The Desert Song

In 1939, Moroccan Caid Yousseff pushes ahead with plans to build a private railroad to Dakar. The project is repeatedly sabotaged by native Riffs led by the mysterious El Khobar. The constant disruptions threaten both the construction and the financing of the railway.

El Khobar's raids disrupt the railroad work and free the Riffs from forced desert labor. The attacks also destroy part of the line and capture Tarbouch, who had helped enslave the Riffs. The stakes escalate as Paul Hudson's dual identity as El Khobar deepens the deception.

Paul, a café piano player, confides to Margot that the Riffs oppose Yousseff but do not oppose France. Margot is drawn into his cause and begins to understand El Khobar's true identity. The revelation plants the seeds for a complicated partnership between Paul and Margot.

Yousseff meets Colonel Fontaine, who partners with him to finance the railroad. They decide to search the native cafés where El Khobar's spies are thought to gather, using Margot as an ally to hide their real purpose. The stage is set for a tense cat-and-mouse game.

At the cafe Père Fan Fan, Fontaine and Margot cross paths with Johnny Walsh and Paul. As soldiers close in, a musical warning arises and Paul plays the piano, causing the Arab patrons to disappear before the soldiers reach the room. The moment underscores the coded resistance and El Khobar's stealth.

Paul learns that some captured Riffs are being tortured and he hatches a plan to rescue them. His dual roles as spy and rebel organizer intensify the danger around him. The rescue mission promises high stakes for the Riffs and their allies.

Paul invites Margot to the desert to question her and test her loyalties. After spending the day with the Riffs, Margot is won over and commits to helping Paul, having fallen in love with him. Her shift marks a turning point in the resistance.

In his El Khobar persona, Paul delivers a message to Yousseff offering to trade Tarbouch for the captured Riffs. The move shows Paul's willingness to negotiate, even as his true identity remains concealed from some.

Fontaine chases the rebel into Père Fan Fan and confronts Paul, but finds only the pianist. The dust on Paul’s boots raises Fontaine's suspicions, though Paul offers a plausible explanation that keeps his cover intact for the moment.

Johnny discovers that an ambush is planned and races to warn Paul. He passes along the warning to Margot, who then informs Paul of the plot. The fraying nerves heighten the sense of imminent danger to the resistance.

Johnny Walsh is captured by French forces who mistake him for El Khobar, reinforcing the danger faced by anyone connected to the rebel operation. The false arrest compounds the tension around the pursuit and the political stakes.

That night, Fontaine reveals to Margot that he has captured El Khobar, and he proposes marriage as a bargaining chip. Margot rejects the proposal and inadvertently reveals that 'El Khobar' is actually Paul Hudson. The revelation sows confusion and shifts alliances.

Fontaine plans to arrest Paul once he learns the railroad is financed by German money, not French. The revelation changes Fontaine's stance and prompts him to switch sides. Paul then joins Fontaine in a move against Yousseff.

With the truth about German funds, Fontaine joins Paul in capturing Yousseff. They promise fair treatment to the Riffs, and the plan to shift control of the railroad takes shape. Paul and his allies regroup, preparing for the final phase.

Radio broadcasts confirm that France has taken over the railroad and all rights have been granted to the Riffs. Reunited with Paul, Margot joins the celebration and deepens her commitment to the Riff cause. The film closes on a note of precarious victory.