Yet another Oldie but Goodie from my movie collection.
Anyone who loves old-fashioned "swords in the desert" epics will adore this sweeping romance (with a touch of politics added in for good measure). It is the turn of the century, Europe has divided most of the world into its colonies, and American is just beginning to assert its own influence under charismatic president Teddy Roosevelt (played with tremendous energy by Brian Keith). Connery plays a dashing and well-spoken Berber chieftain who kidnaps an American woman (Candice Bergen) to spark rebellion in the Middle East against the French and the Germans. But this brings in the Americans, and good old Teddy sees a great opportunity to tweak the noses of Europe, get relected, and face down an "honorable" foe like Connery's Berber chieftain.
The desert scenes are all fantastic and filled with romance of the Arabian Nights, the thunder of horses hooves -- all of it scored with Jerry Goldsmith's thrilling music and shown in beautiful widescreen on the DVD. The action scenes are incredibly exciting, especially a scene of Connery taking on a band of kidnappers single-handed. In general, the Middle Eastern characters are treated with respect and fairness. The American scenes with Keith's Roosevelt are intelligent and well written and shed light on America's changing position in the world. (Yes, this is based on a real event, although much has been changed. It doesn't matter: it's a fiction that sheds much light on the actual world situation.)
The desert scenes are all fantastic and filled with romance of the Arabian Nights, the thunder of horses hooves -- all of it scored with Jerry Goldsmith's thrilling music and shown in beautiful widescreen on the DVD. The action scenes are incredibly exciting, especially a scene of Connery taking on a band of kidnappers single-handed. In general, the Middle Eastern characters are treated with respect and fairness. The American scenes with Keith's Roosevelt are intelligent and well written and shed light on America's changing position in the world. (Yes, this is based on a real event, although much has been changed. It doesn't matter: it's a fiction that sheds much light on the actual world situation.)
