Lion of the Desert (1980)
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- PG
- 2h 53min
- Biography, Drama
- 16 May 1981 (Japan)
- Movie
In 1929, Italian Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini appoints General Rodolfo Graziani as colonial governor to Italian Libya with orders to stamp-out all resistance from Libyan nationalists led by rebel guerrilla leader Omar Mukhtar.
Director:
Writers:
Stars:
Photos and Videos
Cast
| Anthony Quinn | ... |
Omar Mukhtar
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| Oliver Reed | ... |
Gen. Rodolfo Graziani
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| Irene Papas | ... |
Mabrouka
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| Raf Vallone | ... |
Colonel Diodiece
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| Rod Steiger | ... |
Benito Mussolini
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| John Gielgud | ... |
Sharif El Gariani
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| Andrew Keir | ... |
Salem
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| Gastone Moschin | ... |
Major Tomelli
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| Stefano Patrizi | ... |
Lt. Sandrini
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| Adolfo Lastretti | ... |
Colonel Sarsani
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| Sky du Mont | ... |
Prince Amadeo
(as Sky Dumont)
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| Takis Emmanuel | ... |
Bu-Matari
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Rodolfo Bigotti | ... |
Ismail
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| Robert Brown | ... |
Al Fadeel
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| Eleonora Stathopoulou | ... |
Ali's Mother
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| Luciano Bartoli | ... |
Captain Lontano
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| Claudio Gora | ... |
President of Court
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Giordano Falzoni | ... |
Judge at Camp
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Franco Fantasia | ... |
Graziani's Aide
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Ihab Werfali | ... |
Ali
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| Ewen Solon |
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Loris Bazzocchi | ... |
(as Loris Bazoki)
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| Alec Mango |
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Filippo De Gara | ... |
(as Filippo Degara)
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George Sweeney | ... |
Captain Biagi
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| Luciano Catenacci | ... |
Italian Soldier
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Victor Baring |
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Pietro Brambilla | ... |
Young Soldier
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| Pietro Tordi | ... |
Field Marshal
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Massimiliano Baratta | ... |
Capture Captain
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| Mario Feliciani | ... |
Lobitto
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| Gianfranco Barra | ... |
Sentry
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Piero Gerlini | ... |
Barillo
(as Pietro Gerlini)
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| Lino Capolicchio | ... |
Captain Bedendo
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Sadettin Erbil | ... |
Sharif El Gariani (voice)
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Erdogan Esenboga | ... |
Captain Lontano (voice)
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Osman Görgen | ... |
Ismail (voice)
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Esen Günay | ... |
Narrator (voice)
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Agah Hün | ... |
Omar Mukhtar (voice)
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| Alev Koral | ... |
Mabrouka (voice)
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Pekcan Kosar | ... |
Benito Mussolini (voice)
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| Benito Mussolini | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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Kamran Usluer | ... |
Colonel Diodiece (voice)
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Erhan Yazicioglu | ... |
Lt. Sandrini (voice)
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| Sahin Çelik | ... |
Prince Amadeo (voice)
(as Sky Dumont)
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Vala Önengüt | ... |
Gen. Rodolfo Graziani (voice)
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| Mario Adorf | ... |
(uncredited)
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Fernando Arcangeli | ... |
Officer at Trial (uncredited)
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Rossana Canghiari | ... |
Woman at Italian Military Ball (uncredited)
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Mark Colleano | ... |
