Ice-Cold in Alex
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Ice-Cold in Alex (1958) is a British film starring John Mills based upon the book of the same name by British author Christopher Landon, who also wrote the screenplay.
The film is set in North Africa during Second World War. A small group of British soldiers and nurses have to drive an army ambulance across the desert, in an attempt to reach safety and avoid capture by Rommel's Afrika Korps. The leader of the team, Captain Anson (suffering from battle-fatigue and on the verge of becoming an alcoholic) motivates himself by thinking of the ice cold lager he can order if and when they finally make it to Alexandria - hence the movie title. On the way, they meet with various setbacks and also battle with tensions which arise within the group.
It was directed by J. Lee Thompson.
The film was also released as Desert Attack (1961) in the USA.
It was prizewinner at the Berlin International Film Festival and is frequently shown on television. It is also still available on video and DVD.
Cast
- John Mills .... Capt. Anson
- Sylvia Syms .... Sister Diana Murdoch
- Anthony Quayle .... Capt. van der Poel
- Harry Andrews .... MSM Tom Pugh
- Diane Clare .... Sister Denise Norton
- Richard Leech .... Capt. Crosbie
- Liam Redmond .... Brigadier (DDMS)
- Peter Arne .... British Officer at Oasis
Notes
- Original footage from the film was used to make a Carlsberg advert in the 1980s. Carlsberg was the brand used in the film, so the advert's makers just colourised the drink.
- It was said by Sylvia Syms that Carlsberg was chosen because they could never have been seen to be drinking a German lager.
- The ambulance is named Katy in the film, a pun on the type, an Austin K2/Y
- The final scene, in which John Mills finally gets his glass of lager, was filmed some weeks after the rest of the film. Mills reportedly had to drink the glassfull several times until the shots were finished and was "plastered" by the time filming ended.
External links
- [Ice-Cold in Alex] at the Movie Review Query Engine
- [Stills and film clips from the British Film Institute archive]
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