Stars: James Mason, Cedric Hardwicke, Jessica Tandy, Luther Adler, Everett Sloane, Leo G. Carroll, Richard Burton

Director: Henry Hathaway

Summary: A double pack featuring 'The Desert Fox' which tells the tale of Field Marshal Rommel, the leader of Germany's Afrika Korps, which dominated North Africa during the early years of World War II, later to be overrun by the might of the Allied forces. Later, Rommel becomes disillusioned with Hitler, and his ingrained sense of duty leads him into a conspiracy against the Fuehrer and 'The Desert Rats' which tells the story of a British Officer takes command of the 9th Australian Division of Tobruk in North Africa in 1941. His contempt for the non-British troops is plain. But when he is captured by Rommel's Africa Corps, the men set out to rescue him and thus earn his respect.

James Mason is utterly convincing as Nazi Field Marshall Rommel, who gained notoriety for his successful North African campaigns during World War II. DESERT FOX portrays not only Rommel's victories and ultimate defeat, but also his personal doubts and conflicts with his superiors back in Berlin. The film's sequel, DESERT RATS, tells the story of a British captain (Richard Burton) who takes charge of a hopelessly outnumbered but stubbornly defiant Australian division in their heroic stand against Rommel and his Afrika Corps.

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James Mason plays Field Marshal Erwin Rommel in both The Desert Fox(1951) and The Desert Rats(1953), a WWII double-bill on DVD.

The Desert Fox, released six years after the end of the War, is a solemnly respectful tribute to Erwin Rommel, Germany's most celebrated military genius. James Mason's portrayal of this gallant warrior became a highlight of his career iconography. The film itself is oddly disjointed, though: a pre-credit commando raid to liquidate Rommel is followed by a flashback to the field-marshal's lightning successes commanding the Afrika Korps--a compressed account via documentary footage and copious narration (spoken by Michael Rennie, who also dubs Desmond Young, the Rommel biographer and one-time British POW appearing briefly as himself). The dramatic core is Rommel's growing disenchantment with Hitler (Luther Adler), his involvement in the plot to assassinate the Fuhrer, and his subsequent martyrdom.

The Desert Ratsstars Richard Burton in only his second Hollywood role (between Oscar-nominated turns in My Cousin Racheland The Robe), as a Scottish commando put in charge of a battalion of the 9th Australian Division defending Tobruk. The Aussies don't like him, and with a year of grim North African duty already under his belt, he's not too crazy about his new responsibilities either. The outfit is charged with staving off the battering assaults of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel for two months, to give the British Army time to regroup in Cairo and prepare for a counterattack. In the end, the "desert rats" play hell with the Desert Fox for 242 days, during which time they and their commander develop some mutual respect.

This is a solid, workmanlike World War II picture that, having been made in 1953 rather than 1943, can acknowledge a degree of eccentric humanity and soldierly professionalism in the enemy. Featured guest star James Mason reprises his Rommel from The Desert Fox, playing all his scenes in German except for a scene of ironical repartee with Burton. Another distinguished Brit, Robert Newton, gets costar billing as a boozy, self-confessed coward who used to be Burton's schoolmaster. However, a goodly number of Australians--including Chips Rafferty and Charles "Bud" Tingwell rate at least as much screen time. Robert Wise directed, with a trimness that reminds us he started out as an editor, and the pungent black-and-white cinematography is by Lucien Ballard. --Richard T. Jameson

Aspect Ratio:	1.33 Full Screen
Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Theatrical Trailer, Scene Access, Interactive Menus
Subtitles:	Dutch, French, German, Italian, Spanish
Year:	1951
Release Date:	June 2, 2003
Runtime:	174 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	23470 D V D
Keywords:	War, Desert, Rats, Fox, Double, Pack
Genre:	War