Lion of the Desert
A historic account of Omar Mukhtar, an Arab Muslim rebel who waged a 20-year guerilla war against Mussolini and the Italian conquest of Libya in World War I. The film exposes the savage means by which the conquering army attempted to subdue the natives.
Despite their bravery, the Libyan Arabs suffered devastating losses as their primitive weapons were no match for evolved warfare. Through it all, they kept up their courage and continued to fight, keeping the Italians from achieving complete victory for 20 years.
Director: Moustapha Akkad
Writer: H.A.L. Craig, Paul Thompson, David Butler
Producer: Moustapha Akkad, June Bordcosh, Roy Stevens, Nahila May Al-Jabri, Geoffrey Helman
Starring: Anthony Quinn, Oliver Reed, Irene Papas, Raf Vallone, Rod Steiger, John Gielgud, Andrew Keir, Gastone Moschin, Stefano Patrizi, Adolfo Lastretti, Sky du Mont
Rated: R
Runtime: 173 Minutes
Released: 1981
Available Formats: VHS, DVD
Distributed by: Anchor Bay Entertainment
