Darrow

Dear Brit Movie Buffs,
In the film "Ice Cold In Alex" can anyone tell me how or why "Katie" a standard K2 Ambulance in the desert, suddenly turns into a 4X4 vehicle at the quicksands? Being sad and not getting out much this bothers me.

christoph404

I haven't really noticed that in the film, I would assume that there were a number of vehicles being used as "Katie" as is often the case when a film features a vehicle as a main "character" so if they used a 4x4 disguised as an ambulance in some scenes I would have thought the practical and obvious reason for that is that a 4x4 can drive through deep sand more easily! I wouldn't let it bother you too much, its just the illusion and magic of film making and you are not supposed to notice these things!!....but well spotted anyway.....

DB7

I take it it's a rear-wheel drive? And that in the film the front wheels were spinning?

Automotivehistorian

They apparently mounted a body off an Austin K2/Y* and stuck it on a Canadian Military Pattern 4x4 chassis. Odd really as they could have used a genuine CMP ambulance! I gather that when they actually get to Alexandria, there are at least two vehicles in shot that are several years younger than wartime!


*Officially "Ambulance 4x2".

DB7

Isn't the CMP blunt-nosed whereas the K2 has a nose?

Automotivehistorian

Quite so! Semi-forward control in both cases, though the Austin had more of a "bonnet".

Darrow

On getting this info I had a quick look at Bart Vanderveen's Bible and think the most likely CMP vehicle would be the Chevrolet C30. It has the same wheelbase and the engine would be roughly the same size. I missed the most recent showing on TV but seem to remember that the front wheels looked a lttle odd for a K2.
Thanks again for the info it explains a lot, but why did they do it?

Sam Webster

There's a series 1 landrover right at the end of the film, these were not made before 1948.

The ambulance changes from a 4x2 to a 4x4 in some shots too.

Automotivehistorian

Could be a C30 or even Ford F30...the wheels are smaller at 16 inches than the 3-tonner Chevrolet C60S/Ford F60S with the same wheelbases. However. I am sure that the under-bonnet scenes show a straight six, not a Ford flathead V-8.

Darrow

The lines of Bedford QLs in the scene where Johnny Mill's CO gets zapped are a little bit iffey for that period of WW11 the film is set in. Dont get me wrong though I still think its a great film and would watch it after the pub this afternoon, except of course if "Hell Drivers" was being shown on another channel.

Automotivehistorian

QLs were indeed used in the desert, during and after the war. I agree it is perhaps "stretching" things as to authenticity but the trucks were clearly to hand at the time.

The other film that gets the pulses racing is GENNEVIEVE, as there are some classic vehicle shots that are now pure nostlagia. QLs would of course have been very much on active service at the time that that filsm was made.

Darrow

In fact I spend to much time watching what is going past in old films and missing a lot of the action.

homeguard

In this month's Classic and Vintage Commercials Magazine (July 2008) there is a good four page article about this great movie, and not just about the vehicles. Plenty of pictures too. I didn't know that the 'Ice Cold' was supposed to be Rheingold beer, but after trying ordinary ginger beer (which didn't look right as the colour was wrong - black and white film??), Carlesberg was used instead. Evidently John Mills had to drink 14 glasses of the stuff before they were happy with the shot in the bar!

Regards,
HG

christoph404

Sylvia Syms has been very forthcoming about events surrounding the lager drinking scene in the film. It was decided not to use the original German beer (Rheingold) as the film makers didn't want the characters to be seen enjoying drinking German beer, hence the distinctive Carlsberg glass with logo.John Mills did indeed get smashed while filming the scene, in the 1980s Carlsberg used the clip as it was for a TV commercial and Svlvia Syms got paid £30k for granting permission, she has not divulged what John Mills and Harry Andrews were paid for using the clip, Im guessing Mills would have got more than that, not bad little earner as it turned out.

Harleybloke

...............Darrow isn't the only one needing to 'get out more'..............

.....You couldn't hear it, if they were shooting at me with howitzers!