South of Algiers
Encyclopedia
South of Algiers is a 1953
British adventure film, directed by Jack Lee
and starring Van Heflin
, Wanda Hendrix
and Eric Portman
. It is based on an original screenplay by Robert Westerby
, and was partly filmed on location in Algeria
.
, is obsessed with finding the legendary and priceless Golden Mask of Moloch, believed to be buried in the lost tomb of a Roman general somewhere in the Algerian desert. He plans his latest expedition of discovery, but lacks funds to pay for an archaeologist to accompany him. He learns from the museum curator that Nicholas Chapman (Heflin), an American author of popular archaeology books, is eager to go along and work without pay, on the understanding that he will be able to publish his experiences in magazine articles and book form. Burnet is dubious of Chapman's expertise and good-faith, but finally agrees to let him join the party.
Unknown to them, Burnet and Chapman are accompanied on their flight to Algiers by unscrupulous fortune hunter Petris (Charles Goldner
) and his sidekick Kress (Jacques B. Brunius
), who are just as keen to get their hands on the mask, but in their case purely for financial reasons. On arrival in Algiers, Burnet meets up with his daughter Anne (Hendrix) and her boyfriend Jacques (Jacques François), whose father is the curator of the local museum of antiquities. Chapman is attracted to Anne, but she finds his forwardness offputting. That evening, Chapman goes alone to a nightclub, where Kress homes in on him, plies him with drink and introduces him to a sultry belly dancer. After a very enjoyable evening, Chapman returns to his hotel room to find his belongings have been ransacked and his maps stolen.
The Burnet party sets out across the Sahara by camel and are beset by dangers including windstorms and attacks by hostile desert nomads. They finally reach the secret tombs, and narrowly escape with their lives when a roof collapses as they excavate. Petris and Kress show up and force Chapman to reveal the location of the tomb. They hatch a plan to kill Burnet and his party to claim the mask for themselves. However Chapman proves to be more than their match and saves the day.
With Petris and Kress taken care of, the mask is found safely. Anne realises that she has fallen in love with Chapman, while Jacques magnanimously concedes that they make a good pair. Burnet admits that he was wrong to doubt Chapman's credentials, and sets about transferring the mask safely to London.
1953 in film
The year 1953 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*September 16 — The Robe debuts as the first anamorphic, widescreen CinemaScope film.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:A...
British adventure film, directed by Jack Lee
Jack Lee (film director)
Jack Lee was a film director, writer, editor and producer.Wilfred John Raymond Lee was born in the village of Slad near Stroud in Gloucestershire...
and starring Van Heflin
Van Heflin
Emmett Evan "Van" Heflin, Jr. was an American film and theatre actor. He played mostly character parts over the course of his film career, but during the 1940s had a string of roles as a leading man...
, Wanda Hendrix
Wanda Hendrix
Wanda Hendrix was an American film and television actress.Born Dixie Wanda Hendrix in Jacksonville, Florida, Hendrix was performing in her local amateur theater when she was seen by a talent agent who signed her to a Hollywood contract...
and Eric Portman
Eric Portman
Eric Portman was a distinguished English stage and film actor...
. It is based on an original screenplay by Robert Westerby
Robert Westerby
Robert Westerby , was an author of novels and screenwriter for films and television....
, and was partly filmed on location in Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
.
Plot
Doctor Burnet (Portman), a scholar of ancient history at the British MuseumBritish Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
, is obsessed with finding the legendary and priceless Golden Mask of Moloch, believed to be buried in the lost tomb of a Roman general somewhere in the Algerian desert. He plans his latest expedition of discovery, but lacks funds to pay for an archaeologist to accompany him. He learns from the museum curator that Nicholas Chapman (Heflin), an American author of popular archaeology books, is eager to go along and work without pay, on the understanding that he will be able to publish his experiences in magazine articles and book form. Burnet is dubious of Chapman's expertise and good-faith, but finally agrees to let him join the party.
Unknown to them, Burnet and Chapman are accompanied on their flight to Algiers by unscrupulous fortune hunter Petris (Charles Goldner
Charles Goldner
Charles Goldner was an Austrian-born actor who appeared in a number of British films during the 1940s and 1950s. Born in Vienna, Austria on 7 December 1900, he made his screen debut in the 1940 film Room for Two and went on to appear in Brighton Rock, No Orchids for Miss Blandish, Bond Street and...
