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NR | 1h 32m | Adventure | 1949
“Outpost in Morocco” gives actor George Raft plenty of room to do what he does best. Robert Florey’s 1949 adventure puts him in North Africa as Capt. Paul Gerard, a French cavalry officer.
Gerard moves through desert patrols, military ceremonies, and remote outposts with the same controlled manner the actor brought to years of tough-guy roles. He never looks hurried, even when the story keeps finding new ways to send trouble in his direction.
The production benefits from setting the story in the real Morocco. French authorities permitted filming in the southern part of the country. The filmmakers worked with both the French Foreign Legion and Moroccan Spahis (North African cavalry units serving under French command).
Actual legionnaires and Spahis appeared in parts of the picture, while second-unit director Richard Rosson shot around Fort Tinihir. The cavalry scenes and wide desert views give the movie a larger visual reach than the story alone might suggest.
Raft’s voice may remind viewers of Humphrey Bogart; certain lines come out with a dry, clipped rhythm that feels very New York. Both men were born in Manhattan. Their careers also crossed repeatedly during the Warner Bros. years. Several roles that Raft turned down eventually went to Bogart.
Cast members Marie Windsor and Akim Tamiroff, help give the picture its less serious side. Windsor brings heaps of glamour and a strong presence to Cara. Tamiroff gives his Lt. Glysko a more animated personality that adds humor whenever the military business gets a little too formal.
Across the Moroccan Desert
Gerard is ordered to escort Cara (Windsor), daughter of the Emir of Bel-Rashad (Eduard Franz), across the desert to her father’s city. He is also supposed to keep watch for signs of trouble along the way. After 10 days on the road, the two have become lovebirds.
Things get complicated once Gerard returns to military business. A sentry at a nearby French outpost is killed with a modern rifle that seems out of place there, leaving Gerard to wonder where it came from.
He slips back into Bel-Rashad in disguise and finds evidence that the Emir’s men may be plotting something sinister. Glysko, a former Cossack serving with the French, becomes one of Gerard’s closest allies. Soon, Cara finds herself caught between the French officer she loves and the father she is expected to remain loyal to.
A Little Camp Goes Far
This sandy adventure yarn gets more enjoyable once Gerard and Cara begin spending real time together. Their courtship moves fast, almost recklessly so, yet Raft and Windsor seem comfortable treating the romance with a bit of playfulness.
Windsor’s derogatory “Queen of the Bs” nickname never did her any favors, since she has the presence of a much bigger star. Her large, liquid eyes register a wide array of emotions with very little effort, and her deeper voice gives Cara a gravitas that suits the character.
The movie has a campy streak that gives some of the military scenes extra personality. Gerard could be romancing Cara one minute and crawling around in disguise the next. Director Robert Florey never seems embarrassed by any of this. He lets the picture be as colorful, occasionally ridiculous, and sincerely adventurous as it wants to be.
Once the shooting starts in earnest, “Outpost in Morocco” fully commits to its pulp-adventure side. Rifles crack, horses tear across the desert, Gerard keeps his cool, and Glysko stays firmly in the thick of the military action.
By the end, viewers will have had a jolly good time, which is probably the right way to come away from a movie like this.
“Outpost in Morocco” is available on Amazon, Tubi TV, and FlixFling.
‘Outpost in Morocco’
Director: Robert Florey
Starring: George Raft, Marie Windsor, Akim Tamiroff
Not Rated
Running time: 1 hour, 32 minutes
Release Date: May 2, 1949
Rated: 3 1/2 stars out of 5
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