SimonJack Associated British Picture Corporation went to Libya in 1958 to film most of this World War II drama. It filmed the movie in the region and terrain in which the story takes place. "Ice Cold in Alex" is based on a true story from a 1957 novel of the same name by British author Christopher Landon. He also wrote the screenplay for the film. Landon studied medicine at Cambridge University. During WWII, he served in North Africa in the 51st Field Ambulance of the Royal Army Medical Corps. He was a major at the end of the war, and began writing novels soon after. He was only 50 years old when he died in 1961 from accidental alcohol and barbiturate poisoning in London. This film has a small but fantastic cast. Four main characters are together throughout almost the entire film. John Mills, Harry Andrews, Sylvia Syms, and Anthony Quayle give superb performances. Probably no setting is more difficult to write a story about than the desert, to hold the attention and interest of an audience. That may be why so few desert films have been made, including films of the war in North Africa. The North Africa Campaign lasted almost three years (June 1940 – May 1943), a full year longer than the European Campaign (July 1943 – May 1945) that ended the war. The few very good desert war films that were made all have had unusual or very interesting plots that have been able to hold the interest of viewers. This film is exceptional in that regard as well. Not only is there considerable intrigue in the plot, but this film, more than any other I can think of, shows the human toil and travail of the desert war experience. All of the cast contribute to this image, and John Mills' role as Captain Anson, is worthy of an Academy Award. The movie didn't receive any Oscar nominations but it did receive three BAFTA nominations. Anthony Quayle was nominated for Best British Actor. The film's omission from the Academy Awards may have been due to its late release date in the U.S. It debuted in London on June 24, 1958, but didn't hit screens in the States until March 22, 1961. And that was a heavily edited version (54 minutes shorter) and billed under the title, "Desert Attack."This is one of the best World War II films ever made, and one of just a few superb movies about the war in North Africa. It is a must for any serious war film library.

bkoganbing Ice Cold In Alex could never have been made during World War II at the time of the actual fighting. Though it benefits from location shooting in Libya where the action actually took place during the desert war.The time is after the second fall of Tobruk as the British are fleeing from the Libyan desert to regroup along the El Alamein line that General Auchinleck had staked out. John Mills is a captain with a drinking problem and he's in charge of a party of four driving an ambulance out which consists of RSM Harry Andrews and British nurses Sylvia Sims and Diane Clare. Along the way they pick up Anthony Quayle who is South African. He proves to be of invaluable assistance in getting through German lines twice and in other ways. But Quayle has a mission all his own.Coming in on the side of the Allies was a matter of considerable debate in the Union Of South Africa. Jan Christian Smuts carried the day for the Allies, but the opposition party which later imposed the apartheid policies were pro-Axis. They won the post war South African elections and held power until Nelson Mandela took over. The desert turns out to be the real enemy for this little band and they all pull together. One of the company does not make it to the end.In a way that Erwin Rommel would have liked, the Afrika Korps is not portrayed as inhuman monsters by any means. Interestingly enough in the same year Ice Cold In Alex came out, The Young Lions had a German officer machine-gunning helpless British stragglers just like this party is. Maximilian Schell was the Nazi who did the deed in that film and both of these films rank as among my favorite war films ever.The title refers to a cold beer that Mills is determined to have at a favorite bar of his in Alexandria. Ice Cold In Alex has some flawless performances by the entire cast, the desert travelers mesh very well as an ensemble group. The film ranks among the best work that all of the principal players ever did. And the filming in the actual location in Libya was able to blend some black and white newsreel footage in to the story without a seam showing.I saw this film when it first came out in theater in 1958. I was impressed with it then and even more so now.

ajs-10 This is another one of those films I remember watching at a young age on TV on a wet Sunday afternoon. There are only certain scenes I remember clearly, but having re-watched it today I realised for the first time just what a tremendous film it is. It's not your traditional war film, there is very little fighting but that doesn't matter, it's more about the characters and their battle for survival against the desert. But more of my thoughts later, here's a brief summary first (summary haters and those that don't wish to know anything about the plot please help crank that ambulance up the slope while I write the next paragraph).I guess I'd better give you a bit of background first. The film is set in North Africa in World War II, The British army are being pushed back along the coast of Libya towards Egypt by the Germans. Captain Anson, MSM Tom Pugh and two nurses, Sister Diana Murdoch and Sister Denise Norton are somehow left to find their own way to safety in an ambulance called 'Katy'. On the way they pick up a South African officer, Captain van der Poel, who at first seems OK, but later they become suspicious of. Amongst all this intrigue, Captain Anson comes to terms with his alcoholism and vows not to touch another drop until they get to Alexandria, where he will have an ice-cold lager, hence the title 'Ice-Cold in Alex'. There is so much more I would like to say about this one, but, in the interests of not giving spoilers away, I'll stop there.This is very much a character driven piece, and as such you are easily drawn into the story. For the most part the four main characters are totally captivating and you will be surprised how quickly the time passes… and it is quite a long film for its day. So, excellent performances from John Mills as Captain Anson, Sylvia Syms as Sister Diana Murdoch, Anthony Quayle as Captain van der Poel and Harry Andrews as MSM Tom Pugh.In some parts of the world I believe this film is known as 'Desert Attack', a pretty bad title I'm afraid. It conveys nothing of what the film is about and may have either misled or put some viewers off. It's not perfect, there are some technical issues and one moment that just didn't quite fit (for me). But at the end of the day, it's all about what they discover about Captain van der Poel and what they decide to do about it that makes this film so good. It's one of the best films I've seen that were made about World War II back in the days of black and white and so highly recommended.My score: 8.6/10

llareggub Very few movies teach one any worthwhile practical skills, but I must say, Ice Cold gave a very valuable lesson. Some years ago, a friend and I drove an ancient London Bread Van through the middle of the Australian desert, from The Alice to Hall's Creek. When we were inevitably hung up on one of the sand dunes, I remembered the scene in this movie, took out the plugs, inserted the crank handle, and wound her out of the hole. It may have saved two young and stupid hippies' lives, it certainly saved our face, and gave us something to drink on when we reached civilisation, if that is what Hall's Ck is.By the way, the rest of the movie is one of those quiet British masterpieces that they used to do so well. John Mills does not defeat the Afrika Corps single handed, in fact he has a full time job beating his own demons. For that, he is much closer to the sort of hero to which I can relate than John Rambo. Tony Quale is near perfect, and Harry Andrews is masterful. Joan Sims provides another unique viewpoint, a sympathetic female lead in a war movie, actually in the action; although I must say I would have done the American thing and bitch-slapped her when she took her hands off the crank!