Infantry Corporal (uncredited)
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Tom Felleghy | ... |
Italian General (uncredited)
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Alfonso Giganti | ... |
Military Judge (uncredited)
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Mark Lewis | ... |
Arab (uncredited)
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Ettore Martini | ... |
General (uncredited)
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Lorenzo Piani | ... |
Prisoner Escort Guard (uncredited)
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| Angelo Ragusa | ... |
Italian Soldier (uncredited)
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| Gianni Rizzo | ... |
Man in war room (uncredited)
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Amedeo Salamon | ... |
Man watching the trail (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Moustapha Akkad | ||
Written by
| H.A.L. Craig | ... | (screenplay written by) |
| David Butler | ... | (additional material) & |
| Paul Thompson | ... | (additional material) (as Paul Thompson) |
Produced by
| Moustapha Akkad | ... | producer |
| Nahila May Al-Jabri | ... | assistant producer (uncredited) |
| June Bordcosh | ... | assistant producer |
| Geoffrey Helman | ... | executive producer (uncredited) |
| Mohammad Sanousi | ... | producer |
| Roy Stevens | ... | associate producer |
Music by
| Maurice Jarre | ||
Cinematography by
| Jack Hildyard | ... | (photographed by) |
Editing by
| John Shirley | ||
Editorial Department
| Graham Farrow | ... | assistant editor |
Casting By
| Paola Roli | ... | (as Paola Rolli) |
| Maude Spector | ||
Production Design by
| Syd Cain | ||
| Mario Garbuglia | ||
Art Direction by
| Bob Bell | ||
| Maurice Cain | ||
| Giorgio Desideri | ||
Costume Design by
| Piero Cicoletti | ||
| Hassan Ben Dardaf | ||
| Orietta Nasalli-Rocca | ||
Makeup Department
| Alan Boyle | ... | makeup artist |
| Adalgisa Favella | ... | hair stylist (as Adelgisa Favella) |
| Ahmed Hassan Hassan | ... | makeup artist |
| Neville Smallwood | ... | makeup artist |
Production Management
| Mara Blasetti | ... | production manager: Italy |
| Ray Frift | ... | production manager |
| John Oldknow | ... | unit manager |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Roberto Cirla | ... | second assistant director |
| Carlos Gil | ... | first assistant director |
| Miguel Gil | ... | first assistant director |
| Mohammed Najm | ... | second assistant director |
| Glenn Randall Jr. | ... | second unit director (as Glenn Randall) |
| Ali Ahmed Salem | ... | second assistant director |
| Giorgio Venturoli | ... | second assistant director |
Art Department
| Albert Blackshaw | ... | construction manager |
| Brian Bysouth | ... | poster artist |
| Dave Coldham | ... | Supervisor plasterer: Libya |
| Ray Traynor | ... | property master |
| Michael Guyett | ... | scenic painter (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| Norman Bolland | ... | sound recordist |
| Eric Chohan | ... | boom operator |
| Chris Greenham | ... | sound editor |
| Gerry Humphreys | ... | re-recording mixer |
| John Stevenson | ... | boom operator |
| Jim Willis | ... | sound recordist |
| Lionel Strutt | ... | sound recordist (uncredited) |
Special Effects by
| Terry Glass | ... | special effects |
| Kit West | ... | special effects supervisor |
| Peter Dawson | ... | special effects technician (uncredited) |
| Dino Galiano | ... | special effects technician (uncredited) |
Stunts
| Glenn Randall Jr. | ... | stunt coordinator (as Glenn Randall) |
| Roy Alon | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Juan Maján | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Sergio Mioni | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Angelo Ragusa | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Glenn Randall Jr. | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Adolfo Bartoli | ... | assistant camera (uncredited) |
| James Bawden | ... | camera operator |
| David Farrell | ... | still photographer |
| John Fenner | ... | gaffer |
| Alvaro Romagnoli | ... | gaffer: Italy |
| Jimmy Turrell | ... | camera operator (as James Turrell) |
| Peter Butler | ... | grip (uncredited) |
| Norman Godden | ... | camera maintenance (uncredited) |
| Roger McDonald | ... | focus puller (uncredited) |
| Eamonn O'Keeffe | ... | clapper loader (uncredited) |
| Stephen Keith Roach | ... | clapper loader (uncredited) |
| David Worley | ... | focus puller (uncredited) |
Casting Department
| Paola Roli | ... | casting: Italy (as Paola Rolli) |
| Maude Spector | ... | casting: London |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Paul Vachon | ... | wardrobe supervisor |
Location Management
| Mohammed Bufana | ... | location manager |
| F. Sherwin Green | ... | location manager (as Frank Sherwin Green) |
| Claude Gresset | ... | location manager |
| Moustapha Hijaouy | ... | location manager |
| Umberto Sambuco | ... | location manager: Italy (as Umberto Sambucco) |
Music Department
