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Surprisingly violent for 1949, Rope of Sand is a middling adventure yarn -- nothing special, but certainly entertaining enough when there's nothing else on the tube. As is so often the case, it's the screenplay that keeps Rope from being a better film. All of the ingredients for a good thriller are here, but they're slightly stale. They also seem to be thrown in somewhat at random, not because the story demands it but because the writers couldn't really come up with anything better. Director William Dieterle does the best he can with the material, and his work is fine -- but he still can't keep the film from dragging a little too often. Also working against the film is the female lead. Corinne Calvet is attractive and has some appealing qualities, but she's too weak a presence to hold such a key role, especially against an actor of such power as Burt Lancaster. Fortunately, the rest of the cast are more than up to their roles, and the contributions of Lancaster, Claude Rains, Peter Lorre, and Paul Henreid are the biggest assets of the film. Lancaster, Rains, and Lorre are good playing familiar roles, but the big surprise is Henreid, who's cast against type as a sadistic villain -- and plays the role with great brio.
Condition:NEW. Brand New Factory Sealed
Product Details
Actors: Peter Lorre, Burt Lancaster, Paul Henreid, Sam Jaffe
Language: English
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number of discs: 1
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Olive Films
DVD Release Date: December 23, 2014
Run Time: 104 minutes
Cast & Crew
Burt Lancaster Mike Davis
Paul Henreid Commandant Paul Vogel
Claude Rains Arthur Martingale
Peter Lorre Toady
Sam Jaffe Dr. Francis Hunter
John Bromfield Thompson
Mike Mazurki Pierson
Kenny Washington John
Corinne Calvet Suzanne Renaud
Edmund Breon Chairman
Everett Brown
Harry Cording
Art Foster Guard
Carl Harbord Operator of Perseus Club
David Hoffman Waiter
Darby Jones Batsuma Chief
Josef Marais South African Veldt Singer
Ida Moore Woman
Nestor Paiva Ship's Captain
Georges Renavent Jacques the Headwaiter
James R. Scott Clerk
Trevor Ward Switchboard Operator
Blackie Whiteford
Martin Wilkins
Hayden Rorke Ingram
David Thursby Henry the Bartender
Jozsef Mariass Josef Marais
Technical Credits
William Dieterle Director
Franz Bachelin Art Director
Sam Comer Set Decoration/Design
Walter Doniger Original Story, Screenwriter
Hans Dreier Art Director
Grace Gregory Set Decoration/Design
Edith Head Costumes/Costume Designer
Gordon Jennigns Special Effects
Charles B. Lang Cinematographer
Warren Low Editor
Josef Marais Songwriter
Carl Silvera Makeup
Hal B. Wallis Producer
Franz Waxman Score Composer
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