Denis Kavanagh was nearing the end of his film-making career when Return To The Desert was made. None of his self-generated films had enjoyed much success, being B Movies at best, although Flight From Vienna (cf) went out as support to The Rose Tatoo, starring Burt Lancaster, on general release. Return To The Desert was in some ways a cathartic experience for Kavanagh, who had served as an RAF fighter pilot in the North African campaign before being shot down and invalided out.