A whole lot of good British actors who've seen and done better in their careers were wasted in this potboiler of a World War II movie with an Arabian Nights interval. The Black Tent tells the story of Donald Sinden going into the desert to find what happened to his brother Anthony Steel who is missing in action.
What a time Steel had as Sinden learns when he's given the diary that Steel kept. He was in a firefight with some of Rommel's troops and was the only survivor. Steel manages to make his way to Sheik Andre Morrell's camp at an oasis near a Roman ruin and their has a little romantic interlude with his daughter Anna-Maria Sandri. Some of Rommel's stragglers make their way to the sheik's camp, but they're dealt with.
During all this time while Steel's having a little R&R the Axis take Tobruk, but then the Eighth Army beats them at El Alamein and puts them in full retreat. When that happens Steel pulls a Lawrence Of Arabia and leads the sheik's men in an ambush on some of Rommel's troops. Wouldn't want anyone to think he was on extended furlough would we?
Sadly Steel is killed, but Sinden discovers that he's got himself a juvenile nephew now. He offers young Terence Sharkey a choice, come back to the United Kingdom for a life as a gentleman or stay in Grandpa's tent. What do you think he chooses?
I guess my review is in the form of this jocular synopsis of this very bad movie. Even Donald Pleasance as Sinden's desert guide is wasted here. Pleasance and all the rest of the cast just look downright embarrassed. They summon up all the enthusiasm of someone awaiting a proctologist.
The Black Tent
1956
Drama / Romance / War
The Black Tent
1956
Drama / Romance / War
Plot summary
A few years after the end of WW2, Colonel Sir Charles Holland is summoned to the Foreign Office on a matter regarding his brother's wartime disappearance. Recently uncovered evidence points out to the fact that his brother, Captain David Holland, may still be alive somewhere in the Libyan desert. With a promise of unofficial help and local Libyan contacts from the Foreign Office, Colonel Holland sets-out for Tripoli. There, a contact man gives him a local guide to take him to a Bedouin camp in the desert where his brother was last seen. A three-day ride by camel brings Colonel Holland to the camp of Sheik Salem Ben Yussef and his tribe. Inviting the Colonel to enjoy the camp's hospitality, the Sheik initially denies having heard about Captain David Holland. However, after his daughter, Mabrouka Ben Yussef, secretly gives the Colonel papers that had belonged to Captain David Holland, the Colonel pesters the Sheik with a barrage of direct questions. Infuriated, the Sheik orders Colonel Holland to leave the camp. After leaving the camp, the Colonel has second thoughts and returns there to beg the Sheik to tell him the truth about his brother. The Sheik's daughter also begs her father to tell the Colonel about his bother's wartime fate. In flashback form, the wartime story of Captain David Holland, as told by the Sheik and corroborated by his lovely daughter, finally clarify the mystery of his disappearance.
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Movie Reviews
An Arabian Nights interval during World War II
A bit turgid
THE BLACK TENT is a British wartime drama told in flashback for the most part. It's a slow-moving production that unfortunately focuses on romantic material for way too much of the running time, making what plays out quite the bore. It's a pity, because there are elements of interest in the narrative here, and at times it does get quite moving. The colour photography looks great; the supporting cast has many interesting faces including Andre Morell and Donald Pleasence, mostly playing Arab characters, bizarrely enough.
Mildly entertaining, visually splendid, but it could have been much better.
"The Black Tent" was made several years before "Lawrence Of Arabia." Had it been made ten years later, it would have been accused of plagiarism. Instead it can be said in some respects to anticipate "Lawrence of Arabia".
After The Second World War, the heir to an extensive British country estate complete with enormous house and agricultural land travels to Libya to learn what happened to his brother. With one Arab to guide him, he journeys by camel across the vast deserts to talk with a tribal chief - as also happened in "Lawrence". After various delays, he is given his brother's diary and learns the truth. During the war, his brother had become detached from his regiment and had been the sole Briton amongst Arabs - as was the case in "Lawrence Of Arabia" He had led Arab fighters in ambushes on enemy patrols - as also happened in "Lawrence Of Arabia". The brother had married the daughter of the tribal chief, and eventually had been killed in action against German soldiers. Again like "Lawrence Of Arabia" the cinematography - here in VistaVision and Technicolor - shows the vastness of the desert and makes it strangely beautiful.
Unlike "Lawrence Of Arabia" "The Black Tent" had a journeyman director, and was made with little attention to detail or realism. All the Arabs speak English fluently and with Received Pronunciation! Even more ludicrously, the younger brother travels across the desert by camel wearing a suit and tie and city shoes! He does not even break into a sweat! More seriously, there is no tension in the movie. The action sequences are unimaginatively staged, and scenes where suspense should be agonising - such as when Germans enter the Arab camp and discover the British soldier's gun or when German soldiers visit an ancient ruin and take photographs of themselves within a few yards of the fugitive British soldier - are entirely free of tension.
"The Black Tent" is mildly entertaining and is certainly visually splendid, but it could and should have been much better.