Sahara
A battle-weary tank commander leads a divided band across the Libyan Desert, where dwindling water and an Italian prisoner force hard choices under fire.
Overview
A gripping tale of survival and camaraderie in the unforgiving desert during wartime.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- tense
- stoic
- compassionate
- classic war film night
- humphrey bogart marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a rugged, suspenseful, emotionally resonant war drama distinguished by Humphrey Bogart's restraint, vivid action, and compassionate moral tension.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The stranded tank crew and mixed group must locate and protect water while crossing the Libyan Desert.
The group includes an Italian prisoner whose fate becomes a central moral pressure point.
Black-and-white cinematography frames tanks, dunes, and exposed soldiers against the Libyan Desert battlefield.
British soldiers, an American tank crew, a Frenchman, a Sudanese man, and an Italian prisoner must travel together.
Films like Sahara, and why
The Lost Patrol
stark desert warfare, isolated military patrol, and survival suspense
Objective, Burma!
classic world war ii combat drama emphasizing tactical endurance and male camaraderie
Twelve O'Clock High
grounded wartime action, moral pressure, and an ensemble under extreme battlefield conditions
Five Graves to Cairo
desert campaign adventure driven by resource scarcity, suspense, and stoic leadership
Movie Details
- Director
- Zoltan Korda
- Release Date
- 1943-09-22
- Runtime
- 97 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (163)
Cast
- Humphrey Bogart
- Bruce Bennett
- J. Carrol Naish
- Lloyd Bridges
- Rex Ingram
- Richard Aherne
- Dan Duryea
- Carl Harbord
- Patrick O'Moore
- Louis Mercier
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Sahara about?
- A battle-weary tank commander leads a divided band across the Libyan Desert, where dwindling water and an Italian prisoner force hard choices under fire.
- What is Sahara like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Sahara as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Sahara violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Sahara as moderate.
- What did critics think of Sahara?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a rugged, suspenseful, emotionally resonant war drama distinguished by Humphrey Bogart's restraint, vivid action, and compassionate moral tension.
- Which films are like Sahara?
- Films with a similar feel include The Lost Patrol, Objective, Burma!, Twelve O'Clock High, and Five Graves to Cairo.
- How long is Sahara?
- Sahara runs 97 minutes.
- Where can I watch Sahara?
- In United States, Sahara is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
