A work in constant progress (and occasional regress).
Featuring:
Yul Brynner, Sal Mineo, Jack Warden
Written by:
Michael Barrett
Robin Estridge
Dudley Nichols
Directed by:
Ronald Neame
Release Date:
May 23, 1962
Original Title:
Escape from Zahrain
Alternate Titles:
Fuga de Zahrain
Genres:
Action | Adventure | Drama
Production Companies:
Paramount Pictures
Production Countries:
United States of America
Ratings / Certifications:
DE: 12 IE: G
Runtime: 93
Yul Brynner plays political leader Sharif who is sprung from a police van on his way to a firing squad by young loyalists led by Sal Mineo. Yul and the other prisoners kidnap an ambulance and head into the Arabian desert with the police in hot pursuit. All the performances are magnificent: Sal Mineo showing his acting talents, Jack Warden in a wiseguy performance as an employee of Zahrain oil who was involved in embezzlement, Anthony Caruso as a slimy psychotic and the underrated Madlyn Rhue as a nurse who becomes emotionally involved in the proceedings.
During the 1960s, in a fictitious strife-ridden Arab nation, captured revolutionary nationalist leader Sharif is being transported to a prison for execution. The police van transporting him to the prison is attacked by Sharif's fanatical followers. Ahmed, the leader of the students' revolt frees Sharif along with three other prisoners. Among them is Huston, an American who has embezzled money from the Zahrain Oil Company. The fugitives capture an ambulance and its nurse, Laila. They flee from the city toward the border but during their trek across the desert, the convict Hassan is killed in a police ambush. A romance starts between Ahmed, the student leader and Laila, the ambulance nurse. Unfortunately, Ahmed is later killed by a government strafing fighter plane. Later, Tahar, another convict, is also killed.The three lone survivors are Laila, Sharif and Huston. Will they reach their destination?
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Art Direction:
Hal Pereira
Eddie Imazu
Assistant Director:
Tom Connors Jr.
Associate Producer:
Francisco Day
Costume Design:
Edith Head
Director:
Ronald Neame
Director of Photography:
Ellsworth Fredericks
Editor:
Eda Warren
Hair Supervisor:
Nellie Manley
Makeup Supervisor:
Wally Westmore
Novel:
Michael Barrett
Original Music Composer:
Lyn Murray
Producer:
Ronald Neame
Screenplay:
Robin Estridge
Second Unit Director:
Francisco Day
Second Unit Director of Photography:
Irmin Roberts
Set Decoration:
Frank R. McKelvy
Sam Comer
Sound Recordist:
Charles Grenzbach
Gene Merritt
Stunts:
Bob Herron
Writer:
Dudley Nichols
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