Five Graves to Cairo Overview:

Five Graves to Cairo (1943) was a War - Thriller/Suspense Film directed by Billy Wilder and produced by Charles Brackett.

SYNOPSIS

The Sahara heats up as Allied spies try to outwit "Desert Fox" Rommel in this political thriller ably helmed by WIlder. Tone takes refuge in an oasis hotel run by Tamiroff just after the Afrika Korps rumbles through. He assumes a dead hotel waiter's identity, who also happens to have been a spy for Rommel. The intelligent Wilder-Brackett screenplay keeps things bouncing along with intense suspense and a dash of humor.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

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Academy Awards 1943 --- Ceremony Number 16 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best Art DirectionArt Direction: Hans Dreier, Ernst Fegte; Interior Decoration: Bertram GrangerNominated
Best CinematographyJohn SeitzNominated
Best Film EditingDoane HarrisonNominated
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BlogHub Articles:

Five Graves to Cairo (1943) and The Desert Fox

By 4 Star Film Fan on Nov 10, 2020 From 4 Star Films

For modern audiences especially, the movie’s opening crawl gives us a bit of helpful context. It’s June, 1942.? Field Marshall Erwin Rommel’s Afrika Corps was pounding the Brits back toward Cairo and the Suez Canal. His notoriety as a tactician and “The Desert Fox” is a... Read full article


Five Graves to Cairo

By Amanda Garrett on Apr 22, 2017 From Old Hollywood Films

Today I'm reviewing the World War II thriller, Five Graves to Cairo (1943), starring Franchot Tone, Anne Baxter, and Erich von Stroheim. This article is part of The Franchot Tone Blogathon hosted by Finding Franchot. Old Hollywood leading man Franchot Tone had one of his best roles in the World... Read full article


Five Graves to Cairo (1943)

By Beatrice on Sep 19, 2014 From Flickers in Time

Five Graves to Cairo Directed by Billy Wilder Written by Billy Wilder and Charles?Brackett based on the Lajos Bir? play Hotel Imperial 1943/USA Paramount Pictures Repeat viewing/TCM DVD Billy Wilder’s second directorial effort has little of his characteristic humor or cynicism. ?It is, ho... Read full article


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Quotes from

[Sebastiano, an Italian general, has just learned that he has been assigned to a hotel room with no running water by the condescending German officers]
Gen. Sebastiano: Another kick in the face! They let us die, but they don't let us wash! Well, what did we expect? As we say in Milano, "When you lie down with dogs, you wake up with fleas!"
Cpl. John J. Bramble: That's right, sir.
[Sebastiano looks at Bramble, nervously]
Gen. Sebastiano: [cautioning him] You haven't heard anything...
Cpl. John J. Bramble: Of course not, sir. From so far away, how can I hear what they say in Milano?
Gen. Sebastiano: [smiles] Good!


Field Marshal Rommel: [to the officers seated at the breakfast table] Rice pudding in Egypt - you never know if it's raisins - or flies!


Cpl. John J. Bramble: [to Farid] You're talking through your fez!


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Facts about

Actress Simone Simon tested for the part of Mouche which ended up being played by Anne Baxter.
Much public interest was generated when it was announced that Erich von Stroheim would be playing Nazi German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel in this picture.
This movie utilized actual World War II combat footage from the Battle of El Alamein.
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Also directed by Billy Wilder




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