DramaWar

Sea of Sand

A small British army team is sent deep behind enemy lines to destroy a German petrol dump as part of the preparation for a major attack in the North African campaign. Sea of Sand was distributed in the US in a shortened version, Desert Patrol.

Release Date : 1958-11-04

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Tempean FilmsThe Rank Organisation

Production Country : United Kingdom

Alternative Titles : Desert Patrol

Cast

Character Name : Brody

Original Name : Richard Attenborough

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cpt Williams

Original Name : John Gregson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cpt Cotton

Original Name : Michael Craig

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sgt Nesbitt

Original Name : Vincent Ball

Gender : Male

Character Name : White

Original Name : Percy Herbert

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sgt. Hardy

Original Name : Ray McAnally

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cpl. Matheson

Original Name : Barry Foster

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cpl. Simms

Original Name : George Murcell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sgt. Parker

Original Name : Andrew Faulds

Gender : Male

Character Name : Road Watch

Original Name : Harold Goodwin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Capt. Tom

Original Name : Tony Thawnton

Gender : Male

Character Name : German Sergeant

Original Name : Wolf Frees

Gender : Male

Character Name : German Officer

Original Name : George Mikell

Gender : Male

Character Name : German Half-track Officer

Original Name : Martin Benson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Soldier

Original Name : Joe Wadham

Gender : Male

Character Name : Commanding Officer

Original Name : Dermot Walsh

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2023-03-25

A squadron of hardy soldiers working on infiltration, enduring the searing heat of the WWII North Africa campaign, are despatched to blow up a fuel dump deep behind enemy lines. It's only when they reach the location they discover something way more perilous than petrol, and so much race back to HQ - with the Nazis hot on their trail - to inform their superiors of this potentially game-changing information. It's quite a familiar looking story that goes some way to depicting the harshness of desert warfare and of the gritty determination of those men sent to fight and survive in this most hostile of global environments. Richard Attenborough nominally heads up a cast of reliable British stalwarts including Michael Craig, John Gregson and the always dependable Percy Herbert and the Libyan photography adds an extra authenticity to the ghastliness and tenaciousness of their struggle. Like many films made some time after the war, it has less of a propagandist element to it and so the plot doesn't shy away from tragedy which, again, lends plausibility to their travails as they struggle to cross the sand. Guy Green has used his cast and the location well here - it is at times an uncomfortable watch and that adds to it's character. Well worth a watch if you get a chance.