ice cold in alex

[selby16]

john mills won the war

great film

[BigDon62]

@selby16 Golly gosh ! Whenever I think of SIMS or SYMS it's not how I make phone calls or play that game. Sylvia was both a beautiful woman & a wonderful actress. x.

[bridgetown45]

One of my favourite movies. Always enjoy the acting of Harry Andrews, especially in his usual role as an RSM. Towards the end, 7.16 on this clip, the MP's with their prisoner drove past a parked Land Rover. The Land Rover was first manufactured in 1948.

[DW60T]

Crikey!,,I really fancy a cold beer now.

[DW60T]

Probably the best advert for Carlsberg.

[PlanetNiles]

Possibly one of the best scenes in movie history. Certainly up there in the top 5.

[7754349200]

Which one is first?

[MrGoblin60]

Darn it------I want that woman now!

[Butchuk2007]

Darn it ----- I want a beer now...!!! :))

[Hellothasauras]

Germany and England! This film shows what we both like! A cold Beer!

[Sidslotm]

Gotta be the best scene in any movie at any time, even smoking at the bar , yeah.

[Sharpeslipper]

There's a Land Rover in the background at 7:16 - they were't invented until after the war. Thing is, it's such a powerful scene that no-one notices.

[TheCarryonjeeves]

screenonline b.f.i. has more clips of ice cold in alex,the scene with the british and

`south african` walking across a mine field.

[TheCarryonjeeves]

Trail run comedy

[naishdave]

continuity errors: observe the fluctuating froth on the beers between 1.00 and 1.16.

[farion175]

Even though I detest the smell and taste of beer, I can imagine how good an ice cold one would be after all they endured

[rigel5]

Couldn't imagine enjoying a beer more than having spent weeks parched in the desert. Great movie. Really liked Sylvia Sims in this movie. She was gorgeous and she had that coy Princess Di look most of the time! In fact we should say that Princess Di had that Sylvia Sims coy look! You set the trend Sylvia! Good on ya girl!

[swastikausa]

what an amazing film. and the final shot. of a german officer being led off as prisoner of the british. quite beautiful. Like bert trautman playing for city.

[donnyab]

@swastikausa

lol strange observation I think you'll find Bert was free to leave any time he wished.

[swastikausa]

what i mean is it was a real triumph to see english fans cheering on a german in both cases.

[warwickmjs]

Sylvia Syms...what a beauty!

[MrJohn1997]

does anyone know what the name of the outro music is?

[douglas18741892]

Pretty sure it took Sir John Mills about 7 takes so he was quite...ahem...drunk at final take. Good man.

Sylvia Syms would look good in anything imo.

[douglas18741892]

Pretty sure it took Sir John Mills about 7 takes so he was quite...ahem...drunk at final take. Good man.

[yamsid]

This was a great movie and I was always surprised Sylvia Syms could look so good in a rumpled uniform.

[torontoboy45]

I have been told that the exploits of this quartet would have been logistically impossible but let's not let that get in the way of a great movie.

as for sylvia: I'm watching her now on UK TV in an experimental programme..

I don't mind people getting older but to see her now you would not think you are looking at the same woman.

great post. thank you.

[Hubosgirl]

Perfect film. Sometimes I wish it had been shot in color. Director Thompson thought a desert would look better in black and white. ?? Hubos girl

[donnyab]

@Hubosgirl he was right

[glynbrain]

Good, but Sir John Mills had a better haircut in Hobson's Choice.

[leapoffaith20]

amazing film , and I'm suprisd that carlsberg haven't used that "worth waiting for" scene in a commercial.

[trenthouse4life]

@leapoffaith20 i'm sure they did, didn't they? i seem to remember it from my youth

[madonlfc]

@leapoffaith20 oh but they have sir!!!

[smithyduk]

@leapoffaith20

They did.

[torontoboy45]

@leapoffaith20 they did, my friend. UK TV in the early 90's.

[mark660460]

Amazing film, great scene, if only they made em like this now...

[eatmypies]

what a line, The dessert the greater enemy. We could say the same for oil and religeon

[ramron333]

sylia sims looks bloody great

[MrValiant61]

Tell your friends everyone, this is a great film. Oh....and sylvia sims is a real looker.

[monkscellar]

I'd thought Sylvia Simms was my secret fantasy girl. Isn't she lovely.

But no, you all love her. I bet Harry A and the RMP man thought she was a bit of all right too.

