.1 Black-and-white photographic scene still with a white margin on all four sides. The photograph depicts a woman with dark, curly hair wearing light-colored trousers and a dark jacket. She is standing with one foot on top of a sand dune while looking off into the distance. She is resting a rifle on her thigh, and wearing a bandolier full of cartridges over one shoulder. In the background is a sky full of wispy clouds. A white number is printed in the bottom left corner of the image, and copyright information is printed in black in the bottom margin. On the back, there is a number handwritten in pencil in the top right corner, and a caption handwritten near the bottom. The corners of the photograph are lightly stained. Depicted: Märta Torén as Sabra .2 Black-and-white photographic scene still with a white margin on all four sides. The photograph depicts a woman with dark, curly hair wearing a dark jacket with a bandolier full of cartridges over one shoulder. She is leaning over the top of a sand dune, in three-quarter left profile, looking off into the distance. She is holding a rifle in her hands, resting one arm on top of the dune. In the background is a sky full of wispy clouds. A white number is printed in the bottom right corner of the image, and copyright information and a circular company logo is printed in black in the bottom margin. On the back, there is an indiscernible handwritten ink marking in the top right corner, and a caption handwritten in the center. Depicted: Märta Torén as Sabra .3a Black-and-white photographic scene still with a white margin on all four sides. The photograph depicts three men and a woman on top of a sand dune, with a sky of wispy clouds in the background. On the left, a man is laying on his stomach, propped up on his forearms, and pointing a pistol into the distance. Next to him, another man is standing hunched over, and holding up a pistol. The third man is kneeling on the sand, slightly in front of the others, and aiming a submachine gun into the distance. On the right, a woman with dark, curly hair is holding up a rifle and has a bandolier full of cartridges over one shoulder. A white number is printed in the bottom right corner of the image, and copyright information is printed in black in the bottom margin. Along the top edge, two holes have been punched near the corners, likely for use in a two-ring binder. The corners are discolored, and there are light brown, adhesive stains where a text label (b) was adhered. Depicted: Jeff Chandler as Asvan Kurta, Dana Andrews as Captain Mike Dillon, Stephen McNally as David Vogel, Märta Torén as Sabra .3b Typewritten press release text printed in black ink on a rectangular piece of cream-colored paper. The edges are unevenly cut and there are light brown, adhesive stains on the back. .4 Black-and-white photographic scene still with a white margin on all four sides. The photograph depicts three men and a woman standing in front of an open truck trailer, looking up at the sky. The tallest man is on the left of the photograph, with his body facing the other three on the right and his head turned and looking over his shoulder. The other three are standing in three-quarter, left profile and looking upwards. In the background is a desert landscape with hills and brush vegetation. A white number is printed in the bottom right corner of the image, and copyright information is printed in black in the bottom margin. Along the top edge, two holes have been punched near the corners, likely for use in a two-ring binder. Adhered to the back of the photograph is a typewritten press release printed in black ink on a rectangular piece of unevenly cut, cream-colored paper. There is a small hole on the left side of the press release. The edges of the paper are discolored, and the adhesive has discolored the press release. Depicted: Jeff Chandler as Asvan Kurta, Dana Andrews as Captain Mike Dillon, Stephen McNally as David Vogel, Märta Torén as Sabra .5 Black-and-white photographic scene still with a white margin on all four sides. The photograph depicts two men pulling a third man up off the ground. The man in the center has his hands in the sand and a grimace on his face, and the other two have one hand each under his arms. The men are brightly lit, but the background behind them is dark. A white number is printed in the bottom right corner of the image, and copyright information is printed in black in the bottom margin. Along the top edge, two holes have been punched near the corners, likely for use in a two-ring binder. Adhered to the back of the photograph is a typewritten press release printed in black ink on