The Making of Lion of the Desert

---

In this power 20th century,

almost every nation

in the world has at some

time been in conflict,

the oppressors and the oppressed,

the victors and the vanquished

The people of war are tragic

indictment of our civilization.

A time, when much of

the world was looking

for ways to increase their

influence, power and riches.

Full of dreams for the restoration of

the glory that was Rome,...

in 1911 Italy joins

the hunt for territory.

Libya on the other side of the

Mediterranean sea is the target.

Landings were made at Tripoli,...

Benghazi, Zvora, Cert,

Derna and Tobruk.

The local population

fighting on many fronts,

made fierce and resolute

resistance to the

invaders, thus bringing

the war to a stale-mate.

1922 saw a dramatic change in Italy.

The beginning of Mussolini's

era of dictatorship.

The conflict in Libya escalated

as more and more fascists might

was thrown against the scithening

resistance of the local population.

Mussolini (The Duce):

"We will overrun the earth..."

"and then we will take the flag

of fascism to the throne."

Ready, charge!

More... More... I don't understand.

If we defeated the Bedouins,

why are we still hanging them?

Why do I have to ford troops

into a victory I have already won?

Oh, I wish my generals were right,

two different dispatches,

one telling themselves of their

glorious victories

and one telling me of their defeats.

Can't go on..

I will not let it go on!

Here...

This green, this subtle green..

That's your prize, the

rest is brown paper.

Just need someone bold

enough to roll it up.

Graziani.

Come with me.

20 years.

20 worthless years we

wasted on this war.

I sent 5 governors to

Libya in 5 years.

No...the military logic of fascism

will not be compromised!

It's wrong with Alway, Giada,

Bayonets, Bannu, Don.

What we are fighting in

reality is just tribesmen, ghosts.

I want their leader

brought here.

I want them brought to me and

I want the revolution crushed.

- What's his name?

- Omar Mukhtar

- Omar?

- Omar Mukhtar.

Omar Mukhtar.

You know general,

those colonists that we sent

over especially from the south,

they cost us leader

for leader almost

as if we put them up

at the grand hotel.

Now something must be wrong.

No...

I will not have a

handful of Bedouins...

stop the progress of

forty million Italians.

I'll give you Libya, General.

At least you have a name

that will frighten them.

May I say, my Duce, that

when I crush rebellions,

I do so with a clear

conscience ensouled.

What did Mukhtar do before

the rebellion?

He was a teacher.

- A teacher?

- Yes.

I was a teacher.

Be careful you don't end up

as the five who went before you,

taught by him.

Well, I'm a man who likes action...

Go to Libya!

General...

Bring me back Mukhtar!

Bribe him or break his neck!

In the name of God,

the compassionate, the merciful

It is the god of mercy who

has man known the Koran,

he created man and

told him speech.

He set to the sun and the

moon in their courses.

He raised the sky up and set

the balance of whole things.

Stop right there!

Why do you think we begin

every chapter of the Koran with

"God, the merciful", uh?

Because, one of the names

of God is mercy.

That's right, yes.

And how..

does God show his mercy?

He taught..

people how to speak.

How to speak..

that's right.. yes.

And then there was something

else in what we read,

Can anybody...

can you tell me what that was?

- It was...

- Here, let me give you a hint...

- It was the what?

- It was the balance.

That's right...

the balance.

And why did God

set that balance?

Boys! Why did God

set the balance?

Because.. without the balance

everything would fall.

Uhm... let me see

what you read.

Everything did

fall apart though.

What are you

waiting for?

Go on.

Take it to your father.

Peace be upon you.

Where's Siddik Omar?

Yes, Bu-Matani,

what is the news?

- A new governor...

- ...again, huh?

They always come in like lions

and go home like worn-out goats.

- Well, who is it this time?

- Graziani.

- The butcher of the Zion.

- Graziani...

It was only a question of time

before they let him loose on us.

It will mean a new offensive.

My father used to say:

"Blows that don't break your back,...

...strengthen it."

We will show Graziani some spine.

They tell me that Graziani

loves blood?

I don't like to believe those stories.

And yet I do.

- When is he expected?

- They decorate in Benghazi for him.

Signore, signori,

his excellency

General Graziani,

governor of Sirinika,

his royal highness,

Prince Amadeo, Duke of Aosta.

Gentlemen, thank you.

But the ladies are present,

we should be at our ease.

Let the dancing continue.

General.

Colonel Sarsani.

Signore Tomelli.

Diodiece! Here... in Benghazi?

The sun turns the rest of us

black in the desert,

but it seems to be

be turning you white.

I came to talk to him.

A drink first.

If Europe knew what we do here...

If even Italy knew...

But here in Libya we

photograph everything.

Whenever without a snap,

you know.

You mustn't tell me too much.

Even to tell you we are not abiding

by the Geneva convention?

Colonel, don't... please.

Colonel Diodiece, sir.

Ah, yes.

Diodiece...

I read reports on you.

They say that you could make friends

with a Bedouin with a hand-shake.

I'm not so sure that I

like that it implies that

the rest of us must strangle

them in order to make peace.

Sir, there are 5,000 displaced

Bedouins outside my force.

I have no food for them.

I've difficulty in controlling

them and I need...

What you need Colonel,

what you need...

is a little bit

more of that.

Who is that man?

Sharif El Gariani.

He's quite useful to us,

old friend of Omar Mukhtar.

- Useful you say?

- Yes.

Bring him here.

I think you will find

that you can rely on him.

General Graziani, may I present

his excellency, Sharif El Gariani.

I understand that you know

Omar Mukhtar.

I did.

What would it take to get

him to surrender?

I don't know. Even as a boy,

he was terribly stubborn.

But if I could be of help in any way,

I should be very willing to agree.

You'll find that we can

be terribly generous.

Lt. Genieri, urgent message sir.

Can't it wait? You see

you're disturbing my guests.

Excuse me gentlemen.

They say that Flaminius lost Trasimene

while sleeping on his dispatches.

What is this?

Another wasted maneuver?

How many dead Italians?

20 dead, 50 wounded sir.

And they let him go again.

Yes, sir.

- But, this time, he was seen.

- He was seen?

How do they know he was seen?

Nobody knows him.

How do they knew he was seen?

It was only for a moment sir.

But they are sure. It was Mukhtar.

I suppose I should decorate them

just for the bravery of seeing Mukhtar.

There could be.. There could be..

Could be anywhere..

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote