Dark Sands: Watching Paul Robeson wander the desert

Is this worth your time?

If you have a soft spot for 1930s adventure films and want to see Paul Robeson command a screen, sure. But if you need a tight script or a story that makes sense all the way to the end, maybe skip it. It feels like someone took a bunch of desert footage and tried to staple a plot onto it while running out of glue.

The whole thing starts with a firing squad. That part is actually pretty tense. Then, suddenly, we’re in Arabia and the movie just sort of forgets to keep the momentum going. It becomes this long, meandering walk through sand dunes. So much sand.

Robeson is the only thing keeping the lights on

Honestly, you could watch this on mute and still know exactly what’s happening because he’s doing so much with his face. There's a scene near a tent where he just looks at a cup of tea for ten seconds too long. I don't know if the director told him to do that or if he was just waiting for the craft services table to open, but it worked.

The supporting cast is… well, they’re there. John Laurie pops up, and it’s always nice to see him, but he doesn't have much to do other than look vaguely concerned in the background. It feels a bit like watching Exit Caesar where you’re mostly waiting for the one good scene to happen so you can go get a snack.

There are moments where the film looks like it’s going to turn into a real thriller. Then, it just settles back into being a travel guide. It’s a strange shift. One minute there’s a threat to his life, the next we’re watching a sunset for an eternity.

• The sand gets everywhere, even on the camera lens.
• The dialogue is mostly just people shouting over the wind.
• I think I saw a guy wearing a watch in a scene where he definitely shouldn't have been.
• The music is loud. Like, surprisingly loud.

Comparing this to something like Rose of the Desert feels unfair, but this definitely lacks that specific kind of focus. It feels less like a movie and more like a collection of ideas that were filmed on a Tuesday. It’s not boring, exactly, but it’s not really going anywhere fast. Sometimes that’s fine. Other times, you just want the guy to get out of the desert already.

If you're a fan of old-school cinema, you’ll probably find something to enjoy. If not, it might feel like a very long, very dry walk. 🌵