The Lost Patrol
Directed by John Ford
1934/USA
RKO Radio Pictures
First viewing
The Sergeant: What’s the use of chewin’ the rag about something we might of done?
Morelli: Right you are, Sarge!
The Sergeant: Yeah, I know what you’re thinkin’. Perhaps I’ve done everything wrong! Perhaps this and perhaps that! But what I’ve done I’ve done, and what I haven’t, I haven’t!
A British Army patrol is on duty in the Mesopotamian Desert during WWI when its officer is killed by Arab sniper fire. Since the officer was the only one who knew where the patrol was headed, the men are lost. The Sargeant (Victor McLaglen) leads the men to a desert oasis where their horses are promptly stolen. The men hunker down to await rescue while under constant threat from Arabs. With Boris Karloff as an unpopular bible-thumping soldier and Wallace Ford as another of the men.
The rather depressing story did nothing to capture my attention. It was nice to see Karloff in a fairly meaty non-horror role. Unfortunately, his character goes mad and Karloff heads straight over the top. Victor McLaglen is always pretty good. Some nice photography of sand dunes. Meh.
