Hotel Sahara

The Italian Army takes control of the Hotel Sahara, forcing patrons to flee into the desert. Emad, the owner, wants to escape too, but Yasmin persuades him to stay and fight to save the hotel. The staff—including Madame Pallas and Yusef—decide to remain to guard what remains.

Captain Del Nobile, the Italian commander, becomes smitten with Yasmin as the hotel falls under occupation. His orderly is attracted to Madame Pallas, setting early tensions in the staff. While affection flares, the hotel holds its fate in the shifting war.

A major Italian defeat forces a retreat, and orders to destroy anything that could aid the enemy are issued. Emad sabotages their truck to delay the withdrawal, buying time to prevent the demolition charges from triggering. Yusef fires a warning shot to speed the retreat, helping preserve the hotel.

Major Bill Randall and Captain Puffin Cheyne arrive, representing the British and vying for Yasmin's attention. Randall assigns Cheyne and Private Binns to requisition supplies from the Arabs, while Emad notes the Arabs prefer goods to money. Emad also secretly buys nylons for Yasmin, which Cheyne steals as a gift.

When Randall discovers Cheyne's lie about not finding nylons and his theft, he instructs Cheyne to accompany Emad to a conference with the local Arabs only if the British can leave. Emad agrees to attend to pressure the Arabs into neutrality while keeping the hotel safe. The tension increases as the British presence continues to impinge on the hotel.

Randall shares a swim with Yasmin in the hotel pool, a rare moment of calm amid the chaos. Soon, about a dozen German troops drive up, threatening to seize the hotel. The British hurry to evacuate, with Randall still in his swim trunks.

Lieutenant Gunther von Heilicke requisitions the hotel for the German force and proves immune to Yasmin's allure. He triggers Randall's booby trap but emerges unscathed, maintaining control of the situation. Emad and Cheyne prepare to adapt to the new occupation.

Emad and Cheyne return with a party of Arabs, while Heilicke hosts a feast to ingratiate himself with the locals. Yasmin distracts Heilicke by donning Fatima's costume and performing a belly dance, enabling Cheyne to slip away on a camel with Emad. The hotel edges toward renewed danger as the escape unfolds.

A large French column arrives in the desert, prompting both the Germans and the British to hide and reconnoiter. The two sides decide to disguise themselves as Arabs to spy on the others, with Cheyne acting as a veiled woman. By the time they reach the scene, the French have already moved on.

The radio brings news that the North Africa campaign is nearing its end, heightening the sense of impending closure. The German lieutenant, the British major, and Cheyne cross paths and begin a shootout. They exhaust their bullets, and Heilicke flees, pursued by Randall and Cheyne.

The pursuit ends with Heilicke’s escape, leaving the hotel momentarily safer but the front lines still unsettled. Emad and Yasmin stand vigilant, aware that further upheaval could come at any moment. The desert continues to loom large over their fragile refuge.

As the dust settles, an American voice cuts through the desert air, signaling the arrival of Allied forces. Emad and Yasmin stand together, contemplating the hotel’s future and their own. The oasis remains a stubborn beacon in a shifting North African front.