SpunkySelfTwitter It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

Ella-May O'Brien Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Matho The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

Fulke Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

earlytalkie This is an example of an extinct musical sub-genre, the operetta. You get a dashing hero, a hissable villan, and a damsel in distress in any typical example. THE DESERT SONG has all these, plus, what I feel is one of the loveliest of all operetta scores, in this case, composed by Sigmund Romberg. This is the third film by Warner Brothers of this show. A few details have been changed from the 1926 stage show, but that is not important. The story flows along with Kathryn Grayson and Gordon MacRae bursting into song in true operetta fashion. Allyn McLerie does an exotic dance, and there are some gorgeous settings and scenery. I saw this years ago on a vhs tape, and, the Technicolor was a bit washed out. It is stunning on the Warner Archive dvd, and the glorious voices of Grayson and MacRae are perfectly recorded. Indeed, this was one of the last operettas filmed in the early '50s. They're out of style, and, I suppose, laughable to more sophisticated audiences of today, but they and this one in particular possess a great deal of charm, not to mention talent. If you want to escape to another world, far far away from the problems of today, immerse yourself in the soothing melodies of THE DESERT SONG.

lewis-51 My wife and I are fond of a number of Rogers and Hammerstein musicals, especially South Pacific, so we thought we would give this one a try (Hammerstein is here, not Rogers). The Technicolor photography is striking, the desert scenes very good, the secondary characters are good, the lead actors are good, but in spite of that it is rather disappointing. The songs are really not that good. The plot is rather predictable. Kathyrn Grayson's singing reminds of that of Snow White in the classic Disney animated movie from the 1930s: too sweet, too many trills and "ah-ah-ah"s. Speaking of animation, the plot and feel of the movie remind me of a comic book. Another poster here wrote of the Silver Age of comics, and that this movie seems to fit right in. I see what he means (although the Silver Age was roughly 1955 - 1968). We have a "super hero" (Gordon MacRae) who wears a disguise and has an alter ego. With his glasses, he looks remarkably like Clark Kent. Grayson looks a lot like Lois Lane. There's even a near perfect replica of Jimmy Olson! (Dick Wesson). Too bad Perry White doesn't show up (but there is Ray Collins, soon to join the Perry Mason TV series).All in all, it has some good features but really seems too much like a B-western, in spite of the A- cast.-henry

didi-5 Following John Boles in 1929 and Dennis Morgan in 1943, Gordon MacRae gives this outdated hokum his best shot in the silly role of Paul Bonnard, sometimes a timid academic, sometimes an adventurer. He does get to sing some lovely songs though - it may be one of the most improbable musical plots, but 'The Desert Song' has one of the best scores of any musical.Kathryn Grayson is on hand with her trademark soprano trill as female lead, while Steve Cochran and Raymond Massey enjoy themselves in the supporting cast. And there's some fabulous Technicolor. Recommended for musical fans who like to suspend belief and for those who have a long-term devotion to the lyrics of Oscar Hammerstein II.

marik4me Though it seems many criticize this in comparison with the stage play, I have always been in love with this movie version. The characters are fun (especially Benjy), the music is heavenly (I could sing it all day!), and the plot is nonstop action. I look at the play and this movie almost as two different shows completely, since there are, admittedly, many differences. Here, Margot is the general's daughter (as opposed to his child being the Red Shadow/El Khobar). Pierre is now Paul. Captain Fontaine's first name is Claude. Benjamin Kidd's nickname is now Benjy instead of Bennie, and his secretary Susan is absent. And there's an evil sheik, making two different foes for the Riffs: The Legionaires and the sheik and his men. All in all, I find the movie quite satisfying.