[raherecolston]

Yes, I was surprised to find he was on the other bus as well! But whats it matter? He was a damn good actor and left---thankfully--a legacy of many superb performances. Lord Raglan, air commodore in 633 squadron, and the judge in The Ruling class to mention just a few. Unknown to me , I lived near him for many years without knowing it! He and Basil are buried in the same cemetery ,though not the same grave

[mashbury]

Film Geek fact-the young RMP officer that turns up to take him away at 1.50 is infact Harry Andrews boyfriend small world..

[ingerlander]

"I have learned a lot about the English. So different to what I have been taught"

Now, why don't you go off and teach the same lesson to the Scots and Irish.

[daogenify]

This movie is great.

but seriously, i dont like this part =P

stupid commercial clip for carlsberg beer

[MatlockJack]

This scene had to be re-shot 8-9 times apparently; at the end of which, JM was basically inebriated.

[fshalan]

I think you are right. Listen to him say "come on jink up, you djerved it" at 1:10 haha

[ramron333]

sylvia simms is stunning

[iconic558]

At 7:16 there is a Land Rover!

[mrspivvy]

yes- and i'm pretty sure there is a morris minor parked in the street when they first roll into town (not shown in this clip)

[raherecolston]

Yeah,they had one in 633 Squadron too!

[Cool2BCeltic]

@iconic558 Well, much like Shakespeare putting clocks in Julius Caesar, it doesn't detract from a good drama.

[darrowby1972]

I never knew Harry Andrews was a batter for the other team till recently!

[kenfig]

Neither did i !! He was a Wooly Woofta !! Great actor though his best role being the Hill with Sean Connery.Another one was Alan Bates ; wouldnt have believed it would you ? He had an affair with Peter Wyngarde (Jason King) AND skater John Curry !

[99susan99]

wonderful movie, it shows that the English and the German have the same culture; even the governements and the politician are the wrong !!!!

Jürgen Hansen living in London

[GoodauldBadwolf]

dont really "fancy" women from movies of that era but Sylvia Syms is just so stunning...

Great scene movie history

[mycroft999]

try and find a copy of 'for whom the bell tolls'. If you've not ever fallen for Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca, watch that.

Hubba Hubba

[PeeJohnDaddy]

...and I challenge anyone not to really fancy Sylvia Syms after watching it.

[foggyrf9]

I agree, mate. Top totty!

[londongamer]

Top totty - yup,. and the beer looked pretty damn fine too. :P

[MrBuglebuggy]

@PeeJohnDaddy  An absolute stunner

[brettchallenger]

Wonderful film, I challenge anyone not to really fancy a beer after watching it.

[joemlinar]

she has just terned up in eastenders.

[MatlockJack]

I read that this scene had to be shot 7-8 times and that Sir John had to sleep for the remainder of the afternoon in his trailer, I wonder why?

[dhoggy5]

Sir John Mills Appreciation Society on Facebook.

[conostar]

great film this, makes you proud to be british ;-).

have heard that this didn't do very well in the US at the time, as they didn't really get it over there, calling the film 'Desert Adventure' rather than Ice Cold in Alex and using it as the B film in a double feature

[VUNCOOL]

The Germans invaded Denmark in 1940. So where did the "Carlsberg" come from? Old stock - or an early example of the 'locally brewed' scam, with Carlsberg, Fosters, Budweiser, all coming out of the same tap into different barrels?

[MrRik2]

To be fair it's only a Carlsberg glass which they would have if they'd previously been serving Carlsberg. You can't actually see what it says on the bottle.

[brettchallenger]

in the book it's a beer called "Rhinegold"

[dhoggy5]

Sir John Mills Appreciation Society on Facebook.

[louisorleans]

Sylvia's cool I agree!

[CMPerry]

Yeh, I'm in love with her in this, still my favourite war movie.

[louisorleans]

"I suppose you know old Dan Pinniar then?",

"Jan Pinaar, he's quite a character, he's so Afrkaanes you cand hardly understand a word.....".

"What about that other chap who worked with us...Captain er...Kraumer",

"Kraumer, no surely he was in ordinance, it was Magges who was with us",

"Oh yes Magges".

"What you got in that pack!?"

"....Gin, WANT SOME!!?"

Classic!

[Cool2BCeltic]

Just following on from the last comment I'd just like to say God bless you Sir Anthony. I passed my exams as you told me to and I hope that you think the beers I've had in Bennets are just as well deserved. I've had to come through a few obstacles myself to get to where I am.

