This 1949 thriller with a noir sensibility, set in the unforgiving desert badlands and cutthroat diamond trade of South Africa, is notable for—among other things—reuniting Casablanca cast members Claude Rains, Paul Henreid, and Peter Lorre. Star billing, however, goes to Burt Lancaster, who plays Mike Davis, an American whose thoughts turn vengeful after an earlier trespassing incident on property owned by the Colonial Diamond Company—one that led to mistreatment at the hands of the sadistic head of security, police commandant Paul Vogel (Henreid in a striking about-face from his honorable Casablanca character). Returning to recover the hidden treasure that he found during his previous adventure, Davis is again subject to interrogation, but this time company exec Arthur Martingale (Rains) attempts to obtain information by way of seduction in the form of mercenary gold-digger and femme fatale Suzanne Renaud (French actress Corinne Calvet), who—it turns out—is also seeking to blackmail Martingale. Lorre turns up as a minor character named Toady, a perpetual drunk who befriends Davis. Director William Dieterle deftly sinks his teeth into the competitive game of double-crossing and betrayal in this engaging Hollywood adventure that is waiting to be rediscovered. Recommended. (S. Axmaker)
Rope of Sand
Olive, 104 min., not rated, Blu-ray: $29.95 Volume 30, Issue 2
Rope of Sand
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