***“Braveheart” in the Libyan desert with Quinn, Reed and Steiger*** After twenty years of failing to remove Bedouin rebels during the Italian colonization (aka invasion) of Libya, Mussolini (Rod Steiger) sends formidable General Graziani (Oliver Reed) in 1931 to take care of the problem. Anthony Quinn plays the titular protagonist and leader of the freedom-fighting Libyans. Did you ever wonder why “Lion of…
He was a man of honor in a war without any.
Resistance leader Omar Mukhtar opposes Italian colonization before World War II. The brutal guerrilla war against Italian General Rodolfo Graziani and the Fascist forces of Benito Mussolini highlights the struggle for Libyan independence and the harsh tactics utilised by the colonisers.
Top Cast
Anthony Quinn
Omar al-Mukhtar
Oliver Reed
General Rodolfo Graziani
Irene Papas
Mabrouka
Raf Vallone
Colonel Diodiece
Rod Steiger
Benito Mussolini
John Gielgud
Sharif El Gariani
Andrew Keir
Salem
Gastone Moschin
Major Tomelli
Stefano Patrizi
Lieutenant Sandrini
Adolfo Lastretti
Colonel Sarsani
Sky du Mont
Prince Amadeo
Şahin Çelik
Prince Amadeo (voice)
Takis Emmanuel
Bu-Matari
Rodolfo Bigotti
Ismail
Robert Brown
Al Fadeel
Eleonora Stathopoulou
Ali's Mother
Reviews
This is a curious hybrid of a film - it brings together some elements of "Gandhi" (1982) , "Khartoum" (1966) and even "Spartacus" (1960) to illustrate a theatre of war for Fascist colonialism of which I was largely unfamiliar. Rod Steiger (Mussolini) has decided that Italy must get in on the act of colonial powers in North Africa - and deploys General Graziani (Oliver Reed) to cement their invasion of modern day…
FAQ about Lion of the Desert
What is Lion of the Desert about?
Resistance leader Omar Mukhtar opposes Italian colonization before World War II. The brutal guerrilla war against Italian General Rodolfo Graziani and the Fascist forces of Benito Mussolini highlights the struggle for Libyan independence and the harsh tactics utilised by the…
When was Lion of the Desert released?
Lion of the Desert was released in 1981.
What genres does Lion of the Desert belong to?
Lion of the Desert is categorised as History, War, Drama.
Who stars in Lion of the Desert?
The cast of Lion of the Desert includes Anthony Quinn, Oliver Reed, Irene Papas, Raf Vallone, Rod Steiger.