CAIRO ROAD

UK, 1950, 95 minutes, Black and white.

Eric Portman, Laurence Harvey Harold Lang, Gregoire Aslan, Karl Stepanek, John Gregson, Marne Maitland, Abraham Sofaer.

Directed by David McDonald.

With the British film industry building itself after World War II, a number of action features were filmed on location. They drew on the talented cast of British supporting players, veterans like Eric Portman and emerging stars, as here, Laurence Harvey and John Gregson.

Filming was done in Egypt. However, the very British leads were meant to be Egyptian police authorities (with British accents). Eric Portman could always show that he was in command of the situation, serious-minded, clear diction, often relentless. Laurence Harvey, in an early film, played the earnest subordinate, eager to please, continually making mistakes.

The central theme is drug running, interesting from a later point of view to see drugs and dealers in the earlier part of the 20^th century.

There is a murder of businessman, police investigations, the raid on a ship, various chases, two guilty brothers, turning on each other, more murders and then the solution.

1. Title and the focus of Egypt’s, Egypt 1950, location photography and atmosphere, black-and-white photography? The musical score?
2. The drug situation, the role of the police, personalities, methods, local, international connections? The range of drug dealers, their backgrounds, local, international?
3. Eric Portman as the commander, age, experience, manner, his attitude towards his assistant, the other members of staff, expectations? In action, shrewd, follow through, investigations?
4. Laurence Harvey as the newcomer, married, from Paris, eager to please, his theories, putting them into action, his mistakes, the stealing of the vehicle, often with success?
5. The range of local characters, businessmen, the murders, the brothers, one in prison, the ship, the captain of the ship, the surveillance by the Coast Guard and personnel?
6. The details of the transport of the drugs, by ship, by road, camels…?
7. Struggles within the group, controls, betrayals, murders, mistakes? And the final solution?