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Desert Fury

Play trailer Poster for Desert Fury 1947 1h 35m Western Play Trailer Watchlist
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70% Tomatometer 10 Reviews 60% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
An Old West gambler (John Hodiak) falls in love with the proper daughter (Lizabeth Scott) of a gambling-house madam.

Critics Reviews

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James Agee TIME Magazine 03/02/2018
If you could be sure that it was meant to be funny, you could relax and enjoy it thoroughly. Go to Full Review
Margaret Barton-Fumo Film Comment Magazine 09/15/2014
As a self-described "front row performer," Cave is at home in this unusual film, backstroking in the ornate aquarium that Forsythe and Pollard have constructed for him. Go to Full Review
Thomas M. Pryor New York Times 11/27/2012
1.5/5
A beaut of a Technicolored mistake from beginning to end. Go to Full Review
David Nusair Reel Film Reviews Jan 18
2.5/4
...the picture improves considerably once it progresses into its gleefully lurid and over-the-top third act... Go to Full Review
Peter Martin EverythingButHorror.com 08/31/2022
I loved this film, which isn't afraid to play to its pulpy roots. Go to Full Review
Jack Moffitt Esquire Magazine 10/21/2020
It's as modern as the casino at Las Vegas and as rugged as the Battle of the Little Big Horn. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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acsdoug D @acsdoug 09/21/2023 I stayed with this snoozer in the hope there would be a worthy payoff in the end. There wasn't. See more Steve D 06/04/2023 Ok but it feels like you already saw it. See more 12/26/2019 A small-town Nevada casino owner (Mary Astor) attempts to control the life of her daughter (Lizabeth Scott), including arranging a marriage to the upright sheriff's deputy (Burt Lancaster), but the daughter falls for a shady racketeer (John Hodiak), hiding out with his "longtime companion" (Wendell Corey). Over-the-top mixture of film noir and Technicolor melodrama is a bit silly at times -- I can't recall a film where so many people get slapped -- but it has energy to spare and the subtextual homoeroticism is so strong it's practically text! See more 06/22/2015 the only Technicolor 'film noir' I've ever seen. See more 12/31/2014 Film Noir and Technicolor have never really mixed well, so in the few of them made, the plot has needed to be extra colorful in order to make it work. For Paramount's "Desert Fury", the color isn't a metaphor for the lives of the characters here, but definitely a contrast to it--Burt Lancaster and luscious Lizabeth Scott headline a stellar cast in this twisted romance/thriller.. Freighted Technicolor noir is one of a kind -- a real lulu...!! See more 08/03/2014 Richly color saturated noir that Mary Astor walks off with even though she's a supporting character. You can tell this was made early in Lancaster's career considering his part is so small. Lizabeth's car is drool worthy. Solid drama. See more Read all reviews
Desert Fury

My Rating

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Movie Info

Synopsis An Old West gambler (John Hodiak) falls in love with the proper daughter (Lizabeth Scott) of a gambling-house madam.
Director
Lewis Allen
Producer
Hal B. Wallis
Screenwriter
Robert Rossen
Production Co
Paramount
Genre
Western
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 23, 1947, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 20, 2019
Runtime
1h 35m