Overview
A perilous journey through the desert leads to unexpected trials and camaraderie.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- tense
- austere
- gritty
- classic cinema night
- war film marathon
What critics said
The film was broadly successful with audiences and awards bodies, with its wartime adventure format and popular box-office appeal establishing it as a notable British hit.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The army personnel and nurses undertake an arduous ambulance trek across North Africa, facing terrain, exhaustion, and repeated hazards.
The group includes a suspected spy, making questions of loyalty and identity as dangerous as the desert itself.
Captain Anson's dream of an ice-cold beer in Alexandria becomes a motivating image of relief after the journey.
The black-and-white presentation frames the North African desert as stark, expansive, and physically punishing.
Films like Ice Cold in Alex, and why
Sahara
shared World War II setting, desert survival adventure, military camaraderie, and sustained peril
The Way Ahead
shared wartime ensemble drama, arduous military mission, moral tension, and classic British war-film tradition
Five Graves to Cairo
shared World War II suspense, desert environment, espionage elements, and escalating distrust within a small group
The Cruel Sea
shared black-and-white wartime realism, dangerous journey structure, and pressure-cooker group dynamics
Movie Details
- Director
- J. Lee Thompson
- Release Date
- 1958-06-24
- Runtime
- 125 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (108)
Cast
- John Mills
- Sylvia Syms
- Anthony Quayle
- Harry Andrews
- Diane Clare
- Richard Leech
- Liam Redmond
- Allan Cuthbertson
- David Lodge
- Michael Nightingale
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- BFI Player Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Ice Cold in Alex about?
- A battered wartime ambulance crew battles the North African desert, enemy danger, and fraying trust in pursuit of a hard-earned celebration.
- What is Ice Cold in Alex like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Ice Cold in Alex as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Ice Cold in Alex violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Ice Cold in Alex as moderate.
- What did critics think of Ice Cold in Alex?
- The film was broadly successful with audiences and awards bodies, with its wartime adventure format and popular box-office appeal establishing it as a notable British hit.
- Which films are like Ice Cold in Alex?
- Films with a similar feel include Sahara, The Way Ahead, Five Graves to Cairo, and The Cruel Sea.
- How long is Ice Cold in Alex?
- Ice Cold in Alex runs 125 minutes.
- Where can I watch Ice Cold in Alex?
- In United States, Ice Cold in Alex streams on BFI Player Amazon Channel.
