{{Short description|1949 film by Robert Florey}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox film | name = Outpost in Morocco | image = Otmorpos.jpg | alt = | caption = Original film poster | director = [[Robert Florey]] | screenplay = {{Plainlist| * [[Charles Grayson (writer)|Charles Grayson]] * Paul de Sainte Colombe }} | story = [[Joseph N. Ermolieff]] | producer = Joseph N. Ermolieff | starring = {{Plainlist| * [[George Raft]] * [[Marie Windsor]] * [[Akim Tamiroff]] }} | cinematography = [[Lucien Andriot]] | editing = George M. Arthur | music = [[Michel Michelet]] | studio = Moroccan Pictures | distributor = [[United Artists]] | released = {{film date|1949|3|24|New York City|1949|5|2|United States}} | runtime = 92 minutes | country = United States | language = English | budget = | gross = }}
'''''Outpost in Morocco''''' is a 1949 American [[action (fiction)|action]] [[adventure film]] directed by [[Robert Florey]], starring [[George Raft]] and [[Marie Windsor]]. Paul Gerard (Raft), a [[Spahi|Moroccan Spahi]] officer and his [[French Foreign Legion]] garrison, holds off attacks from the native tribes of the [[Emir]] of Bel-Rashad ([[Eduard Franz]]), the father of Cara (Windsor), the woman he loves.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmovie.com/work/outpost-in-morocco-36905|title = Outpost in Morocco (1949) - Robert Florey | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie}}</ref> As a rarity amongst American films of the Foreign Legion genre, the Legion cooperated with the producers. A [[second unit]] led by [[Robert Rossen]] filmed scenes in Morocco.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/21588/outpost-in-morocco#notes |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023034335/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/21588/Outpost-in-Morocco/notes.html |archive-date=2012-10-23 |title=Outpost in Morocco (1949) - Notes - TCM.com}}</ref> Some of the large-scale action scenes of the film were reused in ''[[Fort Algiers]]'' and ''[[Legion of the Doomed (film)|Legion of the Doomed]]''.
==Plot summary== [[File:Outpost in Morocco (1949).webm|thumb|The full film]] [[Spahi]] Captain Paul Gerard is assigned to lead a patrol to the city of Bel-Rashad en route to a French Foreign Legion fort. Gerard is to escort the Emir's daughter, Cara, who has been studying in France, to Bel-Rashad that is off limits to Frenchmen and investigate whether there may be anti-French activity in the city. On their ten-day journey Gerard and Cara fall in love. Leaving Cara at Bel-Rashad, Gerard reports to the Legion fort commanded by Commandant Fronval and his executive officer Lieutenant Glysko, a former [[Cossack]].
One night at the Legion outpost, a sentry is shot by a sniper with all agreeing the bullet did not come from a usual musket. Gerard infiltrates Bel-Rashad discovering the locals are being armed with modern Mauser rifles. Detected, Gerard grabs a rifle and fights his way out being hidden by Cara in her room until he makes his escape.
At the Legion fort it is agreed that Gerard must personally inform headquarters of these new developments. Leading a strong patrol back to the fort they discover that the fort has been destroyed with one wall being obliterated and all the Legionnaires are dead. Some of the Legionnaires, including Commandant Fronval, are found bound and executed. Gerard orders a raid of Bel-Rashad in retaliation led by Lt. Glysko to capture the Emir. The Emir is out rallying the tribes but Glysko brings back Cara as a hostage.
As the Legion has no cement, the wall is repaired with mud. The Emir lays siege to the fort, and diverts the river that leads to the fort's water supply with dynamite. Encouraged by his initial victory, the Emir hopes to unite all the tribes against the French. However, due to feelings of loyalty, gratitude or fear, none of the other tribes wish to attack the French. Faced with no water, Gerard plans a breakout and releases Cara. After Glysko prays to God, a rainstorm comes encouraging the garrison but destroying the mud built wall.
After the rain Gerard orders the approach route to the destroyed wall planted with landmines and covered by machine guns that he figures the Emir will use as his route of attack. At dawn the Emir leads his tribe to overrun the fort through the open wall. Cara tries to stop his attack. As Gerard sees her riding into the minefield to see her father, Gerard sadly orders the detonation of the mines and the [[crossfire]] to begin that wipes out the Emir, Cara and their tribe.
The film ends with tribal leaders ordering their warriors to lay down their rifles in front of Gerard and his officers, in acknowledgement that order has been restored in Bel-Rashad.
