Tonight I watched a tremendous film called "The Desert Fox" (1951), which follows the latter stages of the career of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, the legendary German Army commander who, for a time, stymied the Allied effort in North Africa during World War Two. Rommel's nickname was "The Desert Fox", and he ruled the sands of Libya, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia before the war began to turn against the Germans. My Dad was in those countries (except Libya) in late 1943, probably right after the Allies had defeated Rommel, or it wouldn't have been safe to land there, but when I was little he talked about the escapades of the Field Marshal, who was known as a strategic genius.
The film, which uses the Mojave desert as a stand-in for North Africa, also makes use of a lot of very graphic stock footage of artillery bombardment and tank warfare, which leaves you wondering how any soldier could have lived through the war with their sanity intact. It is one of the most authentic looking WW2 films I have ever seen, and the recreation of a German village and Alpine retreat on the lot of 20th Century Fox add even more to the realism. I myself thought they had filmed on location in Germany.
The story of Rommel was singled out for a major release, just six years after the war ended, because although he was fighting on the side of America's (and the world's) most notorious enemy - Nazi Germany - General Rommel was in fact against Hitler. The plot concerns the attempt that was ultimately made in 1944 to assassinate the Fuhrer. The script makes clear that Rommel considered Hitler to be not only insane but a poor strategist as well. He didn't want to voice his opinion on the subject because of the possible consequences, but when his doctor and some fellow officers confided in him the assassination plot, he agreed to sanction it and the power of his integrity gave it the go ahead.
Rommel is played by James Mason, and I'm sure you will remember the proper pronunciation of his first name, in which a "Ch" sound is substituted for the "J".....say it with me : Chames Mason".
Thanks for doing that. It is imperative to properly pronounce the names of certain actors with unique voices, according to the way they might say them themselves.
At any rate, James Mason (pronun.), who was one of the greatest of Brrittishh actors of the postwar era, not only does a fine job here, he is Rommel, who paid with his life for his stand against Hitler, and was thus respected by his Allied counterparts at the conclusion of the war.
The story was based on a book by a real life British officer named Desmond Young, who - as a prisoner of war during the African campaign - was shown compassion by Rommel in a circumstance where he would ordinarily have been shot under standard Nazi protocol. This led Mr. Young to try and find out more of Rommel's history after the war ended, which he did. He also found out the truth about Rommel's demise, which was of course lied about by the Nazis.
Two Very High Thumbs Up, then, for "The Desert Fox", which I was lucky to find this aft at Chatsworth Libe. I think it is one of the very best WW2 films I have ever seen, shot in full grey scale black and white (much more effective than color for such a film), with aforementioned use of stock battle footage and authentic countryside sets for realism. Excellent acting all around, not only from James Mason but from fellow English acting stalwarts like Cedric Hardwicke and Leo G. Carroll. It is a must-see for WW2 buffs, with the highest possible recommendation from me. /////
I had a nice hike this afternoon, beginning at Chatsworth Park and then heading up into Santa Susana, which as you know sits just above the city park in the rocky hills that you see in my pictures. Santa Su was extra special today because of all the wildflowers that have bloomed since the rains of our recent wet winter. Man, I couldn't believe all the flowers I was seeing. They are small, but so colorful - purples, reds, oranges and yellows - and there were types of them that I don't think I've seen before. Maybe tomorrow I will go back with my camera, which I stupidly didn't bring today. But I did have fun sleeping in (cause it was a day off), and posting about the California Jam (my first concert, 45 years ago today), and reading my books (finished Dr. Farrell's "McCarthy"), and working on my drawing while listening to Disc Two of my Tchaikovsky/Valentina Lisitsa set, which is fantastic so far.
Tchaikovsky's piano music, previously unknown to me, is turning out to be a revelation.
Well, I'd better get to sleep. Got church in the morning and the singing must be good.
See you there. Much love as always. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
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