West of Suez

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West of Suez
"West of Suez" (1957).jpg
U.S. theatrical poster
Directed by Arthur Crabtree
Screenplay by Norman Hudis
Based onan original story by Charles F. Vetter (as Lance Hargreaves)
and Norman Hudis
Produced by Richard Gordon
Starring Keefe Brasselle
Cinematography Walter J. Harvey (as James Harvey)
Edited by Peter Mayhew
Music by Wilfred Burns (uncredited)
Production
company
Distributed byAstral (UK)
Release date
1957
Running time
74 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

West of Suez (U.S. title The Fighting Wildcats) is a 1957 British drama film directed by Arthur Crabtree and starring Keefe Brasselle, Kay Callard and Karel Stepanek. [1] [2] The screenplay was by Norman Hudis from a story by Hudis and Charles F. Vetter (as Lance Hargreaves).

Contents

Premise

An adventurer is hired to assassinate the leader of an Arab movement advocating peace, but is unable to complete his mission.

Cast

Production

Braselle was meant to direct as well as star but could not get a permit to do so from the British trade union, so producer Richard Gordon replaced him with Arthur Crabtree. [3]

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "This Anglo-American thriller contains plenty of vigorous action, but the story has many weaknesses, and the characterisation is thinly conventional. Of the international cast, Keefe Brasselle makes an effective Brett and Karel Stepanek is suavely sinister as the German conspirator Langford. Above average camerawork shows off the Middle East backgrounds to good effect." [4]

TV Guide called it an "okay suspense story with a dull romantic subplot." [5]

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References

  1. ↑ "West of Suez". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  2. ↑ "West of Suez". BFI. Archived from the original on 16 January 2009.
  3. ↑ Tom Weaver, The Horror Hits of Richard Gordon, Bear Manor Media 2011 p 18
  4. ↑ "West of Suez". The Monthly Film Bulletin . 24 (276): 35. 1 January 1957 – via ProQuest.
  5. ↑ "The Fighting Wildcats". TVGuide.com.
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