The Steel Lady

Four American oil company employees discover a major petroleum deposit in the Sahara Desert, despite warnings from locals about the area being off-limits to outsiders. They prepare to return to their headquarters, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Their discovery sets the story in motion as they embark on their journey back.

While flying back to their headquarters, the team’s plane crash-lands in the vast Sahara, leaving them with limited resources. They have no radio communication, no way to repair the plane, and face a slow death due to scarce food and water. Their survival becomes uncertain as they realize rescue is unlikely.

One crew member spots a flag on an antenna post emerging from the sands. They dig and discover it belongs to a WWII German tank, the 10th Panzer Division’s 'The Steel Lady,' along with its mummified crew who have been in the dunes for ten years. This discovery offers a potential means of escape.

Larsen, the radio operator, attempts to repair the tank's radio using parts from the WWII vehicle. He manages to send a message indicating they are alive but the transmitting tube burns out before they can specify their exact location, leaving their rescue uncertain.

The crew cleans and prepares the tank for movement, using remaining gasoline from the plane. They sacrifice some water for the tank’s radiator to keep it running. Their aim is to drive over 100 miles to a French Foreign Legion outpost, hoping to escape the desert’s peril.

While traveling, Barlow finds a hidden storage bay inside the tank containing valuable jewels. He keeps the discovery secret from the others, contemplating its potential value and influence on their journey and fate.

The team reaches a Bedouin oasis where the locals recognize the tank and accuse it of theft during the war, suggesting the jewels belong to them. The Bedouins offer food, water, horses, and a cargo camel in exchange for the tank, believing it still contains hidden treasure.

Barlow secretly retrieves a jewel from the tank during the exchange, but accidentally drops it. The Bedouins find the jewel and realize the Americans know about the treasure. They demand the jewels, leading to a confrontation and the Americans fleeing with the tank.

The Bedouins orchestrate a trap by faking an injury and leading the Americans toward a well, but it’s a deception. They attack the tank, and Larsen fights them off with its machine gun, allowing the others to escape. Barlow is wounded during the chaos.

Low on water, the crew discovers the well but is led into a true trap by Bedouin fighters. They take refuge in the tank, which becomes their fortress as they fend off ongoing attacks from the surrounding hills, fighting to survive in the desert.

Larsen cannibalizes the radio tubes to build a working transmitter and emits a distress call. Their plea is heard, and a rescue plane lands amid gunfire from Bedouins to evacuate the Americans. Their effort to signal hope becomes a critical turning point.

As the rescue approaches, Barlow, wounded and aware he cannot escape, pushes Monahan away and locks himself inside the tank with the jewels. Using the machine gun, he covers the others’ escape as Bedouins rush to capture the tank, presumably killing himself in the process.

The remaining crew members are rescued by the plane, bringing the jewels with them. Monahan plans to return the treasure in exchange for oil rights. During the flight, they reflect on Barlow’s bravery and flawed nature, acknowledging his ultimate sacrifice in their survival.