ICE COLD IN ALEX

UK, 1958, 132 minutes, Black and white.
John Mills, Anthony Quayle, Harry Andrews.
Directed by J. Lee Thompson.

Ice Cold in Alex is a war story but is the story of a dangerous Journey, a film akin to The Wages of Fear and other dangerous journey stories. It has a good English cast led by John Mills. It was directed by J. Lee- Thompson, a director of interesting films in the late '50s including Tiger Bay, who went to Hollywood, made The Guns of Navarone and stayed there making a mixture of good and bad films, specialising in Charles Bronson features in the late 70s and early 80s.

The film won the international Critics' Award at the Berlin Film Festival. It has a great deal of tension because of the difficulty of the journey, the war situation, the North African desert. Anthony Quayle is a German spy -and the difficulties that the group have to contain him, then their gratitude towards him for helping them survive provide a final dilemma.

1. An interesting war drama? Dangerous journey? Dramatic tension between characters? Loyalties? Espionage?

2. Black and white photography, desert locations, the atmosphere of the war in North Africa? The atmosphere of the desert, the trek with the truck? The dangers, the rolling of the truck up the hill, etc? Musical score?

3. The title and the focus on the North African war? The characters? The goal of Alexandria - and the ice cold beer? The irony of the final drinking of the beer and the question about the spy?

4. The film's background of the North African war: the advance of the Germans, the British? The air attacks? Isolation? Dangers in travel? Enemy lines? German scouting parties? Spies? The move towards Alexandria? The spirit of the war? The psychological havoc? The staunch support of drivers, nurses?

5. The focus on the journey? Captain Anson and the psychological effects of the war? The attitudes of his men? His sense of responsibility for deaths? His drinking? The decision to take the nurses? The anxiety of Denise? The support of Diana? The support of Tom? The encounter with Van der Poel? The driving? His going to sleep? His drinking? The group having to cope? The German attack? The death of the nurse? His suspicions about Van der Poel? Suspicions about his radio? Trying to see whether he was signalling? The dangers in the desert? The choices of route? The dangers of going through the Valley of Sand? His getting out of control? The truck going up the hill? Diana and the truck rolling back? The help of Van der Poel? The comradeship built up? The final journey towards Alexandria? The decision about Van der Poel? The achievement of the drive, self-respect? The support of Diana?


6. Van der Poel and his appearing in the desert, the plausibility of his South African cover? Genial, plausible? An answer for every suspicion? His taking sides? Suspicion of Anson? Discussions with Tofr? His going off to the lavatory and taking his radio? His covering his signalling? His speaking German when the truck was held up? The group ambiguous in its attitudes towards him? Participating in all the dangers? Helping with the pushing of the truck? Helping then., survive? The discovery of his radio, their suspicions? Going into Alexandria? Their decision to save him? The drink, the plausible explanation? His being saved?

7. Diana, and her fellow nurse, the women in the war, in the desert? The nurse and her fears? Hysteria? Her death? Having to disguise the death for the German patrol? Diana and her work as a nurse, supporting Anson? Working with Tom? Suspicions of Van der Poel but working with him? Her mistakes - especially with the truck rolling down the hill? The anger of Anson? The finale and her participation in the covering for Van der Poel?

8. Tony, as driver, support for Anson, friendship and loyalty?, His driving? Having to cope with Anson's driving? Drinking? Suspicions about Van der Poel? His skill with the truck? His ingenuity in getting them to Alexandria?

9. The presentation of the military personnel? The commanders? The Brigadier and the mission?, The spies disguised as Arabs In the outposts? Their help on the journey? The final authorities and the taking of Van Der Poel in the hotel?

10. War themes? Themes of a small group of men and women in isolation and their interaction? Espionage? Loyalty and honour?