Hotel Sahara

Last updated

Hotel Sahara
Hotsahpos.jpg
Directed by Ken Annakin
Written byGeorge Hambley Brown
Patrick Kirwan
Produced byGeorge Hambley Brown
Starring Yvonne De Carlo
Peter Ustinov
David Tomlinson
Roland Culver
CinematographyDavid Harcourt
Jack Hildyard
Edited by Alfred Roome
Music by Benjamin Frankel
Production
company
Tower Films
Distributed by General Film Distributors
Release date
  • 9 July 1951 (1951-07-09)
Running time
96 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Hotel Sahara is a 1951 British war comedy film directed by Ken Annakin and starring Yvonne De Carlo, Peter Ustinov and David Tomlinson. It was produced and co-written by George Hambley Brown.

Contents

Plot

The Hotel Sahara, situated in a desert oasis, quickly empties when the patrons learn that the Italian Army has commenced hostilities in the North African Campaign. Emad, the hotel's owner, also wants to flee, but is persuaded by his fiancee, Yasmin, to stay and try to save the hotel, all he owns. The other two members of the staff also stay: Yasmin's mother, Madame Pallas, and Yusef, the major domo.

The Italians take over the hotel, and Capitano Alberto Giuseppi (in the film, he introduces himself as Alberto Del Nobile, a more plausible Italian surname than "Giuseppi") is soon captivated by Yasmin's charms. His orderly is attracted to Madame Pallas. Later, however, the main Italian Army suffers a defeat, and Giuseppi's small detachment is ordered to retreat, destroying any structures that may aid the enemy – which will include the hotel. Emad sabotages their truck to delay them, giving him the chance to disconnect their demolition charges just in time to save the hotel, as Yusef fires into the air to speed the Italians on their way.

Next to arrive are the British. Major Randall and Captain Cheyne both vie for Yasmin's attention, while Madame Pallas flirts with the enlisted men. Randall's assignment is to recruit the Arabs to work for the British. Emad informs the major that they prefer goods, rather than money, so he sends Cheyne and Private Binns to requisition supplies. He also orders a dozen nylons, on his own account. When they return, Cheyne lies about not being able to find any, having kept them for himself as a gift for Yasmin. When Randall finds out, he sends Cheyne with Emad who has agreed to attend a conference with the local Arabs, if only to get the British to leave.

While they are gone, Randall swims in the hotel pool with Yasmin. When about a dozen Germans drive up, the outnumbered British have to hastily leave, with Randall still in his swim trunks. Leutnant Gunther von Heilicke requisitions the hotel, but is (initially) immune to Yasmin's charms. He sets off Randall's booby trap, but emerges unscathed. Emad and Cheyne return to the hotel on camels, accompanied by the Arabs. Cheyne is in Arab dress. Heilicke has the Arabs stay for a feast, then insists on being introduced to the sheiks. Before he gets to Cheyne, Yasmin provides a distraction, dressing up in the departed Fatima's costume and performing a belly dance, as Emad leads Cheyne away to make his escape on a camel.

The Germans in turn depart after they sight a large column approaching. This time, it is the French. The Germans and the British are both still lurking a short distance away in the desert. Then both the German leutnant and the British major come up with the same idea, to disguise themselves as Arabs (with Cheyne as a veiled woman) and reconnoitre, but by the time they arrive, the French have already moved on. The radio brings the news that the war in North Africa is nearly over, but when the three men discover each other, they start shooting. After running out of bullets, Heilicke flees, chased by the other two. As Emad and Yasmin start to celebrate having the hotel back to themselves, they hear an American voice......

Cast

Production

Development

It was the first film from Tower Films, the new production company of producer George Brown. [1] Ken Annakin called Brown "very active and creative." [2]

Hotel Sahara was based on an idea of Brown's. He had a chat in a Fleet Street pub about a hotel in the Western Desert Campaign which kept changing sides, and he arranged for a script to be written. It took him five months to secure a distribution guarantee, sell the idea to the National Film Finance Corporation to get some finance, fix studio space and facilities, raise private finance to complete funding, and to secure the star he wanted, Yvonne De Carlo, from Hollywood. [3]

He eventually got De Carlo by writing her and saying that he observed that she had a flair to play comedy. [4] [5] [6] De Carlo was keen for a change of pace. She later wrote that her role "did not entirely break my Hollywood stereotype" but "this time it was satire and that made all the difference." [7]

George Hambley Brown knew Peter Ustinov from their time together in the RAF Film Unit during World War II. After the war, the two co-produced School for Secrets and Vice Versa .

Filming

De Carlo arrived in London in December 1950 and filming started in January 1951. It was shot at Pinewood Studios with sets designed by the art director Ralph W. Brinton. [8] There was also some location filming in Egypt. [9] She later said "the production couldn't have run more smoothly and Peter was a delight to work with." [10] During filming, Ustinov met Suzanne Cloutier who became his wife.

