Exciting desert warfare film, compelling today, 60 years later. A fine Max Steiner soundtrack with excellent performances by Victor McLaglen, Boris Karloff, Reginald Denny and rest of cast. Unlike Gunga Din (1939) where the British were armed with U.S. Springfield '03 rifles and Colt revolvers of the early 1900's the weapons in Lost Patrol are authentically British WWI -- Lee Enfield rifles, the Lewis Gun from the airplane and it seems the officer's revolver is an Enfield of the period and attached to a lanyard in one scene. I see an underlying theme here that seems to have been overlooked. It is strongly anti-Christian throughout. Karloff as the religious fanatic soon to go mad brings on much of this, but not all. A couple of instances: Karloff reading the religious service over the body of the lieutenant is cut short by McLaglen, "Amen". Karloff confronts Reginald Denny telling of his pleasures of the flesh: "You must have faith!" Denny: "Why?" Karloff cannot answer. When Pvt. Pearson is buried, one suggests building a wooden cross for the grave. McLaglen: "Put his sword there. I think he would like that." Strange direction for John Ford, I would say! I have not read the novel "Patrol" that this film was based on. It would be interesting to learn if this theme is apparent. By the way, Lost Patrol was remade as "Sahara"(1943) with Humphrey Bogart. It is not nearly as good, but at the time it was a good wartime morale booster.
Review of The Lost Patrol
