Desert Victory

1h

War

Documentary

A featureless land fit only for war, as the narrator, J. L. Hodson stated in the early scenes: "If war was to be fought then let it begin here". In endless miles of rock-strewn scrub desert, where civilians hardly existed. Desert Victory tells the story of the Allied campaign to drive Germany and Italy from North Africa is analysed, with the major portion of the film examining the battles at El Alamein, including some re-enactment. Won "Best Documentary Feature" at the 16th Academy Awards in 1944.

Production Companies

The Army Film & Photographic Unit

Royal Air Force Film Production Unit

British Army Film Unit

Army Film Unit

Cast

Harold Alexander

Harold Alexander

Self (archive footage)
Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill

Self (archive footage)
Adolf Hitler

Adolf Hitler

Self (archive footage)
Bernard L. Montgomery

Bernard L. Montgomery

Self (archive footage)
Erwin Rommel

Erwin Rommel

Self (archive footage)
Claude Auchinleck

Claude Auchinleck

Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Alan Brooke

Alan Brooke

Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Alan Cunningham

Alan Cunningham

Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Joseph Goebbels

Joseph Goebbels

Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Henry Harwood

Henry Harwood

Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
J.L. Hodson

J.L. Hodson

Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Arthur Tedder

Arthur Tedder

Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Wilhelm von Thoma

Wilhelm von Thoma

Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Release date

12th Apr 1943

Status

Released

Spoken languages

English