[beechcaster]

well said sir...thanks

[Cool2BCeltic]

The barman says "Captain Anson, where have you been". Captain Anson was obviously a regular at the bar. If you've seen the film, you know that this is the most deserved round of beers in cinema history after coming througn minefields, Afrika Korps patrols and many other obstacles. I once had the honour of meeting Sir Anthony Quayle outside The King's Theatre in Edinburgh. I've also had a few ice cold pints of Beck's in Bennet's pub next door to the theatre.

[Cool2BCeltic]

And a good response to "Where have you been?" "Doing some motoring". A bit of modesty on top of a once seemingly unattainable achievement compounds the satisfaction.

[Factnotfictionpeople]

Ah, Beck's - now there's a beer - Germany at its finest! :-)

[yootubemum]

you know what ' sir john mills was a bloody great actor ' loved his performance in all his movies this being of them and scot of the antartic excellent performances everytime and certainly worth his knighthood if not more . such a gentleman and a very nice human being too . thankyou for posting this video for us all to enjoy .

[craiglhmac]

A choice between all the beer in the world or a night with Sylvia Syms...easy...All the beer in the world.

[24792133]

It took Sir john a few 'Takes' to get the drink scene right, He was apparently tipsy by the time he got it right. Im sure I can hear a slight slurr in speach after he downs his pint. RIP sir john. Thanks for posting.

[clapo55]

A choice between all the beer in the world or a night with Sylvia Syms...easy...Sylvia Syms.

[Pitcairn2]

I have been madly in love with Sylvia Syms since 1953..

[discreditor]

just seen the fhm 100 sexiest women and most of them are plain compared to Sylvia.

[Hendrikdevuile]

John Mills must have been really thirsty to tolerate without even a comment the Egyptian barman pouring out his beer so fast and clumsily that a good third turned to froth and some even overflowed! An Englishman's Beer should be carefully poured down the side of a tilted glass with a minimum of froth.

[beechcaster]

well said sir

[brindlewhelk]

I concur.

[rharrington1451]

actually, at the time, there was no say on the size of a head on a pint. That has only come in recently with the European measurements on being exacts.

The only thing that an Englishman's beer should have been, was cold. I think that much was correct

[Hendrikdevuile]

I have now passed the allotted span of three score years and ten, and can assure you that when I first started to frequent English public houses so long ago, I would sometimes hear a disgruntled patron complaining to the publican: "'Ere mate, I don' want all bloody froff in me glass, I want beer!" The complaint was inspired by a well established British tradition no doubt already practised by Falstaff in the Middle Ages and nothing at all to do with future EU regulations or any domestic ones.

[2210ethan]

@Hendrikdevuile

Danish beer- thus served in the European style, with two fingers of 'head'.

[TheCarryonjeeves]

@Hendrikdevuile In Haarlem dutch beir(lager)is poured asin the film with a head/hat alot of froth,my cousins

were taken aback when they came to Enland to see beer poured slowly up to the legal measure line.This

would have spoiled the scene for sir john and company his is really thirsty.

[unclemort1960]

@Hendrikdevuile you are dead right -this scene was filmed early in the morning with real beer mills said he got quite drunk

[McAvitysCat]

Not just one of the best British films, not just one of the best war films, but one of the best films of all time.

Enemies become friends, a message that we surely need now more than ever.

I LOVE this film, thanks for posting!

[beechcaster]

i agree there sir

[tentheagle]

Agreed !!!

[gluepot66]

@McAvitysCat do you really think so? one of the best films of all time? I think its dead slow and boring

[michaelfeeney]

sad as it may sound, this film was the reason i joined the army!!

a classic

[kiya1992]

haha my grandads in this movie :)

[Trek001]

who is your grandad?

Sir Mills?

[cumbrian17]

Mind you play the clip again to the time mark [07:16] - Whats the Landrover doing in a war film? It was about 1947 - 1949 when they came out

[CMPerry]

Yeh, just one of those anachronisms that can show up in movies - I think there's a Land Rover in 633 Squadron, too. L-Rs went into production in '48.

[cumbrian17]

Ivor,

I don't care if they had given inside leg measurements, they gave a load of useless info

And the film is a classic even the cut out love scene that is only on a few copies of the film

[mutikonka]

Anthony Quayle was the real thing - served with SOE in Albania and Greece.

[ivorbigunzz]

neonOAK

I assume you didn't see the pictures of the captured British Naval personnel in so called "Iranian waters"

They gave them everything, apart from their inside leg measurments!.

[Schnorbs]

Yeah, judging by those grey suits they all ended up in, I think you're right!

[ivorbigunzz]

Classic British "stiff upper lip'

shame its gone!

[beechcaster]

totally agree sir..100%