Friday September 29, 2006

Ice Cold in Alex

This is a truly excellent film. I mentioned it before when John Mills died. I am still trying to catch a version on the TV having missed a recent showing again. The film follows Mills and his fellow passengers in their efforts to get to Alexandria and escape the pursuing German army in World war Two. They are in an old ambulance hardly the vehicle of choice to go over the desert. The passengers include Mill's sergeant, and a chap they offer a lift to played by Anthony Quale. One of the two nurses also in the vehicle dies soon after they set off but the remaining one is played by the pretty Sylvia Sims who falls for the alchoholic Mills. It is soon clear Anthony Quale is up to no good and they do find out he is on the German side in some capacity. Mills gets his beer in Alex after several dramas which include

They have to crank the ambulance backwards up a steep sandy hill using the starting handle as it is not powerful enough or has the grip to drive up the hill. An accident means the ambulance rolls down the hill and they have to start again.

Anthony Quale has to be rescued from quicksand after a trap to try and work out why he goes for comfort break late at night turns out badly. Turns out he was contacting his German peers over the radio in his rucksack.

Anthony Quale saves the ambulance when it falls off its jacks during repair work. He uses his back to hold it up so they can get the jack back under it.

At the end of the film they have that long awaited beer in Alex after which they have to hand Anthony Quale over to the authorities. Just as they do so Mills spots a German Id badge hanging from his neck. He rips it off so ensuring Quale won't end up being tried as a spy.

An excellent film.