overshadowed but countless screenings of the 1960 film Exodus which goes into far greater detail given its length...All in all, this film does serve as a dated curiosity piece for film lovers of historical subjects.