In Morocco, the crime boss Sil Hassein helps his doctor friend Enrique
to win the trust of his patients. Enrique proves himself by
curing Saadia, who has been bewitched by a sorceress. Saadia
repays Enrique by visiting a tribal chief and recovering a plague
vaccine which he stole. Saadia kills the chief and ends up being
pursued, along with Sil Hassein and Enrique, by the entire tribe.
Script: Francis D'Autheville (novel),
Albert Lewin
Cinematographer: Christopher Challis
Music: Bronislau Kaper
Cast: Cornel Wilde (Si Lahssen),
Mel Ferrer (Henrik),
Rita Gam (Saadia),
Michel Simon (Bou Rezza),
Cyril Cusack (Khadir),
Wanda Rotha (Fatima),
Marcel Poncin (Moha),
Anthony Marlowe (Capt. Sabert),
Hélène Vallier (Zoubida),
Mahjoub Ben Brahim (Ahmed),
Jacques Dufilho (Bandit leader),
Bernard Farrel (Lt. Camuzac),
Richard Johnson (Lt. Girard),
Peter Copley (Leader Mokhazenis),
Marne Maitland (Horse dealer),
Eddie Leslie (Villager),
Harold Kasket (Cheikh of Inimert),
Peter Bull (Village potentate),
Abdallah Mennebhi (Brahim)
Country: USA
Language: English
Support: Color
Runtime: 82 min
The best of American film noir
In the 1940s, the shadowy, skewed visual style of 1920s German expressionism was taken up by directors of American thrillers and psychological dramas, creating that distinctive film noir look.
With so many great films to choose from, it's nigh on impossible to compile a short-list of the best 15 French films of all time - but here's our feeble attempt to do just that.