Alas, this - the very first widescreen French feature film - is impossible to see in its intended aspect ratio. Heck, you can't even find it in its original language - all that seems to be available is a print prepared for television syndication in the United States. That means more than 30 minutes have been cut from this epic adventure picture, and that the surviving print is dubbed, badly faded, and in pan and scan. Nonetheless, there's enough tantalizing material in Conqueror of the Desert (as it was retitled for the small screen) to suggest the film is worthy of restoration. It's probably no lost Lawrence of Arabia, but it's probably a cut above your average sword and sandal bill filler.
Review of Fortune carrée