a rectangular piece of unevenly cut, cream-colored paper. The edges of the paper are discolored, and the adhesive has discolored the press release. Depicted: Stephen McNally as David Vogel, Jeff Chandler as Asvan Kurta, Dana Andrews as Captain Mike Dillon .6 Black-and-white photographic scene still with a white margin on all four sides. The photograph depicts a man with his hands clenched into fists, stepping forward on top of a sand dune. He is wearing a captain’s hat, dark jacket, and light-colored pants. In the background is the sky with wispy clouds. A white number is printed in the bottom left corner of the image. Along the left edge, two holes have been punched near the corners, likely for use in a two-ring binder. Adhered to the back of the photograph is a typewritten press release printed in black ink on a rectangular piece of unevenly cut, cream-colored paper. The edges of the paper are discolored, and the adhesive has heavily discolored the press release. Depicted: Dana Andrews as Captain Mike Dillon .7 Black-and-white photographic scene still with a white margin on all four sides. The photograph depicts a man in a captain’s hat and jacket in three-quarter, left profile, leaning over the top of a sand dune, and looking off into the distance. In the background is a dark sky. A white number is printed in the bottom right corner of the image, and copyright information is printed in black in the bottom margin. Along the top edge, two holes have been punched near the corners, likely for use in a two-ring binder. Adhered to the back of the photograph is a typewritten press release printed in black ink on a rectangular piece of unevenly cut, cream-colored paper. The edges of the paper are discolored, and the adhesive has discolored the press release. Depicted: Dana Andrews as Captain Mike Dillon .8 Black-and-white photographic scene still with a white margin on all four sides. The photograph depicts a night scene at a prison camp. Extending across the ground is a tall, wire fence that is topped with razor wire. The center panel of the fence is cut out, and several men wearing coats are running through it while a bearded man with a rifle stands guard on the right side of the image. A white number is printed in the bottom right corner of the image, and copyright information is printed in black in the bottom margin. Along the top edge, two holes have been punched near the corners, likely for use in a two-ring binder. Adhered to the back of the photograph is a typewritten press release printed in black ink on a rectangular piece of unevenly cut, cream-colored paper. The edges of the paper are discolored, and the adhesive has discolored the press release. Depicted: Stephen McNally as David Vogel, Liam Redmond as Jerry McCarthy, others unidentified .9 Black-and-white photographic scene still with a white margin on all four sides. The photograph depicts a man standing in three-quarter, left profile on top of a sand dune. His legs are spread in a wide stance, and is holding a rifle, which he is pointing off into the distance. A sky with wispy clouds is in the background. A white number is printed in the bottom left corner of the image, and copyright information is printed in black in the bottom margin. Along the left edge, two holes have been punched near the corners, likely for use in a two-ring binder. Adhered to the back of the photograph is a typewritten press release printed in black ink on a rectangular piece of unevenly cut, cream-colored paper. The edges of the paper are discolored, and the adhesive has heavily discolored the press release. Depicted: Stephen McNally as David Vogel .10 Black-and-white photographic scene still with a white margin on all four sides. The photograph depicts a man in a captain’s hat and jacket kneeling on a wooden floor, surrounded by communications equipment. He is holding a headset to one ear with his left hand, while resting his right arm on a counter and turning a knob with his fingers. A white number is printed in the bottom left corner of the image, and copyright information is printed in black in the bottom margin. Along the top edge, two holes have been punched near the corners, likely for use in a two-ring binder. The edges of the paper are discolored. Depicted: Dana Andrews as Captain Mike Dillon .11 Black-and-white photographic scene still with a white margin on all four sides. The photograph depicts three men and a woman on top of a sand dune, with a sky of wispy clouds in the background. On the left, a man is lying on his stomach face down in the sand with his arms out in front of him, and a pistol under one hand. Next to him, another