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| The Desert Fox | 
| Director: Henry Hathaway
Actors: James Mason, Cedric Hardwicke, Jessica Tandy, Luther Adler, Everett Sloane
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Category: DVD
List Price: $14.98
Buy New: $7.62
You Save: $7.36 (49%)
Buy New/Used/Collectible from $5.85
Avg. Customer Rating:  (33 reviews)
Sales Rank: 4629
Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Dvd-video, Full Screen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), Spanish (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: DVD
Running Time: 88 minutes
Number Of Items: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: D2007199D
UPC: 024543071990
EAN: 0024543071990
ASIN: B00008AOTO
Release Date: May 20, 2003
Theatrical Release Date: October 17, 1951
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Description
James Mason delivers a strong performance in this fascinating portrait of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. In the early 1940's, Rommel's juggernaut Afrika Korps dominated North Africa. But as the tide turned and he came to the painful realization that his Fuhrer, to whom he hd sworn allegiance, was destroying Germany, his ingrained sense of duty pushed him into a conspiracy against Hitler. Co-starring Jessica Tandy as Rommel's wife and Cedric Hardwicke as another anti-Hitler conspirator, The Desert Fox is an intimate look at one of the most respected military tacticians of modern times.
Amazon.com
What a difference a few years can make. The Desert Fox, released six years after the end of World War II, is a solemnly respectful tribute to Erwin Rommel, Germany's most celebrated military genius. James Mason's portrayal of this gallant warrior became a highlight of his career iconography. The film itself is oddly disjointed: a precredit commando raid to liquidate Rommel is followed by a flashback to the field-marshal's lightning successes commanding the Afrika Korps?-a compressed account via documentary footage and copious narration (spoken by Michael Rennie, who also dubs Desmond Young, the Rommel biographer and onetime British POW appearing briefly as himself). The dramatic core is Rommel's growing disenchantment with Hitler (Luther Adler), his involvement in the plot to assassinate der Fuehrer, and his subsequent martyrdom. Mason's Rommel returned two years later for a flamboyant, mostly German-speaking cameo in The Desert Rats, a prequel focusing on the battle for Tobruk. --Richard T. Jameson
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| Customer Reviews: Read 28 more reviews...
 Rommel's home November 16, 2008
I am writing from memory here -- of the film from three months ago, and a walk from Herrlingen to the Rommel home twenty years ago.
Although the IMDB listing says the filming took place in California, the exteriors of the home match my memory of the actual house. The driveway entry's gateposts, the curve of the driveway, the the shape and stone appearance of the front of the house, even the front doorstep.
I'll have to watch again to see if Mason was actually present in those exterior shots, or did he stay in California?
The house was briefly used as a U.S. military HQ, and then became an orphanage, I remember reading, after the war.
When I walked up the hill from Herrlingen toward the Rommel driveeway on my left, the gate was shut, but then a car approached it, and a young woman opened it, just as she saw me.
She did not want to disappoint a visitor from so far away, and so delayed her errands to show me in to the house.
I stood inside in the portico, looking up the stairway to the right, and she explained that three young families, each with two children, had cooperatively purchased the home. I believe she said each family occupied one floor of the house, though I don't recall it being tall enough for three stories.
I did not intrude further, and went back outside, where she pointed out the bomb shelter (against possible Allied air attack) to the right of the driveway (the uphill side when facing the house), up against some (birch?) trees.
When she closed the gate behind us and drove away, I turned left and walked up the hill, the route Rommel took in his last moments.
The right side of the road had several newer homes, on an uphill slope, looking out over the valley and river below. This same hillside appears bare, I recall, in the film.
On the left side of the road, the side opposite the houses, there is now a bench (concrete?) with a plaque, I believe, commemorating Rommel's death there. I sat there for a few moments. I believe photos of that site are availabe to view online.
I need to see the film again to be certain, but I now recall seeing that same spot in it, without the bench, or with a cruder wooden one (?) Ah, memory!
Anyway, among the praises in your wonderful reviews here, I want to include praise for this film's conscientious effort to utilize or duplicate the actual Rommel home in Desert Fox.
The Rommel story is of course the mirror we hold up to ourselves in times of turmoil.
How would I have acted, given a career involvement in military expertise, as I realized the madness of the rulers and the insanity my country had fallen into? Would I have withdrawn my skills from such wrong uses?
All of the recent fatuous praise of U.S. soldiers who don't think for themselves, and just "do their jobs," hmmmm....
And "loyal" U.S. civilians, who've allowed the displacement of four million Iraqi refugees, among them 10,000s of young teen girls selling themselves in neighboring countries for the survival of their families, without an "American" finger lifted to help them.
Where is the shame now among us that the German people were expected to learn and display when confronted with the ovens up the road?
In this Republic, especially, the "job" of Citizen comes first, and we have been slow, slow, slow to do it.
The Rommels present the many-layered story of sane people trying to exist in insane times, much like the parallel sad story of Robert E. Lee.
We have even more apt lifetime examples generalship, such as Eisenhower, eager to teach the rest of us to keep War as the last resort, not the first.
We gather here to learn from history, and its significant characters, so as not to repeat or perpetuate their misery.
The final coda of Manfred's long and successful career as Stuttgart's mayor indicates that these were, indeed, normal, honorable people that any of us could aspire to equal, and yet, sadly, living in a time of such evil, they could neither prevent much of the evil, nor keep it from marking their own family with its touch.
The death mask of Rommel, the photo of which I recall seeing in The Rommel Papers, casts upon us a final look of contempt which speaks many volumes.
Without going into the complex layers of bitter disappointment that might have produced such a look, I might add that I hope this soul has since found peace in understanding how an immature humanity could fail to live up to the high principles he held, and arrived at forgiveness for himself in not penetrating the fog of life's accumulated experience enough to see what he was really up against, and to escape it with his family in time.
