Tonight's Movie: Sudan (1945) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

Tonight I watched SUDAN (1945), the third and final film in the Maria Montez and Jon Hall Collection from Kino Lorber.

I was sad to come to the final movie in the set, as I've so enjoyed this group of Universal Pictures fantasies, which also included the previously reviewed WHITE SAVAGE (1943) and GYPSY WILDCAT (1944).

In SUDAN Montez plays Queen Naila, who seeks to avenge her father's murder. She believes the murderer to be Herua (Turhan Bey), the daring leader of rebel slaves.

Naila leaves the palace incognito to seek Herua's whereabouts but is betrayed by her father's counsellor, Horadef (George Zucco), who seeks to rule himself.

Naila is captured by slave traders but manages to escape and is aided by Merab (Hall) and his friend Nebka (Andy Devine).

There are multiple captures and recaptures as Horadef chases Naila while she continues her quest to find Herua. Ironically Herua saves the lives of Naila and Merab, but they don't initially know his true identity. Further complicating matters: Merab loves Naila, but Naila falls for Herua before she realizes who he is. Will love or revenge win the day?

It was interesting to me that in this final Montez-Hall film, Montez's love interest is actually the dashing Bey, while Hall pines for her from afar. Perhaps that was a fitting transition as the three years of magical fantasies came to their end. The conclusion of the Montez-Hall cycle of films coincided with the end of World War II, after which perhaps their style of magical escapism was no longer quite so needed by audiences desperate for distraction.

SUDAN is a fast and fun 76 minutes, though I think I'll enjoy it a little more next time knowing going in that this is not a Hall-Montez romance. I was a bit puzzled by where the story was headed as the film went on, which was distracting. But I really like Turhan Bey (OUT OF THE BLUE), and it's nice to see him have a relatively rare opportunity as a leading man.

SUDAN was filmed in lovely Technicolor by George Robinson and Virgil Miller. As always, Montez looks gorgeous, gowned by Vera West.

Location work is said by IMDb to have been done in New Mexico, though it's pretty obvious stand-ins were used in desert long shots. I doubt the three leads left the Universal backlot.

This movie was directed by John Rawlins and written by Edmund L. Hartmann.

Kino Lorber's Blu-ray is from a brand-new 2K master. Like the other films in the set, it looks and sounds terrific.

Blu-ray extras consist of a commentary track by Philippa Berry and the trailer. The disc also has a gallery of trailers for additional Kino Lorber releases.

I highly recommend this three-film set, which has given me great pleasure.

I do have a copy of the only Montez-Hall film I haven't yet seen, COBRA WOMAN (1944), which I purchased in a past Kino Lorber sale, and I'll be reviewing that here before long.

Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray collection.

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