| Robin Clarke | ... | music editor |
| Maurice Jarre | ... | conductor |
| London Symphony Orchestra | ... | music played by (as The London Symphony Orchestra) |
| Eric Tomlinson | ... | music recordist |
| Frank Barber | ... | composer: additional music (uncredited) |
| Christopher Palmer | ... | assistant: Maurice Jarre (uncredited) |
| Garry Ulmer | ... | re-scoring mixer (uncredited) |
Script and Continuity Department
| Sally Jones | ... | continuity |
| Ramsey Thomas | ... | script consultant (as Ramzi Thomas) |
| Connie Willis | ... | continuity |
Additional Crew
| Reyad Akkad | ... | production coordinator |
| Nahila May Al-Jabri | ... | production assistant (as May Jabri) |
| Takvor Antonian | ... | liaison: Cairo |
| Bill Aylmore | ... | armorer |
| Teresa Bolland | ... | liaison: London |
| Stanley Burridge | ... | production accountant |
| Nabil Daou | ... | financial coordinator |
| Rosalba Di Bartolo Tonti | ... | production assistant (as Rosalba Tonti) |
| Rita Durio | ... | production secretary |
| Franco Fantasia | ... | technical advisor |
| Giulia Gionta | ... | production assistant |
| Marguerite Green | ... | production assistant |
| Maria Gutierrez | ... | liaison: Madrid |
| Geoffrey Helman | ... | production executive |
| Maurice Landsberger | ... | production controller |
| Nino Lembo | ... | jewellery and decorations |
| Juan Maján | ... | horse master (as Juan Majan Sosa) |
| Len Neider | ... | caterer |
| Merrilu Nelson | ... | liaison: Los Angeles |
| Chuck Painter | ... | unit publicist |
| Carole Sacripanti | ... | production assistant |
| Phillip Small | ... | chef |
| George Spenton-Foster | ... | dialogue supervisor |
| Michael Starkey | ... | researcher |
| Joy Helman | ... | publicist (uncredited) |
| Corrado Sofia | ... | production assistant (uncredited) |
Production Companies
Distributors
- United Film Distribution Company (UFDC) (1981) (United States) (theatrical)
- Ambassador Film Distributors (1981) (Canada) (theatrical)
- City Film (1981) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- Jugendfilm-Verleih (1981) (West Germany) (theatrical)
- Shochiku-Fuji Company (1981) (Japan) (theatrical)
- Coline / LMD / Océanic Films (1982) (France) (theatrical)
- Mundial Filmes (1981) (Portugal) (theatrical)
- Anchor Bay Entertainment (1998) (United States) (DVD)
- Cargo Records (2018) (Germany) (Blu-ray)
- Columbia TriStar Home Video (1995) (Australia) (VHS)
- Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2017) (United Arab Emirates) (Middle East, North Africa & Iran)
- Home Video Hellas (HVH) (1985) (Greece) (VHS)
- Paragon Movies (2015) (Germany) (DVD) (and Blu-ray)
- Renaissance Content Group (2023) (United States) (tv)
- Schröder Media (2008) (Germany) (DVD)
- Topanga Canyon Films (2018) (Spain)
- UFA Video (Germany) (VHS)
- USA Home Video (II) (United States) (VHS)
- Vértice 360 (2006) (Spain) (DVD)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Anvil Studios (music recorded at)
- Costumi d'Arte (costumes and footwear)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
In Fascist Italy pre-World War II, the cruel General Rodolfo Graziani is directly assigned by Benito Mussolini to fight in the colonial war in Libya to vanquish the Libyan nation. However, his troops are frequently defeated by the national leader Omar Mukhtar and his army of Bedouins. But the Butcher of Ethiopia and Libya uses a dirty war against the natives, slaughtering women, children, and aged people, to subdue Mukhtar. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | A giant of a man against a general seeking glory...a spectacular adventure of arch enemies in battle. See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Additional Details
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Box Office
| Budget | $35,000,000 (estimated) |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | The production's obsession with authenticity extended right down to the same barber who used to shave Benito Mussolini's head being hired to shave Rod Steiger's, the actor who played him. See more » |
| Goofs | At the reception at the beginning of the film, an Italian officer complains about the abuses committed by the Italian army, saying they are not following the Geneva Conventions. The Geneva Conventions on the Laws of War were not made until 1949, 20 or so years after the events depicted in the film. The laws of war at the time would have been the Hague Regulations. In any case though, European countries as a rule did not accept that the laws of war applied to conflicts in colonial territories. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Windwalker, Tell Me A Riddle, Friday the 13th Part 2, Lion of the Desert (1981). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Giovinezza See more » |
| Quotes |
Omar Mukhtar:
We will never surrender. We win or we die. And don't think it stops there. You will have the next generation to fight; and after the next, the next. As for me, I will live longer than my hangman. See more » |