Love in the Desert

Love in the Desert
Love in the Desert
	Lobby card
Directed by	George Melford
Written by	Randolph Bartlett; Paul Percy; Louis Sarecky; Harvey F. Thew;
Starring	Olive Borden; Hugh Trevor; Noah Beery;
Cinematography	Paul P. Perry
Edited by	Mildred Richter
Production; company	Film Booking Offices of America
Distributed by	Film Booking Offices of America
Release date	March 17, 1929;
Running time	7 Reels
Country	United States
Languages	Sound (Part-Talkie); English intertitles

Love in the Desert is a 1929 American sound part-talkie drama film directed by George Melford and starring Olive Borden, Hugh Trevor, and Noah Beery.^[1] In addition to sequences with audible dialogue or talking sequences, the film features a synchronized musical score and sound effects along with English intertitles. The soundtrack was recorded using the RCA Photophone sound-on-film system.^[2]

Plot

Cast

Olive Borden as Zarah
Hugh Trevor as Bob Winslow
Noah Beery as Abdullah
Frank Leigh as Harim
Pearl Varvalle as Fatima
William H. Tooker as Mr. Winslow
Ida Darling as Mrs. Winslow
Alan Roscoe as Houdish
Hilliard Karr as Briggs
Gordon Magee as Sears

Censorship

When Love in the Desert was released, many states and cities in the United States had censor boards that could require cuts or other eliminations before the film could be shown. The Kansas censor board ordered the reduction of the scene with a dancer, eliminating all close-ups where her navel is exhibited.^[3]

Preservation

Prints of Love in the Desert survive in Cineteca Del Friuli (Gemona) and Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée (Fort de Bois-d'Arcy).^[4]

References

^ Hsu-Ming Teo p. 2
^ The AFI Catalog of Feature Films: Love in the Desert
^ "Eliminations Ordered in 1928 by Kansas Censor Board with Woman Members". Variety. 94 (6). New York City: Variety, Inc.: 5 February 20, 1929. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
^ The Library of Congress / FIAF American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: Love in the Desert

Bibliography

Hsu-Ming Teo. Desert Passions: Orientalism and Romance Novels. University of Texas Press, 2012. ISBN 978-0-292-73938-3

External links

Love in the Desert at IMDb

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[1] Hsu-Ming Teo p. 2

[2] The AFI Catalog of Feature Films: Love in the Desert

[3] "Eliminations Ordered in 1928 by Kansas Censor Board with Woman Members". Variety. 94 (6). New York City: Variety, Inc.: 5 February 20, 1929. Retrieved May 7, 2025.

[4] The Library of Congress / FIAF American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: Love in the Desert

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