Ken Annakin said shooting was "a most pecarious operation" because the three leads worked in different ways: Peter Ustinov liked to do only a few rehearsals and one or two takes, De Carlo required "at least seven full rehearsals", while David Tomlinson "had the worst habits of London theatre actors. He loved to upstage and upset other actors' performances." However Annakin said "I revelled in it." [2]

De Carlo sang some songs, "I Love a Man" and "Say Goodbye". It was the first time she had sung on film. [11]

The scene of De Carlo dancing had to be censored for the US cut of the film. [12]

Reception

The film was popular in England. [13] According to Annakin the film "was a big success, especially in Germany, because it was the first time since the war that German soldiers had been portrayed as normal human beings." [2]

De Carlo wanted to make more films with Brown and Ustinov, including one about a matador, [14] but it did not happen.

Soundtrack

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monte Carlo</span> Quarter and ward of Monaco

Monte Carlo is an official administrative area of Monaco, specifically the ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is located. Informally, the name also refers to a larger district, the Monte Carlo Quarter, which besides Monte Carlo/Spélugues also includes the wards of La Rousse/Saint Roman, Larvotto/Bas Moulins and Saint Michel. The permanent population of the ward of Monte Carlo is about 3,500, while that of the quarter is about 15,000. Monaco has four traditional quarters. From west to east they are: Fontvieille, Monaco-Ville, La Condamine, and Monte Carlo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Ustinov</span> British actor, director and writer (1921–2004)

Sir Peter Alexander Ustinov was a British actor, director and writer. An internationally known raconteur, he was a fixture on television talk shows and lecture circuits for much of his career. Ustinov received numerous accolades including two Academy Awards, a BAFTA Award, three Emmy Awards, and a Grammy Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yvonne De Carlo</span> Canadian-born American actress, dancer and singer (1922–2007)

Margaret Yvonne Kao Middleton, known professionally as Yvonne De Carlo, was a Canadian-American actress, dancer and singer. She became a Hollywood film star in the 1940s and 1950s, made several recordings, and later acted on television and stage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ken Annakin</span> English film director (1914–2009)

Kenneth Cooper Annakin, OBE was an English film director.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martine Carol</span> French actress (1920–1967)

Martine Carol was a French film actress. She frequently was cast as an elegant blonde seductress. During the late 1940s and early 1950s, she was the leading sex symbol and a top box-office draw of French cinema, and she was considered a French version of America's Marilyn Monroe. One of her more famous roles was as the title character in Lola Montès (1955), directed by Max Ophüls, in a role that required dark hair. However, by the late 1950s, roles for Carol had become fewer, partly because of the introduction of Brigitte Bardot.

<i>The Captains Paradise</i> 1953 British film by Anthony Kimmins

The Captain's Paradise is a 1953 British comedy film produced and directed by Anthony Kimmins, and starring Alec Guinness, Yvonne De Carlo and Celia Johnson. Guinness plays the captain of a passenger ship that travels regularly between Gibraltar and Spanish Morocco. De Carlo plays his Moroccan wife and Johnson plays his British wife. The film begins at just before the end of the story, which is then told in a series of flashbacks.

<i>Monte Carlo or Bust!</i> 1969 film by Ken Annakin

Monte Carlo or Bust! is a 1969 epic comedy film, also known by its American title, Those Daring Young Men in Their Jaunty Jalopies. A co-production of the United Kingdom, France and Italy, the story is based on the Monte Carlo Rally – first raced in 1911 – and the film, set in the 1920s, recalls this general era. A lavish all-star film, it is the story of an epic car rally across Europe that involves a lot of eccentric characters from all over the world who will stop at nothing to win.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferdy Mayne</span> German-British actor (1916–1998)

Ferdy Mayne or Ferdie Mayne was a German-British stage and screen actor. Born in Mainz, he emigrated to the United Kingdom in the early 1930s to escape the Nazi regime. He resided in the UK for the majority of his professional career. Working almost continuously throughout a 60-year-long career, Mayne was known as a versatile character actor, often playing suave villains and aristocratic eccentrics in films like The Fearless Vampire Killers, Where Eagles Dare, Barry Lyndon, and Benefit of the Doubt.

Yusuf is a male name meaning "God increases". It is the Arabic equivalent of the Hebrew name Yosef and the English name Joseph. It is widely used in many parts of the world by Arabs of all Abrahamic religions, including Middle Eastern Jews, Arab Christians, and Muslims.

<i>Quartet</i> (1948 film) 1948 British anthology film

Quartet is a 1948 British anthology film with four segments, each based on a story by W. Somerset Maugham. The author appears at the start and end of the movie to introduce the stories and comment about his writing career. It was successful enough to produce two sequels, Trio (1950) and Encore (1951), and popularised the compendium film format, leading to films such as O. Henry's Full House in 1952.

<i>The Biggest Bundle of Them All</i> 1968 film by Ken Annakin

The Biggest Bundle of Them All is a 1968 American crime film set in Naples, Italy. The story is about a mobster and a novice gang of crooks who team up to steal $5 million worth of platinum ingots from a train. The film stars Robert Wagner and Raquel Welch and was directed by Ken Annakin.

<i>The Planters Wife</i> (1952 film) 1952 British film

The Planter's Wife is a 1952 British war drama film directed by Ken Annakin, and starring Claudette Colbert, Jack Hawkins and Anthony Steel. It is set against the backdrop of the Malayan Emergency and focuses on a rubber planter and his neighbours who are fending off a campaign of sustained attacks by Communist insurgents while also struggling to save their marriage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">June Newton</span> Australian photographer (1923–2021)

June Newton was an Australian model, actress, and photographer. As an actress she was known professionally as June Brunel or Brunell and won the Erik Award for Best Actress in 1956. From 1970 onward she worked as a photographer under the pseudonym Alice Springs. Her photographs have appeared in publications such as Vanity Fair, Interview, Elle and Vogue.

<i>The Seekers</i> (1954 film) 1954 film

The Seekers is a 1954 British-New Zealand adventure film directed by Ken Annakin. It starred Jack Hawkins, Glynis Johns, Noel Purcell, and Kenneth Williams. The film was produced by the Rank Organisation and was shot at Pinewood Studios with location shooting around Whakatāne. The film's sets were designed by the art director Maurice Carter with costumes by Julie Harris. It was the first major international studio film shot in New Zealand. The film was adapted from the novel The Seekers by New Zealander John Guthrie. It was released in the United States by Universal Pictures as Land of Fury.

<i>Holiday Camp</i> (film) 1947 British film

Holiday Camp is a 1947 British comedy drama film directed by Ken Annakin, starring Flora Robson, Jack Warner, Dennis Price, and Hazel Court, and also features Kathleen Harrison and Jimmy Hanley. It is set at one of the then-popular holiday camps. It resonated with post-war audiences and was very successful. It was the first film to feature the Huggett family, who went on to star in "The Huggetts" film series.

<i>Tomahawk</i> (film) 1951 film

Tomahawk is a 1951 American Western film directed by George Sherman and starring Van Heflin and Yvonne De Carlo. The film is loosely based on events that took place in Wyoming in 1866 to 1868 around Fort Phil Kearny on the Bozeman Trail such as the Fetterman Fight and Wagon Box Fight. In the UK, the film was released as The Battle of Powder River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American–German Colony</span> Ottoman-era neighbourhood in Tel Aviv, Israel

The American–German Colony is a residential neighborhood in the southern part of Tel Aviv, Israel. It is located between Eilat Street and HaRabbi MiBacherach Street and adjoins Neve Tzedek. It was originally established as an American colony, but when that failed, it was resettled and became a German Templer colony, which in time evolved into a mixed German Protestant colony.

<i>Hurricane Smith</i> (1952 film) 1952 film by Jerry Hopper

Hurricane Smith is a 1952 American adventure film directed by Jerry Hopper and starring Yvonne De Carlo, John Ireland, James Craig, Forrest Tucker, Lyle Bettger and Richard Arlen.

<i>Yvonne De Carlo Sings</i> 1957 studio album by Yvonne De Carlo

Yvonne De Carlo Sings is a studio album by Canadian-American actress and singer Yvonne De Carlo, released in 1957 by the Remington subsidiary label Masterseal Records. It features an orchestra conducted by film composer John Williams, who was credited as John Towner.

George H. Brown (1913–2001) was a British film producer.

References

  1. "Postponement of Cup Ballot". Kalgoorlie Miner . Vol. 56, no. 15, 793. Western Australia. 17 October 1950. p. 2. Retrieved 5 November 2017 via National Library of Australia.
  2. 1 2 3 Annakin, Ken (2001). So you wanna be a director?. Tomahawk Press. p. 43.
  3. Stephen Watts (8 July 1951). "Noted on the London Screen Scene: Coming Up New Phase Independent". The New York Times .
  4. Tom Vallance (9 January 2001). "George H. Brown Obituary". The Independent.
  5. "Producer Has His Troubles". Truth . No. 3169. Sydney. 22 October 1950. p. 44. Retrieved 5 November 2017 via National Library of Australia.
  6. "The British make a comedy of life among the sand dunes. A Film Preview". The Argus . No. 33, 021. Melbourne. 4 July 1952. p. 7 (The Argus Magazine). Retrieved 5 November 2017 via National Library of Australia.
  7. De Carlo, p. 154
  8. "Fruitless Search". Weekly Times . No. 4254. Victoria, Australia. 3 January 1951. p. 36. Retrieved 5 November 2017 via National Library of Australia.
  9. "Film Preview "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World"". The Argus . No. 32, 866. Melbourne. 4 January 1952. p. 8 (The Argus Magazine). Retrieved 5 November 2017 via National Library of Australia.
  10. De Carlo p 154
  11. Hedda Hopper (26 February 1951). "It Takes Two Players To Handle Granger Role". The Washington Post.
  12. "Inside Hollywood". Brisbane Telegraph (LAST RACE ed.). 3 March 1951. p. 19. Retrieved 5 November 2017 via National Library of Australia.
  13. Drama: Yvonne De Carlo Named for British 'Sheba;' Find From 'Guys and Dolls' Set Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times 21 Sep 1951: B9.
  14. Philip K. Scheuer (27 May 1951). "Yvonne De Carlo Pins Hopes for Future on Switch to Dramatic and Singing Roles". Los Angeles Times.