IMDb RATING
7.7/10
6.9K
YOUR RATING
During World War II in North Africa, a medical field unit must cross the desert in their ambulance in order to reach the British lines in Alexandria.During World War II in North Africa, a medical field unit must cross the desert in their ambulance in order to reach the British lines in Alexandria.During World War II in North Africa, a medical field unit must cross the desert in their ambulance in order to reach the British lines in Alexandria.
- Nominated for 4 BAFTA Awards
- 1 win & 5 nominations total
Brian Peck
- Corporal
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaFilmed in Libya, as Egypt was ruled out due to the recent Suez Crisis. Filming began 10 September 1957.
- GoofsIn the very last scene, as Lutz is being driven away from the bar by the British military police, a Land Rover can be seen parked next to the bar. The first Land Rovers were produced in 1948, six years after the battle of Tobruk.
- Quotes
Capt. Anson: I'll tell you this, the next drink I have's gonna be a lager. Ice cold. There's a little bar in Alex with a marble top counter and high stools. They serve the best beer in all the middle east. When we get through with this lot I'm gonna buy you one. I'll buy you all one.
- Crazy creditsOpening credits prologue: TOBRUK - 1942
- Alternate versionsOriginal British version, "Ice Cold in Alex," runs 130 minutes. U.S. distributor shortened the film in 1961 to 76 minutes and released it as "Desert Attack."
- SoundtracksMy Old Man (Said Follow the Van)
[uncredited]
Written (1919) by Fred W. Leigh and Charles Collins
Sung by John Mills, Sylvia Syms and Harry Andrews
Featured review
...from British-Pathe and Fox, and director J. Lee Thompson. An ambulance containing British Army Captain Anson (John Mills), Sergeant Pugh (Harry Andrews), and two nurses, Diana (Sylvia Syms) and Denise (Diane Clare), evacuates Tobruk in North Africa ahead of the advancing German army. They want to make it to British HQ in Alexandria, a long, perilous journey through the unforgiving desert. As they venture further into the desert and uncertain escape, they happen upon Captain van der Poel (Anthony Quayle), a South African army officer who got separated from his battalion. He joins them.
I've seen literally dozens of desert survival movies, and didn't expect to see any more that would bring something different to the table. So I was pleasantly surprised by this British war film, as it brings some unexpected turns to the tale. The entire cast has some of their career-best roles, with Quayle and Mills at the head of the class. Director Thompson depicts the oppressive heat of the setting vividly. This is a fairly obscure film in the U. S., and it deserves to be better known. Its initial American release was botched when Fox renamed it Desert Attack and hacked nearly an hour from its running time. Recommended.
I've seen literally dozens of desert survival movies, and didn't expect to see any more that would bring something different to the table. So I was pleasantly surprised by this British war film, as it brings some unexpected turns to the tale. The entire cast has some of their career-best roles, with Quayle and Mills at the head of the class. Director Thompson depicts the oppressive heat of the setting vividly. This is a fairly obscure film in the U. S., and it deserves to be better known. Its initial American release was botched when Fox renamed it Desert Attack and hacked nearly an hour from its running time. Recommended.
- How long is Ice Cold in Alex?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Runtime2 hours 10 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.66 : 1
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