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{{hatnote|This article is about the film. Not to be confused with [[sand sea]]. For examples of sand seas, see [[Great Sand Sea]], [[Calanshio Sand Sea]] and [[Rebiana Sand Sea]]}}
{{for| the design element used in Japanese gardens|Adelaide Himeji Garden|Japanese rock garden}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Sea of Sand
| image = Sea_of_sand_movie_poster.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = British film poster
| director = [[Guy Green (filmmaker)|Guy Green]]
| producer = [[Robert S. Baker|Robert S Baker]] & [[Monty Berman]]
| writer = [[Robert Westerby]] (Original story Sean Fielding)
| narrator =
| starring = {{ubl|[[Michael Craig (actor)|Michael Craig]]|[[John Gregson]]|[[Richard Attenborough]]}}
| music = [[Clifton Parker]]
| cinematography = [[Wilkie Cooper]]
| editing = Gordon Pilkington
| studio = [[Tempean Films|A Tempean Film]]
| distributor = [[Rank Organisation]]
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|1958|11|07|UK}}
| runtime = 97 minutes
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| budget =
}}
'''''Sea of Sand''''' (released in the US as '''''Desert Patrol''''') is a 1958 British [[war film]] starring [[Richard Attenborough]], [[John Gregson]] and [[Michael Craig (actor)|Michael Craig]].<ref name=bfi>{{cite web|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6b549d2e|title=Sea of Sand (1958)|publisher=}}</ref> The film, which was directed by [[Guy Green (filmmaker)|Guy Green]], is about a patrol of the [[Long Range Desert Group]] (LRDG) during the [[North African Campaign]] in the [[Second World War]]. It was shot on location in the [[Kingdom of Libya]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q8SRjwJqwukC&q=desert+patrol+1958+libya+locations&pg=PA189|title=Historical Dictionary of British Cinema|first1=Alan|last1=Burton|first2=Steve|last2=Chibnall|date=11 July 2013|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=9780810880269|via=Google Books}}</ref>

==Plot==
On the eve of the [[Second Battle of El Alamein|Battle of El Alamein]], Captain Tim Cotton leads a patrol on a raid to destroy a German fuel dump located deep behind enemy lines. Captain Williams of the [[Royal Engineers]] is posted to Cotton's patrol to deal with a minefield surrounding a German petrol dump. As a regular soldier, Williams takes time to adjust to the non-regulation way the LRDG operates.
He finds a girl's torn up picture in Cotton's billet, who dismisses her as "old news". Later on Williams shows Cotton a picture of his son; Cotton says he has everything to live for.

The mission, which begins with five Chevrolet 30 cwt trucks, starts with a perilous journey through Axis-occupied Libya where the LRDG encounter [[Luftwaffe]] spotter planes and [[Africa Korps]] patrols. Six of their men are killed and two of their Chevrolets are destroyed by a German [[armored car (military)|armoured car]]. On reaching the German supply depot, Williams does his job and creates a path through the minefield with the help of Corporal Mathieson. The rest of the group destroys the stocks of petrol but Sergeant Hardy is killed in the escape. However hidden within the dump is a large number of German panzers. Unfortunately Cotton cannot report this to base because the radio is smashed in a German ambush, during which 'Blanco' White is wounded in the leg.

Knowing the importance of the information, the group knows they must return and report it to base while there is time for it to be acted upon. During their return journey they are relentlessly pursued by a German officer determined to stop them. When two [[half-tracks]] attack them Cotton is wounded in the arm and Sergeant Nesbitt is killed. Eventually - with just 40 miles to go to the Allied base - the last truck runs out of fuel. Blanco volunteers to stay behind and man a [[Vickers machine gun]], Brody offers to stay with his friend but Cotton says "Everyone who can goes on". While the others head towards base, Blanco sacrifices himself slowing up the last pursuing [[Sd.Kfz. 251|German halftrack]].

The group, with their water exhausted, sight another LRDG patrol on a truck. But before they can signal them, the chasing Germans are spotted. Williams grabs a [[Sten]] gun and leads the Germans away from his group. His actions allow the LRDG patrol to outflank and destroy the half-track; however, he is killed. Cotton laments that he had everything to live for.

The film concludes with Cotton reporting the tanks to his CO back at base. They also speak of Williams and the sacrifice he made for the group. The opening barrage of El Alamein starts.

