The Painted Desert selected Higgin to direct the film, as well as naming the stars of the film, William Boyd and Dorothy Burgess. Later in the month it was reported that Higgin would head to Arizona to begin location scouting for the film, accompanied by fellow director, Tay Garnett, however in August Higgin began scouting in the Arizona desert with the screenwriter, Tom Buckingham. It was announced that the film would employ over 300 extras. Higgin was familiar with the area, having working in and around Flagstaff, Arizona as a lumberjack prior to his entering the film industry. Towards the end of August
Rommel: The Desert Fox loyal, humane soldier and a firm opponent to Hitler's policies. The movie exaggerated Rommel's disputed role in the conspiracy against Hitler, while omitting Rommel's early association with the dictator. Critical and public reception in the US was muted, but the movie was a success in Britain, along with a less-known 1953 movie "The Desert Rats", in which Mason reprised his portrayal of Rommel. Patrick Major argues that the desert war indeed helped effect the former enemies' reconciliation. The British popular history focused on the fighting in that theatre, almost to the exclusion of all others. He states that "The Desert