Product Details

• Actors: Richard Burton, Robert Newton, Robert Douglas, Torin Thatcher, Chips Rafferty
• Format: Black & White, Original recording reissued, NTSC
• Language: English, German
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• VHS Release Date: May 21, 2002
• Run Time: 88 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000063UV8
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #68,196 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent war drama, with timely elements, March 27, 2003

By 

M J Heilbron Jr. "Dr. Mo" (Long Beach, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Desert Rats (DVD)

Richard Burton stars in this excellent war drama, directed by Robert Wise. James Mason reprises his role as Rommel, from "The Desert Fox."
I have to admit, I watched this in the hopes that I might gain some additional insight into the desert fighting in Iraq.
And I did. Even though this is a 50-year old movie, the desert scenes...the horrible reality of a "war in a desert"...gives this film another subtext for the viewer, and makes it all the more gripping.
Yes, there are the standard war-movie subplots, but for the most part, there's a lot of uncommonly good elements to this movie. The Aussie aspect, the procedural details to the raids and attacks. It's constantly involving...
Consider this a safe bet for war film fans, and an equally safe bet for those who simply enjoy a good story well told.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A GLIMPSE INTO DESERT WARFARE WITH BURTON & MASON AS OUR TOUR GUIDES, June 5, 2006

By 

Heather L. Parisi "Robert and Heather Parisi" (St. Augustine, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Desert Rats (DVD)

IN A NUTSHELL: A GLIMPSE INTO DESERT WARFARE

Former editor, turned up-and-coming director, Robert Wise, essentially turns an otherwise fairly standard world war 2 yarn into a classic war film. Tight editing, decent special effects, a good screenplay plus compelling action scenes led by Burton, alongside an able British and Aussie sounding cast, lift "The Desert Rats" to cinematic respectability.

"The Desert Rats" delivers in the action department with a frontal Panzer attack in the opening minutes of the film and tries to keep up the pace for 88 minutes.

WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT

Richard Burton [Lt. Colonel MacRoberts] is a hard-nose officer in the British Eighth Army. He's entrenched at Tobruk and battling Rommel's Africa Corp. Hastily placed in charge of a newly arrived, green Australian unit, MacRoberts keeps tight discipline and asks the impossible of his men. Nevertheless, the results for McRoberts are surprisingly good as he and his men play their roles in continuing the defensive efforts at Tobruk for more than 8 months against Rommel. In good story telling form, we see the action more than hear about it, and it is all rather believably depicted.

Probably for the audiences benefit, MacRoberts is temporarily captured by the Germans in a night raid, where, while having a wound field dressed, he meets and defiantly dares Rommel [James Mason], "if you can crush Tobruk - then crush it!"

Afterwards, amidst a nice action scene where the German truck carrying the allied prisoners is strafed by Spitfires, MacRoberts escapes and returns too easily to the allied side, across enemy lines.

--- *THE PLAYERS* ---

Richard Burton - Capt. MacRoberts

Robert Newton - Bartlett

Robert Douglas - General

James Mason - Rommel

Torin Thatcher - Barney

Chips Rafferty - Smith

Charles "Bud" Tingwell - Lt. Carstairs

The film is narrated throughout by what I believe is the voice of Michael Rennie, who played "Klaatu" in the "Day the Earth Stood Still" and was a "voice" in the preceding "The Desert Fox", 1951.

---* THE PRODUCTION CREDITS *---

Robert Wise - Director [WEST SIDE STORY, SOUND OF MUSIC, THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL & EDITOR OF "CITIZEN KANE"]

Robert L. Jacks - Producer

Richard Murphy - Screenwriter [Nominated for ACADEMY AWARD - BEST SCREENPLAY]

Lucien Ballard - Cinematographer

Leigh Harline - Composer (Music Score)

Alfred Newman - Composer (Music Score)

Barbara McLean - Editor

Addison Hehr - Art Director

Lyle Wheeler - Art Director

Ray Kellogg - Special Effects [between 1950-1955 did effects for about 50 feature films, ended with Tora!Tora!Tora!, 1970]

BOTTOM LINE: "THE DESERT RATS" - SIMPLY A TIGHT WELL DONE WAR DRAMA

This simple film holds up well [now 54 years] on the foundation of an excellent screen play. Burton, Mason and Wise really team-up well to keep this film really tight and mostly filled with relevant and exciting action for 88 minutes.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars burton's best, August 25, 2000

By 

Leonard Anseaume Jr. (North Little Rock, Arkansas United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Desert Rats [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Plenty of action. One of Burton's finest performances in a war drama. A must see for anyone who likes war pictures. Very convincing. James Mason also portrays a fine role as "The Desertfox" once again.