man wearing a dark captain’s hat and jacket is standing, leaning slightly forward. The third man is kneeling on the sand, aiming a rifle into the distance. On the right, a woman with dark, curly hair is also kneeling, holding up a rifle and has a bandolier full of cartridges over one shoulder. A white number is printed in the bottom right corner of the image, and copyright information is printed in black in the bottom margin. The edges of the paper are discolored, and there is a crease across the upper left corner. Depicted: Jeff Chandler as Asvan Kurta, Dana Andrews as Captain Mike Dillon, Stephen McNally as David Vogel, Märta Torén as Sabra .12 Black-and-white photographic scene still with a white margin on all four sides. The photograph depicts a large rowboat with lettering on the prow, pulled part way onto a beach with waves crashing around it. A group of six men in hats and coats are standing in the boat with tall lights and camera equipment. In the background, another line of waves is rolling in, and there are puffy white clouds in the sky near the horizon. A white number is printed in the bottom right corner of the image, and copyright information is printed in black in the bottom margin. A section of the paper is heavily worn through in the top right area of the image, and the text from a press release on the back is partially visible. The typewritten release is adhered to the back of the photograph, printed in black ink on a rectangular piece of cream-colored paper. The edges of the press release are unevenly cut. The edges of the paper are discolored, and there are several creased areas throughout the image. Depicted: Unidentified .1 back, top right corner, handwritten, pencil : 6 .1 back, bottom, handwritten, pencil : SWORD IN THE DESERT / MARTA TOREN .2 back, center, handwritten, black ink : MARTA TOREN / Died @ 31 .4 back, center, printed on press release, black ink : 1601-50 SWORD IN THE DESERT UNIVERSAL INTERNATIONAL / Kurta (JEFF CHANDLER), Dillon (DANA ANDREWS), Vogel (STEPHEN McNALLY) / and Sabra (MARTA TOREN) watch spotter plane. .5 back, center, printed on press release, black ink : 1601-81 SWORD IN THE DESERT UNIVERSAL INTERNATIONAL / Scene from Universal-International’s exciting production with a back- / ground of fighting in Palestine, “Sword in the Desert,” showing the / Underground leader Kurta (JEFF CHANDLER) being picked up by the American, / Captain Dillon (DANA ANDREWS) and Kurta’s lieutenant, Vogel (STEPHEN / McNALLY) during the fighting which liberated Kurta and Dillon from the / British prison stockade. Kurta is badly wounded. .6 back, center, printed on press release, black ink : 1601-52AD SWORD IN THE DESERT UNIVERSAL INTERNATIONAL / DANA IS A SKIPPER---In real life an arden devotee of sailing wind- / jammers, Dana Andrews has the role of a sea captain in Universal- / International’s “Sword in the Desert” first film ever made with a / background of fighting in Palestine. .7 back, center, printed on press release, black ink : 1601-49AD SWORD IN THE DESERT UNIVERSAL INTERNATIONAL / DANA IS A SKIPPER---In real life an ardent devotee of sailing wind- / jammers, Dana Andrews has the role of a sea captain in Universal-Inter- / national’s “Sword in the Desert” first film ever made with a back- / ground of fighting in Palestine. .8 back, center, printed on press release, black ink : 1601-90 SWORD IN THE DESERT UNIVERSAL INTERNATIONAL / This scene from Universal-International’s exciting action drama, “Sword / in the Desert” shows the liberation of Underground fighters from / British prison stockade after fierce fighting. Vogel (STEPHEN McNALLY) / and McCarthy (LIAM REDMOND), Irish revolutionary, are shown in right / foreground. McNally co-stars with Dana Andrews and Marta Toren in the / film. .9 back, center, printed on press release, black ink : 1601-36AD SWORD IN THE DESERT UNIVERSAL INTERNATIONAL / VERSATILE STEPHEN--Stephen McNally, as Irish as they come, in real / life, shifts from Nazi to Israeli characterizations with the greatest / of ease, when required to. In Universal-International’s “Sword in / the Desert,” first film ever made with a Palestine background, he plays / one of the leaders in the Israeli Underground. .10 back, top left corner, handwritten, pencil : 49 .12 back, bottom, printed on press release, black ink : 1601-P9 SWORD IN THE DESERT UNIVERSAL-INTERNATIONAL / RISKY BUSINESS----Camera crew of Universal-International’s / “Sword in the Desert,” co-starring Dana Andrews, Marta Toren / and Stephen McNally, took many chances while on location at / Monterey, Calif., including mounting of camera in lifeboat / which was almost swamped.
