While not perfect, The Desert Song has a lot to like about it. The story is very improbable and does drag in spots, and Steve Cochran is sadly underused to the point he was wasted although he does do his best. However, the cinematography is absolutely gorgeous, the sets are handsome and the costumes are colourful, if anything the production values are one of the film's strongest attributes. The Desert Song has a very pleasant and lively score and the songs are great, especially The Desert Song, One Alone and Gay Parisienne. The dialogue is snappily written without ever been corny and there are some very sweet moments without being saccharine, the conflict is also convincing. The dancing is deliciously exotic and choreographed in a way that doesn't interfere with the story or the pacing of it and the direction is not too flashy and never indifferent. Gordon McRae is immensely charming and shows that he is natural in comedy, his voice, one of the beautiful on film, is as ever splendid. It is the same with Kathryn Grayson, who brings personal charm and sass to her role, who is energetic in Gay Parisienne and really goes for it in One Alone that it is easy to feel the emotion. Raymond Massey is a perfect villain and for me he was the best and juiciest performance in the film. To conclude, The Desert Song is not quite glorious but it's well performed, handsomely made and makes for good entertainment. 8/10 Bethany Cox