) and his sidekick Kress (Jacques B. Brunius
Jacques B. Brunius
Jacques B. Brunius, French actor, director and writer, was born Jacques Henri Cottance in Paris on September 16, 1906, died Exeter, Devon , on April 24, 1967. He was cremated in Sidmouth, with a tribute by Mesens....
), who are just as keen to get their hands on the mask, but in their case purely for financial reasons. On arrival in Algiers, Burnet meets up with his daughter Anne (Hendrix) and her boyfriend Jacques (Jacques François), whose father is the curator of the local museum of antiquities. Chapman is attracted to Anne, but she finds his forwardness offputting. That evening, Chapman goes alone to a nightclub, where Kress homes in on him, plies him with drink and introduces him to a sultry belly dancer. After a very enjoyable evening, Chapman returns to his hotel room to find his belongings have been ransacked and his maps stolen.
The Burnet party sets out across the Sahara by camel and are beset by dangers including windstorms and attacks by hostile desert nomads. They finally reach the secret tombs, and narrowly escape with their lives when a roof collapses as they excavate. Petris and Kress show up and force Chapman to reveal the location of the tomb. They hatch a plan to kill Burnet and his party to claim the mask for themselves. However Chapman proves to be more than their match and saves the day.
With Petris and Kress taken care of, the mask is found safely. Anne realises that she has fallen in love with Chapman, while Jacques magnanimously concedes that they make a good pair. Burnet admits that he was wrong to doubt Chapman's credentials, and sets about transferring the mask safely to London.
Cast
- Van HeflinVan HeflinEmmett Evan "Van" Heflin, Jr. was an American film and theatre actor. He played mostly character parts over the course of his film career, but during the 1940s had a string of roles as a leading man...
as Nicholas Chapman - Wanda HendrixWanda HendrixWanda Hendrix was an American film and television actress.Born Dixie Wanda Hendrix in Jacksonville, Florida, Hendrix was performing in her local amateur theater when she was seen by a talent agent who signed her to a Hollywood contract...
as Anne Burnet - Eric PortmanEric PortmanEric Portman was a distinguished English stage and film actor...
as Doctor Burnet - Charles GoldnerCharles GoldnerCharles Goldner was an Austrian-born actor who appeared in a number of British films during the 1940s and 1950s. Born in Vienna, Austria on 7 December 1900, he made his screen debut in the 1940 film Room for Two and went on to appear in Brighton Rock, No Orchids for Miss Blandish, Bond Street and...
as Petris - Jacques B. BruniusJacques B. BruniusJacques B. Brunius, French actor, director and writer, was born Jacques Henri Cottance in Paris on September 16, 1906, died Exeter, Devon , on April 24, 1967. He was cremated in Sidmouth, with a tribute by Mesens....
as Kress - Jacques François as Jacques Farnod
- Aubrey MatherAubrey MatherAubrey Mather was an English character actor.Mather began his career on the stage in 1905. He debuted in London in Brewster's Millions in 1909 and on Broadway ten years later in Luck of the Navy. He eventually branched out to films, starting with Young Woodley in 1930...
as Professor Young - Simone SilvaSimone SilvaSimone Silva was an Egyptian-born French film actress who appeared in a handful of British B-movies during the 1950s. Silva, who was once quoted as saying she would "do anything" to get in the newspapers, was known however less for her acting than for her voluptuous figure and shameless...
as Zara - Marne MaitlandMarne MaitlandJames Marne Maitland was an Anglo-Indian character actor in British films and television programmes.He made his film debut in Cairo Road , and went onto be type cast as villains from the Far East, particularly for Hammer Film Productions...
as Thankyou - George PastellGeorge PastellGeorge Pastell was a Cypriot character actor in British films and television programmes. His real name was George Pastellides....
as Hassan - Alec MangoAlec MangoAlec Mango was an English actor. He is best known for portraying El Supremo in the 1951 Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N., he also appeared in South of Algiers , The Strange World of Planet X , The 7th Voyage of Sinbad , Danger Man , and Frankenstein Created Woman, .-Selected filmography:* They Who...
as Mahmoud
External links
- South of Algiers at BFI Film & TV Database