Timbuktu (1959)

In 1940 French West Africa (in what is now the nation of Mali), the new commander (George Dolenz) of the French Foreign Legion must deal with an insurrection by hostile tribes against French colonial rule. An American adventurer (Victor Mature) plays both sides of the fence by selling guns to the Arab rebels yet spying on the rebels for the Foreign Legion. This rather dreary desert adventure can't even be bothered to be consistent with the authentic desert locations (shot in Utah) interspersed with a clearly studio bound desert with unconvincing painted backdrops. Mature looks tired and can barely summon up much enthusiasm for his love scenes with Yvonne De Carlo (looking great) as the wife of the Legion's commander. The film has an uncomfortable pro-colonialism bent as the film's message seems to be that the Arabs aren't ready for self rule. It's directed by Jacques Tourneur (OUT OF THE PAST) but without much conviction. With Marcia Henderson, Robert Clarke and John Dehner.