Edgar Allan Pooh . . . as he schemes to lessen the "White Man's Burden" in Northern Africa. In this virtually humorless attempted spoof if the classic Pre-WWII British Empire epics, Mr. Raft's character has his "GUNGA DIN" stand-in shot dead for trying grab a cup of water. Stranger still, this flick's doomed "CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE" is undertaken by the natives against an impregnable Imperialist French fort. Adding insult to injury, Raft isn't content to merely dishonor the Muslim Hot Chick. When he's had his fill of her, he blows her up with land mines, and then machine guns what's left of her for good measure. OUTPOST IN MOROCCO recycles LIGHT BRIGADE's fort massacre and GUNGA DIN mountain pass ambush scenes. But if the one-time French tradition of exporting youthful petty criminals as a Foreign Legion were to be applied to America, everyone would be happier. The world's Trouble Spots would stay better pacified, and it would be safe for baseball fans here in Baltimore to watch Orioles home games INSIDE Camden Yards!

classicsoncall As I considered Marie Windsor's role in this picture, I had to wonder what kind of life a real emir's daughter would have in the middle of the desert. It seemed to me like it would be all kinds of boring, even with all that imported wealth to walk around in. Not very satisfying if you ask me. Which is why I guess, she would be smitten with French Captain Girard (George Raft) at the start of the picture. More so than in other films I've seen Raft in, his composure here is one of somber duty and reflection. It wouldn't have hurt to crack a smile every now and then, but that just wasn't to be.Upon completion of the story, I couldn't think of a single practical reason why it should have been made. The Emir of Bel-Rashad (Eduard Franz) resents the presence of the French Foreign Legion in his lands, and makes preparation to rid their headquarters from his territory. In another film, his daughter Cara (Windsor) might have been able to bring the opposing sides together, professing her undying love for the Captain. Not here. In a rather well staged final battle scene, the Arabs are defeated at the Tasket outpost, but not before Windsor's character and her father are decimated by explosive charges detonated by soldiers at the fort. Girard is momentarily conflicted.Raft and Windsor may have been the nominal stars here, but it's Akim Tamiroff who provides most of the animation as French Lieutenant Glysko. Suitably deferential to the Captain, he nevertheless has some good moments that might be described as lightly comedic. I would like to have seen more of Girard's orderly who started out in the picture, but then was never heard from again. I couldn't figure that one out either.Other reviewers have characterized Raft's portrayal here as wooden, and I would concur. Interestingly, Marie Windsor has the kind of look that would suit either a charmer or a villain. Either way, I enjoy it when she turns up in a film. For a look at Windsor's dark side, try her manipulative role as Elisha Cook Jr's wife in "The Killing", or on a lighter note, as the evil Madame Rontru in "Abbott and Costello Meet The Mummy".

MartinHafer This is an odd film from the onset due to the odd casting choices. First, having an older (and decidedly lazier) George Raft in the romantic lead seemed silly, though most of his manly roles at this point his his career seemed to think he was 10-15 years younger. Second, and this is the most serious, who would have thought that Marie Windsor could look like the Emir's daughter?! She looks about as North African as Zsa Zsa Gabor and sounded like a débutante! The film begins with Raft being asked to go on a special mission to escort the sultry Ms. Windsor to her father at his fortress. Why was Raft chosen? Well, according to the film he is some sort of super-stud ladies' man and the Commanding Officer wanted Raft to romance Windsor and get her "on our side"!! Really. I'm not making this up, folks! George Raft is a major stud in this film(!). Naturally, at first they don't get along but then later they are quite snuggly (a standard cliché in such films). When she discovers that her Daddy, the Emir, is a nasty jerk, she helps Raft. What a dame. Well, more like what an anachronistic dame--one who acts like no woman in her situation would have acted like.After the romantic stuff, the film becomes a movie about French Foreign Legion troops being besieged in the desert--like BEAU GESTE, ABBOTT AND COSTELLO IN THE FOREIGN LEGION, BEAU HUNKS and a dozen other films. NO surprises here and it looks almost like a slow motion and dull version of the standard "White man in the desert" film.

anthonyrwaldman Although "Outpost in Moroco" was made in 1949 it has more in common with adventure films that were made during the 1930's. I suppose along with "Morocco" "Beau Geste" and "under Two Flags" is makes up a quartet of American black and white French Foreign Legion films. "Outpost in Morocco" was actually filmed in Morocco with the co-operation of both the French government and the Legion. The story has the romance of the Legion with a love affair between a rebel Amir's daughter Cara, played by Marie Windsor and a french officer Captain Gerard played by George Raft. The are the desert campfire scenes, escapes over rooftops, an outpost on the frontier, desert marches and men struggling to survive through lack of water. The action sequences are very well produced and photographed. The story obviously does not take place in 1949 because there is nothing mechanized in this film. Also we get to see George Raft and Mari Wilson dance the tango in an early sophisticated cafe scene( it has a cirtain similarity to Rik's in Casablanca) - the film is probably set in the 1920's. Good fun. The film was serialised as a strip in a British comic called "Film Fun" after its release in Britain in 1950.