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Lion of the Desert

Lion of the Desert

History · War · Drama · 1981

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.

Movie details

Lion of the Desert

“He was a man of honor in a war without any.”

1981 History · War · Drama 2h 53m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.3 / 10

Community rating

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.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Lion of the Desert?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Moustapha Akkad

Written by

David Butler · H.A.L. Craig

Anthony Quinn

Anthony Quinn

Omar al-Mukhtar

Oliver Reed

Oliver Reed

General Rodolfo Graziani

Irene Papas

Irene Papas

Mabrouka

Raf Vallone

Raf Vallone

Colonel Diodiece

Rod Steiger

Rod Steiger

Benito Mussolini

John Gielgud

John Gielgud

Sharif El Gariani

Andrew Keir

Andrew Keir

Salem

Court is in session

Put Lion of the Desert on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.