The Great Sahara Adventure!

Starring: John Wayne Sophia Loren, Rosano Brazzi, Kurt Kasznar, Sonia Moser, Angela Portaluri, Ibrahim El Hadish

DML Rating: ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆ - average

"What are we doin', out here in th' middle 'o' nowhere, lookin' fer nothin' in the wrong season!" - Joe January

Why watch this? America's toughest man matched with Italy's sexiest woman - searching for treasure.

Plot Summary: When Frenchman Paul Bonnard shows up in Timbuktu looking for a guide, he hires Joe January, a man that knows the Sahara desert well. Accompanying them, without invite, is Dita, a woman with a lurid past seeking a new start. The fiery lady despises Joe due to past encounters, so she latches onto Paul for his kind advice. Soon into the hot, sand-filled journey, it is revealed that Paul, using information from his father's old letters, is hunting the lost city of Ophir, a ruin where treasure has been hidden. Joe insists Paul is just chasing his father's dreams, yet Dita believes Paul.

Dad's Preview: Most of this survival story focuses on the three lead characters. Many critics mention a "lack of chemistry" between Wayne and Loren. Perhaps that is because the entire nature of their relationship is conflict. He doesn't respect her because she was a whore, and now she's using Paul to escape Timbuktu. This all changes by the end, and their chemistry plays out just fine. This film does move a little slow at times, yet then again, they are crossing a blazing wasteland, low on water, beaten down by the sun, and riding slow-plodding donkeys. Still, it's worth a watch... just try to stay hydrated.

Batjac Productions, Dear Film Productions; United Artists