Character Relationship Map: Timbuktu

Characters

• Mike Conway (played by Victor Mature) — protagonist

  An American soldier of fortune, Conway sees an opportunity to earn passage back to the United States by running guns to hostile Tuaregs. Armed with a Thompson submachine gun, he becomes caught between...

• Natalie Dufort (played by Yvonne De Carlo) — supporting

  Natalie is the attractive wife of the local French Foreign Legion commander. Conway is unable to keep away from her, placing her in a personal relationship with the central outsider as he navigates th...

• Colonel Charles Dufort (played by George Dolenz) — supporting

  He is the local French Foreign Legion commander in the region. His position places him on the French side of the tensions Conway must navigate while trying to sell weapons to hostile Tuaregs. He is al...

• Captain Girard (played by Robert Clarke) — supporting
• Emir Bhaki aka The Lion of the Desert (played by John Dehner) — supporting

  An anti-French Tuareg leader, he is interested in obtaining the weapons Conway is running to the region. The summary also describes him as using tarantulas on his prisoners. His demands and methods ma...

• Jeanne Marat (played by Marcia Henderson) — supporting
• Nazir (uncredited) (played by Steve Darrell) — supporting
• Suleyman (played by Paul Wexler) — supporting
• Ahmed (uncredited) (played by Larry Chance) — supporting
• Lt. Victor Marat (played by James Foxx) — supporting

Story Analysis

An American mercenary navigates political betrayal, romantic temptation, and brutal warfare in war-torn North Africa to secure his passage home.

Plot Progression

1. The Desert Gambit — Conway arrives in war-torn North Africa and decides to run guns to hostile Tuaregs to fund his return home.
2. Alliances and Attraction — Conway navigates between the brutal Tuareg leader, the peace-seeking imam, and the French commander's wife.
3. The Arms Deal — Weapons are delivered, tensions escalate, and Conway's romantic entanglement complicates his mission.
4. Crossfire and Escape — Caught between French forces and Tuareg rebels, Conway faces brutal trials to secure his passage home.