The Desert Song (1953)

In Morocco, an anthropology teacher (Gordon MacRae) has a secret identity. That of El Khobar, a masked leader of the Riffs fighting against both French colonial rule and the tyrannical Sheik (Raymond Massey) who exploits the Riffs. But when the beautiful but spoiled daughter (Kathryn Grayson) of the Foreign Legion General (Ray Collins) arrives, he balances romance with fighting. This is the third film version of the musty old Sigmund Romberg operetta and judging from the dialog, they didn't remove all the cobwebs. It's all implausible and hokey but then, aren't most operettas? The songs by Romberg (with words by several lyricists including Oscar Hammerstein) are actually quite pretty but the bellowing and trilling from MacRae and Grayson don't do the songs any favors. The one number that gave me the most pleasure was an exotic dance by Allyn Ann McLerie (CALAMITY JANE) nicely choreographed by Leroy Prinz. I could have done without the irritating comic relief of Dick Wesson as a news reporter, he just seems too forced. But it is colorful and there's a certain charm in the hoary innocence of the whole thing. Directed by H. Bruce Humberstone. With Steve Cochran, William Conrad, Frank DeKova and Paul Picerni.