Lion of the Desert
“He was a man of honor in a war without any.”
Synopsis
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.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Lion of the Desert - TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2014-12-23
Top Cast
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Anthony Quinn
Omar al-Mukhtar
Oliver Reed
General Rodolfo Graziani
Irene Papas
Mabrouka
Raf Vallone
Colonel Diodiece
Rod Steiger
Benito Mussolini
John Gielgud
Sharif El Gariani
Andrew Keir
Salem
Gastone Moschin
Major Tomelli
Stefano Patrizi
Lieutenant Sandrini
Adolfo Lastretti
Colonel Sarsani
Sky du Mont
Prince Amadeo
Şahin Çelik
Prince Amadeo (voice)
Takis Emmanuel
Bu-Matari
Rodolfo Bigotti
Ismail
Robert Brown
Al Fadeel
Eleonora Stathopoulou
Ali's Mother
Luciano Bartoli
Captain Lontano
Claudio Gora
President of Court
Release History & Theatrical Window
Madrid
Festival / Special Debut
April 17, 1981
Wide Cinema Exhibition
July 2, 2012
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$35M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$1.5M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.04x
-$33.5M deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Moustapha Akkad
- Screenplay & Story
- David Butler, H.A.L. Craig
- Original Score
- Maurice Jarre
- Original Title
- Lion of the Desert
- Country of Origin
- Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, United States of America, United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- Arabic, English, Italian
- Runtime
- 2h 53m
- Production Budget
- $35M
- Worldwide Gross
- $1.5M
- Production Studios
- Falcon International Productions, Filmco International Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Moustapha Akkad
David Butler, H.A.L. Craig
Maurice Jarre
Jack Hildyard
John Shirley
Moustapha Akkad, Geoffrey Helman, Mohammad Sanousi
Department Leadership Roster
David Butler
Writer
Moustapha Akkad
Director
H.A.L. Craig
Writer
Maurice Jarre
Original Music Composer
Mario Garbuglia
Production Design
Glenn Randall Jr.
Stunt Coordinator
John Shirley
Editor
Moustapha Akkad
Producer
Jack Hildyard
Director of Photography
Syd Cain
Production Design
Piero Cicoletti
Costume Design
Hassan Ben Dardaf
Costume Design
Mohammad Sanousi
Producer
Orietta Nasalli Rocca
Costume Design
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG: Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Lion of the Desert.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Lion of the Desert.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Lion of the Desert
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Lion of the Desert about?
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.
Who directed Lion of the Desert?
Lion of the Desert was directed by Moustapha Akkad.
Who stars in Lion of the Desert?
The principal cast of Lion of the Desert includes Anthony Quinn, Oliver Reed, Irene Papas, Raf Vallone, Rod Steiger.
When was Lion of the Desert released and how long is it?
Lion of the Desert was released in 1981 with a total runtime of 2h 53m.
What was the box office and production budget of Lion of the Desert?
Lion of the Desert had a reported production budget of $35M and grossed $1.5M at the worldwide box office (0.04 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for Lion of the Desert?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Lion of the Desert was composed by Maurice Jarre.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Lion of the Desert?
Lion of the Desert holds official age classifications: DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: TP; US: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.).