Overview
A gripping tale of resistance against tyranny unfolds in the deserts of Libya.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- epic
- somber
- stirring
- historical film night
- epic cinema marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly regard it as a spectacular and broadly accurate account of Libyan resistance and Italian colonialism, though its length, melodrama, and caricatured antagonists divide opinion.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Omar Mukhtar leads Libyan Bedouins against Mussolini's Italian occupation and Graziani's counterinsurgency.
Mukhtar's forces repeatedly defeat or evade larger Italian formations across the Libyan landscape.
The film uses Libyan desert locations and recurring large battle sequences to create an expansive colonial-war spectacle.
The story centers Omar Mukhtar, Bedouin society, and the local resistance rather than treating the colonial army as the sole historical subject.
Films like Lion of the Desert, and why
Gandhi
historical anti-colonial war drama centered on organized resistance against an occupying empire
Khartoum
large-scale historical war epic contrasting imperial power with a charismatic resistance leader
Spartacus
David versus Goliath historical resistance story with battles, sacrifice, and political oppression
The Battle of Algiers
sweeping historical epic about guerrilla warfare and resistance to colonial rule
Movie Details
- Director
- Moustapha Akkad
- Release Date
- 1981-04-17
- Runtime
- 173 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (206)
Cast
- Anthony Quinn
- Oliver Reed
- Irene Papas
- Raf Vallone
- Rod Steiger
- John Gielgud
- Andrew Keir
- Gastone Moschin
- Stefano Patrizi
- Adolfo Lastretti
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+
- 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 Lion of the Desert about?
- A sweeping Libyan resistance epic pits Omar Mukhtar’s Bedouin fighters against Mussolini’s brutal colonial war machine.
- What is Lion of the Desert like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Lion of the Desert as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Lion of the Desert violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Lion of the Desert as graphic.
- What did critics think of Lion of the Desert?
- Critics broadly regard it as a spectacular and broadly accurate account of Libyan resistance and Italian colonialism, though its length, melodrama, and caricatured antagonists divide opinion.
- Which films are like Lion of the Desert?
- Films with a similar feel include Gandhi, Khartoum, Spartacus, and The Battle of Algiers.
- How long is Lion of the Desert?
- Lion of the Desert runs 173 minutes.
- Where can I watch Lion of the Desert?
- In United States, Lion of the Desert streams on Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+.