==Cast==
{{div col}}
* [[Michael Craig (actor)|Michael Craig]] as Captain Tim Cotton
* [[John Gregson]] as Captain Bill Williams R.E.
* [[Richard Attenborough]] as Trooper Brody
* [[Percy Herbert (actor)|Percy Herbert]] as Corporal "Blanco" White
* [[Barry Foster (actor)|Barry Foster]] as Corporal Mathieson
* [[Vincent Ball]] as Sergeant Nesbitt
* [[Andrew Faulds]] as Sergeant Parker
* [[George Murcell]] as Corporal Simms
* [[Ray McAnally]] as Sergeant Hardy
* [[Harold Goodwin (English actor)|Harold Goodwin]] as Road Watch
* Tony Thawnton as Captain Tom
* [[Wolf Frees]] as German Sergeant
* [[George Mikell]] as German Officer
* [[Martin Benson (actor)|Martin Benson]] as German Half-track Officer (uncredited)
* [[Dermot Walsh]] as Commanding Officer (uncredited)
{{div col end}}

==Production ==
===Writing===
The [[screenplay]] of ''Sea of Sand'' was written by noted author and screenwriter [[Robert Westerby]]. The film's technical advisor was [[Bill Kennedy Shaw]], who served as the LRDG's intelligence officer during desert campaign in [[North African Campaign|North Africa]].<ref name=ww2movies>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ytrGBAAAQBAJ&q=desert+patrol+1958+Bill+Kennedy+Shaw&pg=PA146|title=World War II Goes to the Movies & Television Guide Volume II L-Z|first=Terry|last=Rowan|publisher=Lulu.com|isbn=9781105465437|via=Google Books}}</ref>

===Soundtrack===
The score was by [[Clifton Parker]] and was performed by the [[Sinfonia of London]] under the musical direction of [[Muir Mathieson]].<ref name=bfi/>

===Filming===
The film was shot in [[Tripolitania]] near to many sites that saw real action during the [[Western Desert Campaign|war in North Africa]].<ref name=ww2movies/> Michael Craig said "we drank far too much, slept far too little and misbehaved in every possible way."<ref>{{cite book|first=Michael|last=Craig|page=85|title=The Smallest Giant: An Actor's Life|publisher=Allen and Unwin|year=2022}}</ref>

Most of the European extras in the film were [[British Army]] personnel who were stationed in [[Libya]] because of the military alliance between [[Idris of Libya|King Idris of Libya]] and [[Western world|the West]] (this relationship ended following the [[Libyan coup d'etat (1969)|1969 coup d'etat]] by army officers led by [[Muammar Gaddafi]]). As such, most of the military props used in the film are derived from British or American equipment. For instance the Allied troops use contemporary Chevrolet 30 cwt WB trucks mounted with Vickers machine guns. But the use of [[Sten]] [[submachine gun]]s was incorrect (the real LRDG used either the [[Lee-Enfield|.303 SMLE]] or the [[Thompson submachine gun]] as [[small arms]]). Likewise [[M3 Half-track|American half-tracks]], fitted with British [[Bren]] guns, were employed to portray Africa Korps Sd.Kfz. 251s.

Craig was loaned out from Rank. He says although he thought it was a good film and a good part he felt the British film industry should be making more contemporary stories. This led to ''[[The Angry Silence]]''.<ref>{{cite book|first=Michael|last=Craig|pages=84–85|title=The Smallest Giant: An Actor's Life|publisher=Allen and Unwin|year=2022}}</ref>

==Reception==
The film was nominated for [[BAFTA]] awards for [[BAFTA Award for Best Film#1950s|Best Film and British Film]] and [[BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role#1950s|Best British Actor]] for Michael Craig.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://awards.bafta.org/award/1959/film|title=Film in 1959 - BAFTA Awards|website=awards.bafta.org}}</ref>

''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' praised the "excellent all-round acting and taut direction by Guy Green," and concluded, "Green and cameraman Wilkie Cooper splendidly capture the remote loneliness of the vast desert, the heat, the boredom and the sense of pending danger. The screenplay is predictable, but the dialog is reasonably natural and the various characters are well drawn."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/1957/film/reviews/sea-of-sand-1117794699/|title=Sea of Sand|author=Variety Staff|date=1 January 1958|publisher=}}</ref>

===Box Office===
''Kinematograph Weekly'' listed it as being "in the money" at the British box office in 1958.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Kinematograph Weekly|date=18 December 1958|first=Josh|last=Billings|page=7|title=Others in the Money}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb title|id=0051532|title=Sea of Sand}}

{{Guy Green}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sea Of Sand (Film)}}
[[Category:1958 films]]
[[Category:1958 war films]]
[[Category:British war films]]
[[Category:1950s English-language films]]
[[Category:North African campaign films]]
[[Category:Films set in Egypt]]
[[Category:Films set in deserts]]
[[Category:Films directed by Guy Green]]
[[Category:Films scored by Clifton Parker]]
[[Category:Films shot at Pinewood Studios]]
[[Category:Films shot in Libya]]
[[Category:1950s British films]]

Sea of Sand - Revision history

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