The Desert Fox October 13, 2008
The Desert Fox is a tight little film about Rommel that's directed by Henry Hathaway. I'm sure it's not 100% accurate but what film can be in only 88 minutes? Hathaway certainly glorifies Rommel as an honorable man that was only being a good soldier. Once again, not being a historian, I'm not sure of its accuracy but I don't think I've ever heard the person of Rommel being disparaged. There have been many facts about different German officers of that period that are common knowledge, many of them are never shown in a good light. The exception seems to be Rommel.
The movie is based upon the biography written by Brigadier Desmond Young who had been captured in Africa. He only saw Rommel from a distance one time in the desert & from this, after the war, he researched the background of the Desert Fox. The movie doesn't focus on Rommel's (James Mason) role in the Africa Corps. It focuses more so on the later period when he was a part of the Normandy defenses & his involvement in the assassination attempt on the leader of his nation. None of this is presented in much depth & in the end Ididn't feel any sorrow in the demise of Rommel.
Frau Rommel (Jessica Tandy) is presented as the dutiful wife though there is a hint that she was the catalyst in getting Rommel involved in the plot. Dr. Karl Strolin (Cedric Hardwicke) approaches Rommel about the plot. At this point we are told that Rommel has harbored secret feelings about the situation that he had revealed to his wife. Rommel sees it as an act of treason even though it's the right thing to do. This inner conflict causes Rommel to be hesitant about the consequences.
There's not a lot of action in the movie, it's more of a character study about a man who must make an extraordinary decision. The movie has authentic film footage interspersed throughout. The film even has the part where the satchel bomb was placed in the bunker by Col. Von Stauffenberg (Eduard Franz) to kill the infamous leader (Luther Adler). There are a couple of scenes with Field Marshall Von Runstedt (Leo G. Carroll), one of which reveals where Von Runstedt's sympathies might lay.
The official version of Rommel's death was that he died from his war wounds. The film makes it plain that Rommel was about to be put on trial for treason & it was obvious he was guilty. The messenger (Everett Sloane) makes it plain that Rommel only has one choice. Rommel wants to go to trial but his wife & son would suffer the consequences of this. Rommel is a hero & they would prefer he would go away quietly without making the noises that the German people would hear & respect. Rommel agrees to take the offer in order to protect his family.
The Desert Fox is a good film that gives James Mason a chance to show some of his acting skills. The real life Desmond Young portrays himself in the movie & is the narrator. The film is in very good condition & there aren't any significant bonus features though it does have a Spanish audio track & subtitles in English & Spanish.
 Trash August 18, 2008
After being amazed at "The Battle of Brittain" DVD, I stupidly got a bunch of war movies from somewhere around the sixties. "The Longest Day" was also phenominal. Some others were "OK" This movie was the bottom of the barrel. Take note! "ALL" of the war movies have good ratings. Buyer beware!
The Desert Fox June 24, 2008
This is a great movie to add to your 'War Movie' collection. A presentation of the war from the German side. A glimpse into Hitler's
true character.
 An outdated look at the Field Marshall's descent June 24, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
For those unaware (just in case), Field Marshall Erwin Rommel was one of the most successful General Officers in the German Army during World War II, and a favorite of Hitler. He was a very successful junior officer during World War I while fighting in France and was again instrumental in France's fall during the Second World War. Though he was a German celebrity due to his North Africa accomplishments, he fell from Hitler's favor as the Field Marshall's North Afrika Korp suffered reverses. Eventually Rommel's obedience to Hitler's command, unknown to Hitler, became questionable.
The film focuses exclusively on Rommel's gradual dissent. The dialog has a few bits of wit thrown in and examines the conundrum of the General officer in regards to duty versus moral responsibility. Should he strictly follow orders that violate his better judgement as a Commander and also a Citizen. In particular the film displays conversations between Rommel and his wife, fellow officers, and close friend, the Doctor. The film begins with a Commando raid action sequence that is laughable in terms of tactical validity and really sets a bad tone for the film. Commandos dart from room to room spraying rounds from their automatic weapons at German Soldiers who run indiscriminately towards the firefight. Other times, a Commando fires a burst, turns his back to the enemy, and runs away with no regard to his pursuers, until shot in the back. Fortunately, the film does not repeat similar action scenes, but occasionally throws in a highlight of actual War footage to tie the chronological story together. However, these scenes are fairly tedious since there is no powerful soundtrack or video content involved. I was happy when the film returned to dialog, which represents the lion's share of the movie. Most scenes, which would appear natural on a Broadway stage, show Rommel and the other characters expressing their displeasure with Hitler's meddling in the arena of strategic and tactical battlefield command.
In no way is the film suspenseful or dramatic. Dialog is generally "canned." With Victorianesque accent, Rommel speaks to his wife, "Darling, I love you." His wife replies, "Yes Darling, but not now." "Darling, I must speak to Hitler" and on an on in this uncomely, non-Germanic tone. Historically, the movie is shallow. From a biographical standpoint, the movie is extremely brief. Action is ridiculous and virtually nonexistent. In a few brief moments, the viewer is invited to ponder Rommel's position, such as the final conversation with the Doctor. These moments, accompanied by views of Rommel's black, leather trench coat, tend to salvage the movie.
I believe there is a distinctly, small number of War fans that will enjoy this movie. Those that have a nostalgia for the old black and white picture, paralleled by good and bad characters, and sequenced with a tightly woven, transparent story will enjoy "The Desert Fox." I would recommend reading one or two of the prominent books on Rommel. This movie is in no way essential to understanding or enjoying the knowledge of one the modern era's greatest Commanders.
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