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The Desert Song
The Best Loved of all Musical Adventures!
1953 en 110 minutes
Rating: 6.5
Plot
Shiek Yousseff, poses as a friend of the French while secretly plotting to overthrow them. Apposing Yousseff are the Riffs, whose secret leader, The Red Shadow, is Paul Bonnard, a professor who is studying the desert, and whose attacks on the supply trains intended for Yousseff keep the Riff villages in food. Foreign Legion General Birabeau arrives to conduct an investigation, accompanied by his daughter, Margot. Birabeau hires Bonnard to tutor her, and she is attracted to a Legionaire captain, Claud Fontaine. While the general, Bonnard and Fontaine pay a visit to Yousseff, an American newspaper man, Benji Kidd, discovers a secret way in and out of Yousseff's palace, with the aid of Azuri, a dancing girl in love with Bonnard. The latter is forced to resume his role as the Riffs leader, and kidnap Margot until he can convince her of Yousseff's treachery. But Yousseff's men attack the Riff camp and take Margot prisoner.
Trailer
Cast

Kathryn Grayson
Margot Birabeau
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Gordon MacRae
El Khobar / Paul Bonnard

Steve Cochran
Captain Claude Fontaine

Raymond Massey
Sheik Yousseff
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Dick Wesson
Benjamin 'Benjy' Kidd

Allyn Ann McLerie
Azuri
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Ray Collins
Gen. Birabeau
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Paul Picerni
Hassan

Frank De Kova
Mindar

William Conrad
Lachmed
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Trevor Bardette
Neri
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Mark Dana
Lt. Duvalle
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Ben Astar
Sheik
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Bhogwan Singh
Old Villager
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Jack Tornek
Riff Guard

Cosmo Sardo
Legionnaire

Charles Perry
Legionnaire (uncredited)