Outpost in Morocco (1949) Reviews

• Good location, but that is all!

  dougandwin2007-01-10

  Let me start by saying this was not a "Beau Geste" by any means - it was set in Morocco and the locations looked very good, but that is the end of the "penny section!" I had always found George Raft to be completely wooden, and he proved it again in this one, but he did show me he was a very good dancer (clearly the highlight for him in this epic!). And well into his 50's when this was made took away any believability for him to be a romantic hero. The role, had it not been made on a shoe string, needed a Tyrone Power or a Errol Flynn to make it worthwhile. Marie Windsor looked like she wanted to be somewhere else, while Akim Tamiroff was clearly the best performer in the cast. Seeing Raft "act" makes me so glad to rejected the leads in "High Sierra" and "The Maltese Falcon" - had he not done so, they would not be genuine movie classics.

• Artistic ambition and small funds

  manuel-pestalozzi2007-08-16

  If you are looking for something new and exciting I cannot recommend this movie. The story is pedestrian, a mixture of Beau Geste and Casablanca. It has been told better. But there are several points that I found very interesting. For its low budget look this movie has a lot of scenes shot on location in the desert in Morocco. It is not stock footage like, for example, in Fort Algiers, but custom made stuff with an artistic quality that fits in very well with the footage shot on a Hollywood studio lot. Another reviewer suggests that Raft, Windsor and Tamiroff had a nice time in Morocco doing this movie. My guess is that they never left California when working on it. For long or medium range shots some locals took their parts, closer shots are all made with rear projection or on studio sets. This never disturbs the flow of the picture in any way and one might really think the stars are in that faraway country. This shows that some true craftsmen were involved here. I've seen several films directed by Robert Florey. They are B movies but all have memorable scenes, often related with nature. Like Edgar G. Ulmer, Florey never seems to have lost his artistic ambition, however small the budget, however corny the script. Outpost in Morocco has a well filmed, dramatic climax when the fort is surrounded and the water supply is cut by the assailants. The commanding officer orders the horses to be released into the desert which is a little like dying for the cavalrymen. The scenes showing the horses galloping through the gate of the fortress and out into the desert plain are powerful. The following night the water supply is exhausted. The second in command starts praying, and suddenly the half asleep soldiers hear raindrops fall, one or two splatter on the leaf of a small plant. These really are very poetic moments one would not expect in a run off the mill picture, as are the sometimes interesting camera angles. Incidentally, the set design and the lighting are also very good, compared with pictures like the afore mentioned Fort Algiers. Fans of Marie Windsor (and there are lots of reasons to be a fan of her) will like this movie. She plays the sheik's thoroughly Westernized daughter which is completely incongruous – and nevertheless works amazingly well. I credit this to the talent and commandeering presence of this underrated actress whose sole handicap seemed to have been that she was very tall. At one moment she is seen swimming in a pool, by all appearances completely naked.

• Stimulating adventures film about the Foreign Legion in Africa

  ma-cortes2009-02-24

  This adventures and lackluster desert opus deals about Paul Gerard(George Raft) a French legionnaire officer. The philander legionnaire is sent a dangerous assignment, escort an Emir of Bel-Rashad's daughter(Marie Windsor) and investigate the Emir's(Edward Franz) activities. Then Paul discovers a Mouser rifles for a possible rebellion. Meanwhile he falls in love with Cara and befriends a sympathetic lieutenant(Akim Tamiroff). Acceptable action/adventures movie blending drama of self-sacrifice, love story and spectacular outdoors. The film concerns about the French Legion, an instrument of conquest of the North of Africa and Indochina. This regiment was employed for bloody fights and futile wars in a vain attempt to retain territories . Some moment is rather dull but in the second half is a bit more exciting with forced march and taking place in an isolate fort as well as Arab attacks. Atmosphere is appropriately depressing and and gritty, especially during the blockade when the regiment bears starvation and with no water. Evovative and adequate musical score by Michel Michelet.The picture was shot in Imperial County, California and Morocco, at the beginning the producers thanksgiving the French army for its collaboration. The story belongs a genre which has given classics, such as ¨Beau Geste(Gary Cooper)¨ and ¨Under two flags(Ronald Colman)¨ and full of humor as ¨Beau Hunks¨with Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. The motion picture is professionally directed by Robert Florey, a nice craftsman. He's expert on adventures genre: ¨Tarzan and the mermaids¨, ¨Rogues' regiment¨ also with the Foreign Legion and Terror genre : 'Beast with five fingers'and 'Murders in the Rue Morgue'. Rating : Acceptable adventures movie is passable at its kind , providing some of entertainment and fun.

• Good French Foreign Legion Adventure

  anthonyrwaldman2008-02-27

  Although "Outpost in Moroco" was made in 1949 it has more in common with adventure films that were made during the 1930's. I suppose along with "Morocco" "Beau Geste" and "under Two Flags" is makes up a quartet of American black and white French Foreign Legion films. "Outpost in Morocco" was actually filmed in Morocco with the co-operation of both the French government and the Legion. The story has the romance of the Legion with a love affair between a rebel Amir's daughter Cara, played by Marie Windsor and a french officer Captain Gerard played by George Raft. The are the desert campfire scenes, escapes over rooftops, an outpost on the frontier, desert marches and men struggling to survive through lack of water. The action sequences are very well produced and photographed. The story obviously does not take place in 1949 because there is nothing mechanized in this film. Also we get to see George Raft and Mari Wilson dance the tango in an early sophisticated cafe scene( it has a cirtain similarity to Rik's in Casablanca) - the film is probably set in the 1920's. Good fun. The film was serialised as a strip in a British comic called "Film Fun" after its release in Britain in 1950.

• Remote locale, some romance and tribal strife

  lora642001-09-26

  A bleak, remote setting is the background for this Foreign Legion tale of adventure which moves along steadily with few dull moments, at least for me. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Akim Tamiroff in his role as Lieutenant Glysko. He certainly excels as a character actor, breathing new life into whatever role he takes on. There's quite an exciting battle scene midway and some fierce racing horses as a battle unfolds. George Raft and Marie Windsor were seldom at the top of my charts yet they are well suited in this film and meld nicely in the romantic episodes. I'd regard this one as standard entertainment, no frills.