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The scene stills were donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2018 by Ken Sutak and Sherri Venokur.
The Cinema Judaica Collection consists of more than 1,200 objects relating to films about World War II and the Holocaust as well as Jewish, Israeli, and biblical subjects, from 1923 to 2000, from the United States, Europe, Israel, Canada, Mexico, and Argentina. The collection was amassed by film memorabilia collector Ken Sutak, to document Holocaust-and Jewish-themed movies of the World War II era and the postwar years. The collection includes posters, lobby and photo cards, scene stills, pressbooks, trade ads, programs, magazines, books, VHS tapes, DVDS, and 78 rpm records. Sutak organized these materials into two groups, “Cinema Judaica: The War Years, 1939–1949” and “Cinema Judaica: The Epic Cycle, 1950–1972” and, in conjunction with the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Museum (now the Dr. Bernard Heller Museum in New York), organized exhibitions on these two themes in 2007 and 2008. Sutak subsequently authored companion books with the same titles.
.1: Height: 10.000 inches (25.4 cm) | Width: 8.000 inches (20.32 cm) .2: Height: 8.000 inches (20.32 cm) | Width: 10.000 inches (25.4 cm) .3: Height: 8.000 inches (20.32 cm) | Width: 10.000 inches (25.4 cm) .4: Height: 8.000 inches (20.32 cm) | Width: 10.000 inches (25.4 cm) .5: Height: 8.000 inches (20.32 cm) | Width: 10.000 inches (25.4 cm) .6: Height: 10.000 inches (25.4 cm) | Width: 8.000 inches (20.32 cm) .7: Height: 8.000 inches (20.32 cm) | Width: 10.000 inches (25.4 cm) .8: Height: 8.000 inches (20.32 cm) | Width: 10.000 inches (25.4 cm) .9: Height: 10.000 inches (25.4 cm) | Width: 8.000 inches (20.32 cm) .10: Height: 10.000 inches (25.4 cm) | Width: 8.000 inches (20.32 cm) .11: Height: 8.000 inches (20.32 cm) | Width: 10.000 inches (25.4 cm) .12: Height: 8.000 inches (20.32 cm) | Width: 10.000 inches (25.4 cm)
Set of twelve scene stills for the film, “Sword in the Desert,” released in the United States in August 1949. Scene stills are photographs taken on or off the set of a motion picture and are then used as marketing and advertising tools. The film follows an American cargo ship captain who finds himself stranded in a Jewish settlement after smuggling a group of illegal Jewish immigrants to British-controlled Palestine. Initially self-interested and unsympathetic to the refugees, the captain has a change in heart after he is captured, imprisoned, and later escapes with them. “Sword in the Desert” was the first film made in Hollywood that depicted the Jewish struggle to establish the state of Israel in May 1948. Britain was given control of Palestine following World War I, and severely restricted the immigration of Jewish refugees who wanted to establish a new Jewish State. This led many refugees to enter the country via “illegal” or “clandestine” immigration on ships. The mass immigration of refugees also led to bitter clashes between the Arab locals and the Jewish paramilitary organization, the Haganah. The film received some criticism for portraying the British as villains, and not showing any of the conflict with the Arab population. In England, the film was perceived as anti-British and sparked outrage and several violent incidents. “Sword in the Desert” also established a new archetype of a rough-and-tumble female character that can hold her own with the Haganah fighters. This object is one of more than 1,200 objects in the Cinema Judaica Collection of materials related to films about World War II and the Holocaust as well as Jewish, Israeli, and biblical themes.
Set of twelve scene stills for the film “Sword in the Desert” (1949)