Tripoli (film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tripoli |
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Film poster
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| Directed by | Will Price |
| Produced by | William H. Pine William C. Thomas |
| Screenplay by | Winston Miller |
| Story by | Will Price Winston Miller |
| Starring | John Payne Maureen O'Hara Howard Da Silva Phillip Reed Grant Withers Lowell Gilmore Connie Gilchrist |
| Music by | Lucien Cailliet |
| Cinematography | James Wong Howe |
| Editing by | Howard A. Smith |
| Studio | Pine-Thomas Productions |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
| Release date(s) | November 9, 1950 |
| Running time | 95 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Money made | $1.6 million |
Tripoli is an exciting American adventure film from 1950. It was directed by Will Price and written by Winston Miller. The movie tells a made-up story about a real event: the Battle of Derna. This battle happened in April 1805 in Derna, a town on the coast of what is now eastern Libya. The fight was against Tripoli, one of the four Barbary states in North Africa.
The film stars famous actors like John Payne and Maureen O'Hara. It was first shown on November 9, 1950, by Paramount Pictures. Later, the movie was re-released with a new title: The First Marines.
Contents
What is the Story of Tripoli?
The Blockade and a Secret Mission
The story begins in 1805. The American ship USS Essex is part of a group of ships blocking the port of Tripoli. This was done by the small United States Navy Mediterranean squadron. Their goal was to stop pirates who were attacking American ships.
An American diplomat named William Eaton (Herbert Heyes) comes aboard the Essex. He wants to find a small team for a secret mission. Lt. Presley O'Bannon (John Payne) from the U.S. Marine Corps and Lt. Tripp (Lowell Gilmore) from the Navy volunteer. They plan to gather a force to capture Derna, an important coastal town.
Forming an Army and New Friendships
Hamet Karamanly (Phillip Reed) is a former ruler of Derna who was forced out by his brother. He agrees to provide men for the mission. In return, he wants to be made ruler again. Countess Sheila D’Areneau (Maureen O'Hara) is staying with Hamet. Everyone thinks she is his close companion, but she is trying to convince him to marry her.
O'Bannon gathers a diverse group of fighters. These include Greeks, Turks, and Arabs, along with his own Marines and some American soldiers and Navy midshipmen. O'Bannon and Countess D’Arneau meet and feel a strong connection. However, they both try to ignore their feelings.
Challenges in the Desert
Countess D’Arneau tries to make Hamet believe that the Americans will betray him. But O’Bannon manages to change Hamet's mind. Despite O’Bannon's wishes, D’Arneau joins the expedition. They start their journey from Alexandria, Egypt, crossing the North African deserts. O’Bannon makes her travel with the other camp followers.
The journey is tough. One of their water sources is poisoned. This forces the group to cross a large area of sand dunes quickly to reach the next waterhole before the poisoners. O’Bannon and the countess share a kiss. The group also has to survive a terrible sandstorm.
Betrayal and Victory
Hamet's brother offers him a deal: half the kingdom if Hamet gets rid of the Americans. The expedition reaches the coast twelve days late. The American navy squadron, led by Commodore Samuel Barron, has not arrived yet. There is almost a rebellion among the troops before the ships finally appear.
Hamet tells his brother the American plan to attack Derna. When the countess finds out about this, she quickly rides to warn O’Bannon. He then leads a surprise attack on the city and successfully captures it. After the victory, Lt. O’Bannon and the countess become a couple.
Who are the Main Actors?
- John Payne as Lt. Presley O'Bannon, a brave U.S. Marine.
- Maureen O'Hara as Countess Sheila D'Arneau.
- Howard Da Silva as Capt. Demetrios.
- Phillip Reed as Hamet Karamanly, the exiled ruler.
- Grant Withers as Sgt. Derek, a U.S. Marine.
- Lowell Gilmore as Lt. Tripp, from the U.S. Navy.
- Connie Gilchrist as Henriette.
- Herbert Heyes as American Consul William Eaton.
- Grandon Rhodes as Commodore Samuel Barron, a U.S. Navy leader.
How Was the Film Made?
Popular Historical Films
Around the time Tripoli was made, movies about the Barbary War were very popular. Other studios had also made similar films. For example, Universal made Slave Girl in 1947, and Columbia made Barbary Pirate in 1949.
Interestingly, John Payne and Maureen O'Hara had worked together before. They both appeared in the 1942 film To the Shores of Tripoli.
Getting the Film Started
The movie was first called The Barbarians. The story was created by Will Price and Winston Miller. Will Price, who directed the film, was also a former Marine. At the time, he was married to Maureen O'Hara.
The production company, Pine-Thomas, bought the story in 1949. Originally, Dennis O'Keefe was supposed to play the main male role of Presley O'Bannon. He had just finished another movie for Pine-Thomas called The Eagle and the Hawk. However, Maureen O'Hara agreed to play the female lead. In the end, John Payne took on the role of O'Bannon instead of O'Keefe.
Filming Details
The actual filming of Tripoli was quite quick. It only took 33 days to complete the movie.