==Cast== * [[George Raft]] as Capt. Paul Gerard * [[Marie Windsor]] as Cara * [[Akim Tamiroff]] as Lt. Glysko * [[John Litel]] as Col. Pascal * [[Ernő Verebes]] as Bamboule – Gerard's spahi orderly * [[Eduard Franz]] as Emir of Bel-Rashad * Crane Whitley as Caid Osman * [[Damian O'Flynn]] as Commandant Louis Fronval * [[Michael Ansara]] as Rifle Dispenser (uncredited) * Ralph Brooks as Nightclub Patron (uncredited) * [[John Doucette]] as Card-playing soldier (uncredited) * James Nolan as Legionnaire Colonel Pascal's aide (uncredited) * [[Suzanne Ridgeway]] as Nightclub Patron (uncredited) * [[Ivan Triesault]] as Tribal Leader (uncredited)
==Production== ''Outpost in Morocco'' was originally meant to be made by [[RKO Pictures]] in 1939, based on a story by producer [[Joseph N. Ermolieff|Joseph Ermolieff]]. It was cancelled following the declaration of World War II, leading to Ermolieff suing RKO.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Trial of French Producer's Suit Against R.K.O. Begins: Breach of Contract Over Proposed Morocco Film Charged and Damages of $1,042,000 Demanded|date=Feb 12, 1941|work=Los Angeles Times|page=22}}</ref>
Ermolieff later succeeded in setting up the film with actor George Raft and producer Sam Bischoff, who had just created a company, Star Films, who had produced the film ''[[Intrigue (1947 film)|Intrigue]]''.<ref name="raft">{{Cite book|author=Everett Aaker|title=The Films of George Raft|publisher=McFarland & Company|date=2013|page=135}}</ref> ''Outpost in Morocco'' would be their second film. (The company intended to make ''Mississippi Gambler'' and a fourth film set in Panama.)<ref>{{Cite news|title=GEORGE RAFT SET FOR 2 NEW FILMS: He Will Appear in 'Mississippi Gambler' and Untitled Work After 'Morocco' Assignment|author=THOMAS F. BRADY|work=New York Times |date=Nov 6, 1947|page=35}}</ref> It was not a typical film for Raft.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Filmink|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/stars-stop-stars-george-raft/|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|title=Why Stars Stop Being Stars: George Raft|date=February 9, 2020}}</ref>
Ermolieff and Star films created the company, Moroccan Films, and obtained finance from Pathe Cinemas of France.<ref>https://archive.org/stream/variety169-1948–03#page/n134/mode/1up {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}</ref><ref name="new">{{Cite news|title=NOTES ON HOLLYWOOD TOPICS: Screen Actors Guild Seeks Television Agreement With Film Producers -- Anniversary Overlooked and Other Matters|author=J.D. SPIRO HOLLYWOOD.|date=Aug 22, 1948|work=New York Times|page=X3}}</ref>
The company got permission to actually film in Morocco using the real Foreign Legion.<ref>{{Cite news|title=RAFT WILL MAKE MOVIE IN MOROCCO: Bischoff Arranges for Star to Film Picture in Africa -- May Start on Oct. 15|date=July 16, 1947|work=New York Times|page=27}}</ref> Raft travelled to Morocco in December 1947 with second unit director [[Richard Rosson]], French-speaking cinematographer Lucien Androit, and French technicians.<ref>{{Cite news|title=George Raft Plans CYO Film -- Maugham, Actor|author=A.H. WEILER|date=Dec 7, 1947|work=New York Times|page=89}}</ref> They spent nearly five months filming battle scenes and chases in Morocco, chiefly around the base at [[Bal Achard]].<ref name="new"/> Raft returned from Morocco in March 1948 with 85,000 feet of film.<ref>{{Cite news|title=4 LINERS GIVE PORT ITS BUSIEST SUNDAY: Boy Stowaways, Whom Police Traced by Marked Paper, Among 4,251 Arrivals|date=Mar 15, 1948|work=New York Times|page=43}}</ref>
The filmmakers spent the next few months sifting through the footage, actually completing the shooting script (the Moroccan footage was filmed on the basis of a long treatment), and finding local locations that matched the Moroccan footage.<ref name="new"/> Interiors were shot later in the year at the [[Samuel Goldwyn Studio]] in Los Angeles.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Betsy Drake Wins Star Rating in 'Two Cities;' Wald, Mason Talk Deal|author=Scheuer, Philip K.|date=Aug 19, 1948|work=Los Angeles Times|page=21}}</ref> [[Marie Windsor]] was borrowed from Enterprise Films to play the female lead.<ref>{{Cite news|title=NEWS OF THE SCREEN: Rathvon Submits Resignation as Head of RKO -Will Stay With Firm a 'Reasonable Time'|author=THOMAS M. PRYOR|date=July 24, 1948|work=New York Times|page=8}}</ref>
==Reception== The film made a reasonable profit.<ref name="raft"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Production notes== Extras were provided by the French Foreign Legion at Fort Tinihir, made up of some 900 German legionnaires of the remnants of [[Rommel]]'s vaunted [[Afrikakorps]] in French uniform and the Moroccan [[Spahis]] Cavalry.
== External links == * {{IMDb title|0041724}} * {{TCMDb title|id=21588}} *[https://archive.org/details/OutpostInMorocco Full copy of movie] at [[Internet Archive]] *[https://archive.org/stream/variety173-1949-03#page/n193/mode/2up Review of film] at ''Variety'' {{Robert Florey}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Outpost In Morocco}} [[Category:1949 films]] [[Category:1949 adventure films]] [[Category:1940s action adventure films]] [[Category:1949 American films]] [[Category:1949 English-language films]] [[Category:American action adventure films]] [[Category:American black-and-white films]] [[Category:Films about the French Foreign Legion]] [[Category:Films directed by Robert Florey]] [[Category:Films scored by Michel Michelet]] [[Category:Films set in deserts]] [[Category:Films set in Morocco]] [[Category:Films shot in Los Angeles]] [[Category:Films shot in Morocco]] [[Category:United Artists films]] [[Category:English-language action adventure films]] [[Category:1949 action films]]