Desert Legion

Desert Legion is a 1953 American adventure film directed by Joseph Pevney and starring Alan Ladd.

Desert Legion
Directed byJoseph Pevney
Screenplay byIrving Wallace
Lewis Meltzer
Based onnovel The Demon Caravan by Georges Surdez
Produced byTed Richmond
StarringAlan Ladd
CinematographyJohn F. Seitz
Edited byFrank Gross
Music byFrank Skinner
Color processTechnicolor
Production
company
Universal Pictures
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release dates
  • April 3, 1953 (1953-04-03) (Los Angeles)
  • May 8, 1953 (1953-05-08) (United States)
Running time
86 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$1,650,000 (US)[1]

Plot

Ladd stars as a soldier in the French Foreign Legion who stumbles across a lost city in the desert mountains of Algeria in North Africa.

Cast

Production

The film was made by Universal Pictures, and based on a 1927 novel The Demon Caravan by Georges Arthur Surdez.

It was Alan Ladd's first film for Universal since becoming a star. It was a one-picture deal and gave Ladd a percentage of the profits, a relatively novel thing at the time.[2][3] (He split profits with the studio 50–50.[4]) Joseph Pevney was assigned to direct.[5]

Ladd had broken his hand during a fight scene towards the end of his most recent film The Iron Mistress, but recovered to begin work on Desert Legion on 7 July 1952.[6]

Akim Tamiroff joined the support cast. It was his first Hollywood film in three years.[7]

References

  1. 'The Top Box Office Hits of 1953', Variety, January 13, 1954
  2. Schallert, Edwin (May 2, 1952). "Kramer Will Film Story of Airplane Pioneers; Ladd in 'Desert Legion'". Los Angeles Times. p. B9.
  3. THOMAS M. PRYOR (May 2, 1952). "KRAMER WILL FILM STORY OF WRIGHTS: Producer Buys Book by Fred Kelly About Air Pioneers as Basis for New Movie". New York Times. p. 21.
  4. J. D. SPIRO HOLLYWOOD. (July 20, 1952). "HOLLYWOOD REPORT: Plan to Aid Smeared Scenarists Is Voted Down by the Writers Guild -- Addenda". New York Times. p. X5.
  5. THOMAS M. PRYOR (May 31, 1952). "CHARLES LAUGHTON SIGNS FOR 'SALOME': Arrives in England but Will Return Soon to Play Herod Opposite Rita Hayworth". New York Times. p. 13.
  6. "Ladd Ready to Go in 'Desert Legion'". Los Angeles Times. June 15, 1952. p. D2.
  7. THOMAS M. PRYOR (June 17, 1952). "TV COMEDY STARS SIGNING FOR FILM: Lucille Ball and Her Husband, Desi Arnaz, May Do Sequence in Billy Rose's Picture". New York Times. p. 23.


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