“Jewel of the Sahara” is a droll short film based on an ancient dirty joke. Set in a French Foreign Legion Camp circa 1954, it follows the (mostly) mental adventures of a British Captain, desperately missing his home and wife. With opium stoking the fires of desire created by his wife’s lustful love letters and not quite understanding the ways of the Foreign Legion (can we blame him) a drastic misunderstanding leads the Captain to something, well, lets just say you’re not going to get the image out of your head anytime soon. The films classic historical drama pacing and set direction (with a touch of Monty Python in the supporting cast) adds to the hilarity.
This is a funny, funny film. Gerard Butler is great as the Captain and the director Ariel Vromen proves that it truly is, as they say, all in the delivery.
2001, Un-rated, 15min, Sumatra Films (10/9/2001)