January 15

Lloyd Bridges

I have not seen Lloyd Bridges in many films. He had a “guest” role in Joe vs. the Volcano. I did like him on Seinfeld, but I don't have a true picture of his work. TCM aired Sahara with Lloyd Bridges and Humphrey Bogart. Since Lloyd Bridges received 3rd credit I thought he would have a pretty big role. I should know by now that is not necessary so. Maybe next year I will be able to explore his work in more detail. I don't watch a lot of war films, but this was really good. What surprised me the most was POW. The Italian POW was almost anti-war/anti-Hitler.

Humphrey Bogart plays an American Sargent in the tank in the African desert. The Germans are to the north, east and west. They have to go south. They come to a burned out makeshift British hospital with a few troops left. The British troops join up with the Americans and go across the desert for water and to meet up with any allied troops. Along the way they stop when they see 2 people walking. It is a British Somalian with an Italian POW. Bogart agrees to take the Somalian since he is British but not the POW. The POW is left with a ration and left to walk in the desert. Those are great scenes where the Italian is walking in the huge amount of sand knowing what his fate is going to be. Bogart relents, and the Italian can gets on the tank. It was during the stop that I could first tell which soldier was Lloyd Bridges. He played an English soldier. The soldiers were covered in dust and in the uniforms and I could not spot him. In a long shot he took off his helmet and shook out his blonde hair. That had to have been him and it was. He only had a few lines but had a good British accent. His bright eyes shining in the black and white film. A little more in the desert and they were spotted by a plane. The men on top of the tank took cover and the plane started shooting. The tank took a couple of rounds before firing back and the plane exploded and the German pilot ejected. The German said that the men should surrender to him. Bogart of course took his gun and kept him as POW so that he could turn him over to the authorities. It was at this time it was discovered Lloyd Bridges character had been shot. He was alive but in a bad way. He was put on the tank and bandaged up. Unfortunately he died, saying his girls name. They buried him in the desert with his gun up and his helmet on top. A haunting image of war.

The men continue on to ruins were there is supposed to be water. Along the way is a huge dust storm. They go to the ruins and there is a well, with just a small trickle of water. The Germans are also looking for water and have a local guide to find water and head for the ruins. The Germans send out a scouting group. Bogart and group capture the German's. One of the German gives information for water. Bogie lets the men go so that they can tell their officers that they will exchange water for food. Bogart plans to take on the 500 German solders with his small troop. There is typical war action and only Bogart and one English man survive the battle. While Bogart is battling the Germans, one lone American soldier from his group was sent in the German scout vehicle to meet up with allied troops to bring help. His travel is interspersed with the battle. The car broke down and he walked across the desert. He was so warn out he fell into the sand and his arms where trying to swim the sand. Within a few moments an allied jeep comes along and finds him. The Germans need water so badly the remaining troops surrender. Bogart marches them along the desert and on the way they meet up with the British troops. As Bogart and his man reunite, Bogart shows the name tags to the man and there is a cut to the circle of soldier memorials with the helmets/hats swaying in the breeze.