Film Dope


Candlelight in Algeria

George King
Director
British Aviation Pictures
Studio
British Lion
Studio

Enjoyable WW2 adventure set in 1942 Algeria, sort of a quota quickie Casablanca, with Mason a British spy on the run from the Nazis.

Some of it is quite good, including the Allied landing by submarine, based on the real-life Operation Flagpole, but what is good is let down a bit by other factors, including a lacklustre female lead, some large plot holes (wouldn't the first thing one would do with an arrested female spy is check her purse?), and far too much untranslated French and German dialogue. A weird tendency to lead up to action scenes, but then not have said action scenes happen on camera, doesn't help. Still, if you ever wanted to see James Mason in a fez, this is the film for you. Walter Rilla is the best thing in this film, and when the main Nazi is the best thing about a British war film, that's perhaps not a good sign.

As much as I admire this film's detail and accuracy, it has to be poined out that though Lovell's character is consistently called Oberst (Colonel), he's wearing a Generalmajor's rank insignia.

P.S.: The copyright on the title shot reads '1913' in Roman numerals. Oops!

-Dave W.

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7th December 1943
Cinema



86 mins
1.37:1

James Mason
Captain Alan Thurston
Carla Lehmann
Susan Ann Foster
Raymond Lovell
Oberst Gottlieb Von Alven
Enid Stamp-Taylor
Maritza
Walter Rilla
Dr. Muller
Pamela Stirling
Yvette
Lea Seidl
Sister in Tunis Hospital
Sybilla Binder
Café Toutgout Proprietress
Hella Kurty
Maritza's Maid
Paul Bonifas
M. Briset, French Proprietor of the Lonely House
Leslie Bradley
Capitaine Henri de Lange
Harold Berens
Toni
Cot D'Ordan
Hotel Desk Clerk
Richard George
Lt. Commander Matthews
Meinhart Maur
Otto Schultz
Jacques Metadier
Elderly French Officer
(unsure)
Michel Morel
Police Commissioner
(actually a Lieutenant)
Bart Norman
Major General Mark Clark
Richard Molinas
French Sergeant
MacDonald Parke
American Agent
Graham Penley
Pierre
John Slater
American Colonel
Paul Sheridan
Plainclothes Detective
Berkeley Schultz
Commando Captain
Albert Whelan
Kadour
Christiane De Maurin
Mediterranee Singer
(as Christiane de Murin)
Cecile Chevreau
Sister in Tunis Hospital
(uncredited)
Unknown 2846-03
French Soldier
Unknown 2846-04
French Soldier
Unknown 2846-05
French Soldier
Earl Cameron
Passerby
(unconfirmed)
Oscar Nation
Algiers Railway Porter
(uncredited)
Unknown 2846-06
Café Toutgout Patron
Unknown 2846-07
Café Toutgout Patron
Unknown 2846-08
Café Toutgout Patron
Unknown 2846-09
Café Toutgout Patron
Unknown 2846-10
Café Toutgout Patron
Unknown 2846-11
Café Toutgout Patron
Unknown 2846-12
Café Toutgout Patron
Unknown 2846-01
Consulate Secretary
Unknown 2846-13
Restaurant Patron
Jim Morris
Dancing French Officer
Unknown 2846-14
Maître d'
Unknown 2846-15
Waiter
Leonie Lamartine
Ladies' Room Attendant
(uncredited)
Unknown 2846-16
Detective
Unknown 2846-17
Agent in Armistice Commission Office
Unknown 2846-18
Agent in Armistice Commission Office
Unknown 2846-19
Submarine Sailor
Unknown 2846-20
American Captain
Beckett Bould
French General
(uncredited)
Unknown 2846-21
American Officer
Unknown 2846-22
American Officer
Gerhard Kempinski
Muller's Assistant
(uncredited)
Unknown 2846-23
French Policeman
Unknown 2846-24
French Policeman
Unknown 2846-25
French Officer
Unknown 2846-26
Muller's Driver
Unknown 2846-02
Pilot
Trefor Jones
Voice: Serenade Singer in Casbah
(uncredited)
Eric L'Epine Smith
Undetermined Minor Role
(uncredited)