Enjoyable police procedural about efforts to catch drug smugglers in Egypt, with Portman in fine form as the obsessive police commissioner, and a very young Harvey as one of the naivest rookie cops ever portrayed on film. Has a tendency to descend into the stridency of a Victorian reformer's cant at times, though, and Oscar Quitak’s hysterical performance as a Bedouin “boy” briefly derails the entire film. Interesting to see Egypt at a much different phase of its history.

Originally screencapped from poor quality source 11 November 2013; redone from DVD 02 November 2023.