Ice Cold in Alex

Director: J. Lee Thompson J. Lee Thompson

Overview

In this suspenseful war film, set during WW II in North Africa, an alcoholic army officer travels to Alexandria in an ambulance. His travelling companions are two nurses and a South African officer. Mid-way one of the nurses is killed. The drunk and the other nurse stop their romance and the South African is exposed as a German spy.

Product Details

Release Date:	03/09/2021
UPC:	0850021115258
Original Release:	1958
Rating:	NR
Source:	Film Movement
Region Code:	1
Sound:	[stereo, Dolby Digital Stereo]
Language:	English
Time:	2:10:00
Sales rank:	46,238

Special Features

Extended Clip from A Very British War Movie documentary; John Mills video footage; Interview with Melanie Williams; Steve Chibnall on J. Lee Thompson; Interview with Sylvia Syms

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

John Mills	Capt. Anson
Anthony Quayle	Capt. Van der Poel
Sylvia Syms	Sister Diane Murdoch
Harry Andrews	Sgt. Tom Pugh
Diane Clare	Sister Denise Norton
Richard Leech	Capt. Crosbie
Liam Redmond	Brigadier
Peter Arne	British Officer
David Lodge	CMP Captain
Allan Cuthbertson	Staff Officer
Michael Nightingale	Actor
Basil Hoskins	Actor
Walter Gotell	Actor
Frederick Jaeger	Actor
Richard Marner	Actor
Paul Stassino	Actor
Vivian Pickles	Actor
Leighton Lucas	Composer

Technical Credits

T.J. Morrison

Christopher Landon

Chistopher Landon

J. Lee Thompson	Director
W.A. Whittaker	Producer
T.J. Morrison	Screenwriter
Christopher Landon	Screenwriter
Chistopher Landon	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

Although it is overall a decent film, the most interesting thing about Ice Cold in Alex -- and the one which needs some explanation -- is its title. "Ice cold" refers to an ice cold beer, which the lead character desperately desires, and "Alex" to Alexandria, the city to which he and his colleagues are trying to get. It's an odd title, but not a particularly odd film. Ice is one of those films in which a group of people are banded together to face a range of external adversities and obstacles, as well as an internal one -- in this case, the fact that one of their party seems to be a spy for the enemy. It should make for an exciting film, but Ice keeps promising to become gripping but always falls a little short. As a result, it gets a bit slow in paces, at least in the original 132-minute version. (The edited 64- or 79-minute versions should be avoided, as they hack the film to nonsensical pieces.) There also are some lapses that just don't work, such as the rapid and sudden conversion of the relationship between John Mills and Sylvia Sims. Still, despite its flaws, there's enough tension and drama to make Ice a decent way to pass the time. And the cast is quite good throughout.