BY TIM MCGLYNN
Every
so often I come across a movie from years ago that I simply overlooked or
didn’t have the opportunity to see. After viewing the Kino-Lorber Blu-ray release of Caravans, I have to say
I’m rather sorry I missed this one.
Caravans,
directed by James Fargo, had a brief release from Universal in 1978, after
which it disappeared with only an ABC-TV airing and sporadic appearances on
cable to mark its existence. The trailer
promises that Caravans is the greatest desert adventure since Lawrence of
Arabia, which clearly it is not. However, there is much to enjoy with this new video release.
The
year is 1948 and American diplomat Mark Miller (Michael Sarrazin) is sent to
the fictional Middle Eastern country of Zakharstan to search for Ellen
Jasper(Jennifer O’ Neill), the daughter of a U.S. senator. Ellen has left her husband, Colonel Nazrullah
(Behrouz Vossughi), and joined a nomadic tribe led by Zulffiqar (Anthony
Quinn). After a difficult search Miller
learns that Ellen has no intention of returning to the states or her polygamist
husband. Miller decides to travel with
Zulffiqar’s caravan in an effort to persuade Ellen to change her mind and
return to her parents.
Ellen
and Mark develop a friendship that doesn’t quite cross the line to romance, and
Zulffiqar begins to respect the young agent as he becomes an asset to the tribe
during their travels. An inevitable
confrontation is on the horizon as the vengeful Nazrullah will stop at nothing
to retrieve his wife, whom he considers a possession.
Sarrazin
(The Reincarnation of Peter Proud, They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?) as the
impossibly handsome Mark Miller has a strong moral center and reacts badly to
some of the more brutal traditions he observes during his travels with the
tribe. Jennifer O’ Neill (Scanners,
Summer of ‘42) is absolutely beautiful even in the harsh desert climate,
although her portrayal of Ellen is somewhat stiff, a criticism that has
followed her in most of her films.
Anthony
Quinn delivers another exceptional performance as the somewhat understated
tribal leader Zulffiqar. You may be
reminded of Quinn’s role in Lawrence of Arabia as he is in some regards the
same character, leading his people in their nomadic lifestyle and worrying about
his ability to provide for them. Two
years later Quinn would play the real life leader Omar Mukthar in Lion of the
Desert.
Many
fine actors and technicians participated in this multinational production
including Christopher Lee, Jeremy Kemp, Joseph Cotten and Barry Sullivan. While it is fantastic to have a cast of this
magnitude, their parts are all basically cameo appearances. Benrouz Vossughi, who plays the villainous
Nazrullah, is one of the top actors working in Middle Eastern films. The producers wisely utilized many cast
members and crew from Iran, where filming took place in 1977, just ahead of the
seizure of the American embassy in Tehran. An interesting bit of casting was having Duncan Quinn, son of Anthony,
play the son of Zulffiqar. The
resemblance and similar voices of the two men are unmistakable. A screen credit is given to the actual
Qashqai tribe who portrayed the members of the caravan.
Director
James Fargo is best known for his work on the Clint Eastwood films The Enforcer
and Every Which Way But Loose as well as the Chuck Norris action hit Forced
Vengeance. The script is by Nancy Voyles Crawford, Thomas Mahon and Lorraine
Williams and is based upon the epic novel by James Michener. The film represents a bare bones treatment of
Michener’s work and, needless to say, he was not pleased with the result. Michener’s novels were of a length that
better suited adaptations for television miniseries such as Centennial.
Aside
from a few negative aspects, this film would play nicely on a rainy Saturday
afternoon. Douglas Slocombe’s Panavision
photography is magnificent, as you would expect from the cinematographer of the
first three Indiana Jones installments as well as The Lion in Winter and Never
Say Never Again. Filmed entirely on location
in Iran, the sweeping panoramas of the surprisingly beautiful landscapes look
tremendous on a large screen. I viewed
this Blu-ray on my outdoor video screen and was very impressed with the look of
the movie.
The
costume design by Renie Conley is fabulous as there is much color and sparkle
among the members of the caravan tribe. This is a welcome change from the usual browns and grays we see in
movies set in this part of the world. Conley was rewarded with an Oscar nomination for her work on Caravans.
In
general, it is refreshing to see landscape and villages that are attractive to
the eye and demonstrate that the Middle East is not entirely made up of
lifeless deserts. Efforts were made to keep this film from looking like a
stereotyped, backward rendition of the region. Shooting took place in Iran with the permission of the Shah shortly
before the revolution, and it is reported that much of the $14 million production cost came directly from the Iranian
government.
Another
enjoyable aspect of Caravans is the music score by Mike Batt, a journeyman
arranger and composer who has contributed to the original scores for Just Like
Heaven, Phantom of the Opera and The Big Short. His main theme for Caravans is a jaunty melody that appears in various forms
throughout the film and stays with the viewer. It was a bit much, however, to have a ‘70s pop style ballad by Barbara
Dickson played over a montage of caravan life and the interaction between Mark
and Ellen.
Caravans
is a handsome film that is entertaining to watch as long as one does not expect
a deep, meaningful historical epic. The
Blu-ray from Kino-Lorber features a polished transfer that does the beautiful
photography justice. No visible flecks
or scratches were visible. The stereo
surround sound is mostly clear with good separation, although some of the minor
characters’ voices were a little hard to hear. It appears that nearly all of the dialogue was looped.
Extras
include trailers for this and other related titles. It is always a pleasure to see that companies
like Kino-Lorber are willing to release the more obscure titles on Blu-ray and
DVD. If you are a fan of John Milius’
The Wind and the Lion, you will most likely enjoy Caravans. It is a flawed, but
enjoyable movie that is worth your effort to discover.
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