Movie

Lion of the Desert

1981 · 173 min

A sweeping, somber historical epic that immerses you in a harsh desert war, balancing large-scale battles with quiet moments of conviction and sacrifice.

Tagline: He was a man of honor in a war without any.
Overview: 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.

Stream in the UK

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How it feels

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Tone: earneststrength 3 of 3
bleakstrength 2 of 3
tensestrength 2 of 3
melancholicstrength 2 of 3
Pacing: measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention: engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes: colonialism
war
survival
justice
faith
Places: wilderness
countryside
military
Era: period
Audience: adult
Form: true story
serialised
Content intensity: Gore mild
Language mild
Violence strong
Sex none

All scales, 0 to 10

Scales, 0 to 10
Scale	Value	0 to 10
Action	6
Horror	2
Humour	1
Realism	8
Romance	0
Tension	6
Darkness	7
Complexity	5
Emotional weight	8

Titles like Lion of the Desert

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Where to watch in the UK

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Rent or buy

Amazon Video
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Details

Genres: history, war, drama
Directed by: Moustapha Akkad
Written by: David Butler, H.A.L. Craig
Starring: Anthony Quinn, Oliver Reed, Irene Papas, Raf Vallone, Rod Steiger, John Gielgud, Andrew Keir, Gastone Moschin
Music: Maurice Jarre
Cinematography: Jack Hildyard
Runtime: 173 min
Country: Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, United States of America, United Kingdom
Languages: Arabic, English, Italian

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Lion of the Desert

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