The Desert Rats (1953)
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The Desert Rats was a quickly assembled follow-up to 20th Century-Fox's successful war film The Desert Fox. Richard Burton plays an officer in the British Eighth Army, battling Rommel's forces in defense of Tobruk. Put in charge of an Australian unit, Burton rides his men ruthlessly, with laudatory results. He is briefly captured by the Nazis and questioned by General Rommel himself, but Burton escapes to lead his surviving troops to safety. James Mason, who portrayed Rommel in The Desert Fox, makes a guest appearance in the same role in The Desert Rats. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Richard Burton, Robert Newton, (more)
- Director(s):
- Robert Wise
- Format(s):
- DVD
| Digital SD
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Synopsis of The Desert Rats
The Desert Rats was a quickly assembled follow-up to 20th Century-Fox's successful war film The Desert Fox. Richard Burton plays an officer in the British Eighth Army, battling Rommel's forces in defense of Tobruk. Put in charge of an Australian unit, Burton rides his men ruthlessly, with laudatory results. He is briefly captured by the Nazis and questioned by General Rommel himself, but Burton escapes to lead his surviving troops to safety. James Mason, who portrayed Rommel in The Desert Fox, makes a guest appearance in the same role in The Desert Rats. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 88 mins
Complete Cast of The Desert Rats
- Richard Burton - Capt. MacRoberts
- Robert Douglas - General
- Torin Thatcher - Barney
- Chips Rafferty - Smith
- Ben Wright - Mick
- John O'Malley - Riley
- John Alderson - Corporal
- Michael Pate - Captain Currie
- Charles R. Keane - Sgt. Donaldson
- John Wengraf - German Doctor
- Charles Fitzsimmons - Fire Officer
- Albert Taylor - Jensen
- Robert Newton - Bartlett
- James Mason - Rommel
- Charles "Bud" Tingwell - Lt. Carstairs
- Charles Davis - Pete
- James Lilburn - Communications
- Ray Harden - Hugh
- Richard Peel - Rusty
- Frank Pulaski - Maj. O'Rourke
- Pat O'Moore - Jim
- Arno Frey - Kramm
- Alfred Zeisler - Von Helmholtz
- Director(s):
- Robert Wise
- Writer(s):
- Richard Murphy
- Producer(s):
- Robert L. Jacks
- Categories:
- War
- 1953 - National Board of Review - Best Actor
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