The Spiral Road

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The Spiral Road
The Spiral Road FilmPoster.jpeg
Directed by Robert Mulligan
Screenplay byJohn Lee Mahir
Neil Paterson
Based onthe novel by Jan de Hartog
Produced by Robert Arthur
Starring
Cinematography Russell Harlan
Edited byRussell F. Schoengarth
Music by Jerry Goldsmith
Color process Eastmancolor
Production
company
Universal Pictures
Distributed by Universal International
Release date
  • August 3, 1962 (1962-08-03)(New York City)
Running time
140 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$2 million (US/Canada) [1]

The Spiral Road is a 1962 American adventure-drama film directed by Robert Mulligan and starring Rock Hudson, Burl Ives, Gena Rowlands, and Geoffrey Keen. [2] [3] The film was released by Universal-International in the United States in 1962, the same year that Mulligan's other movie To Kill a Mockingbird became a critical and commercial success.

Contents

The movie was filmed in Suriname and was shot in Eastmancolor.

Plot

Dr. Anton Drager travels to Java to study the effects of leprosy under an expert on the subject, Dr. Brits Jansen. The two physicians have many of the same views scientifically, but are philosophically a mismatch because of Drager's atheism and Jansen's Christianity.

After being married to his sweetheart Els, Drager must trek into the jungle to track down Frolick, a drunken river master who is lost. Frolick has been driven mad by a shaman called Burubi. Drager eventually comes across Frolick, but ends up killing him in self-defense.

After rescuing another doctor, in the same region, Anton becomes lost in the wild. He nearly dies and has lapsed into a coma by the time he is rescued. Drager's ordeal comes to change his perceptions, turning him into a Christian.

Cast

Reception

While many critics and audiences were impressed with the setting and scenery of the film, there was general consensus that the script was lacking [4] and that Mulligan's other films, particularly To Kill a Mockingbird , were better.

Michael E. Grost of Classic Film and Television wrote: "Weird but wildly inventive tale of doctors in the jungle, with good visuals." [5] [6]

Home media

Universal released this film on DVD in 2006 as part of the 'Rock Hudson Screen Legend Collection, a three-disc set featuring four other films ( Has Anybody Seen My Gal? , A Very Special Favor , The Golden Blade , and The Last Sunset ). Universal then re-released this film in 2015 as a stand-alone DVD as part of its Universal Vault Series. There is also a Region 2 DVD release of this film.

See also

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References

  1. "Big Rental Pictures of 1962". Variety. 9 Jan 1963. p. 13. Please note these are rentals and not gross figures
  2. "Portal Rasmi Arkib Negara Malaysia".
  3. ms:Ibrahim Pendek
  4. "Movie Reviews". The New York Times. 18 February 2022.
  5. "The Films of Robert Mulligan - by Michael e. Grost".
  6. "The Spiral Road". Rotten Tomatoes .