Ice Cold in Alex

It is perhaps ironic that at the time of writing this review, the award-winning and iconic British adventure drama ICE COLD IN ALEX is flickering across the TV-screen (Film Four in this case). The fact that two days ago the film received its 60th Anniversary Special Edition Blu-ray/DVD release further proves the lasting popularity of this 1958 classic, based on the novel by Christopher Landon and starring John Mills in one of his career best performances.

You have seen the film and you know the story, indeed it is hard to imagine anyone being out there who hasn’t watched Ice Cold in Alex on the TV, be it with family or with friends. For those living under a rock and still haven’t, here then is a summary: The action takes place during WW2 and the Western Desert Campaign (Libya and Egypt), starting in Tobruk which is about to be besieged by the German Afrika Corps. Enter Captain Anson (John Mills), the alcoholic commanding officer of the British Motor Ambulance Company who receives orders to assemble most of his unit and evacuate to Alexandria (the ‘Alex’ of the film’s title). With him are MSM Tom Pugh (Harry Andrews) and nurses Diana Murdoch (Sylvia Syms) and Denise Norton (Diane Clare). As the Germans approach and the shooting starts, nurse Norton becomes hysterical and needs to be sedated. To make matters worse, the small group become separated from the rest of the unit and decide to drive back to British lines, which means driving across the desert in their Austin K2/Y ambulance, nicknamed Katy. Just as they prepare for departure they are approached by a South African officer called Captain van der Poel (Anthony Quayle), who coaxes Anson into allowing him to join the group by showing two bottles of gin to the booze-loving officer… much to the chagrin of the others who are worried about Ansons’ increasing thirst for liquor.

Soon, the group are amidst the hell that is the hot and unforgiving desert though many more obstacles lay in wait, one of which cost nurse Norton her life. As temperatures and tempers rise, nurse Murdoch and MSM Pugh voice their concern that van der Poel may not be who he claims to be, besides, what’s in the large pack which he constantly carries with him and which he never leaves out of sight for even one second? The end of the film sees our exhausted and dehydrated heroes finally entering a bar in Alex(andria) where they gulp back much deserved pints of ice cold lager (hence ‘Ice cold in Alex’) and this now famous scene was used several years ago in an advert for Carlsberg lager.

The 4K-restoration does the movie justice and it looks fantastic even in b/w. The performances are very realistic and given the fact the most of the film was shot in Libya we can assume the on-screen exhaustion was for real. Sweat is dripping in buckets and one must wonder how Mills, Quayle and Andrews found the strength to carry on. One must also wonder how Miss Sims managed to emerge at the other end of the desert seemingly without many sweat stains on her uniform plus hairstyle and make-up pretty much intact!

The bonus discs offers an array of new Special Features, though unfortunately a complimentary crate of Carlsberg lager is not included in the purchase of the disc.