Cairo Road (1950) User Reviews

Confusing plot and lame climax

[malcolmgsw · 4/10 · 12 September 2013]

this film is set in the Egyptian narcotics bureau.It is commanded by the astringent Eric Portman and he is assisted by neophyte Laurence Harvey.At first the film is reasonably interesting,particularly as it was made on location in Egypt.However the plot becomes too complex and i rapidly lost interest in the proceedings.The climax when it comes is so lame it is unbelievably bad.Difficult to understand why they could allow such a feeble ending to a dranatic story.Portman gives his standard performance eg Millions Like Us.Harvey plays the sort of role that he could do in his sleep.Generally this film is a great disappointment.

Plodding

[Leofwine_draca · 4/10 · 17 July 2019]

CAIRO ROAD is one of those 'exotic' police films that were all the rare in the 1950s. These invariably involved British actors dressing up in costume and brown face to play variously Arabic or Asian characters in local-set mysteries. This one is no exception, with police chief Eric Portman investigating drug peddling with the aide of his young assistant, Laurence Harvey. The film plods along at a wearying pace without much in the way of effort, and the only life comes from typically well-judged but minor turns from character actors like Eric Pohlmann and Marne Maitland.

Don't Worry! The Camel Corps Will Get Them.

[spookyrat1 · 4/10 · 22 August 2018]

A somewhat amusing Brit police procedural, filmed in Egypt, with British actors, filling the key roles, playing (mainly) Egyptian police officers. Curious viewers may wish to see a fresh-faced Lawrence Harvey in an early role, playing second banana to Eric Portman's "Arab" Sherlock, as they both chase down shady North African drug pushers, who don't rule out murder to achieve their aims.Being set in the land of the pharaohs, the film features plenty of fezzes, camels, goats and bazaars, but perhaps somewhat unexpectedly, no pyramids. Some will find the movie more humorous than suspenseful, with the lead European actors never convincing us of their Egyptian origins, especially when compared to their native support colleagues, who more obviously fit the bill. The noirish-influenced black and white principal photography is certainly not the worst aspect of this rarely seen film.

Enjoyable Detective Programmer

[Space_Mafune · 7/10 · 22 March 2003]

This is a detective programmer involving a Narcotics division located in Egypt. Col. Youssef Bey (Eric Portman) and Lieutenant Mourad (Laurence Harvey) are trying hard to bring down an illegal drug-smuggling ring lead by the Pavlis Brothers. This film champions the police and its methods and looks very harshly at the illegal drug trade. There's some neat twists and surprises here in terms of plot. Portman, Harvey and Harold Lang stand out in their roles. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this movie.

Lousy acting

[markoskast · 2/10 · 18 September 2021]

Interesting movie, lousy acting. Especially toward the end when officer Mourad's vehicle is stollen by the mastermind of the operation due to his stupidity, he is sent home and tells all about his failure, in total apathy, his wife who is cheerful and smiling like it's the happiest day of her life. That scene...Rarely you see worse acting. Even for a 1950 movie.

Way too stiff upper lips

[dierregi · 2/10 · 28 October 2021]

The movie seems - to a foreigner - like a parody of British cool. The plot revolves around a couple of anti-narc Egyptian police officers, played by British actors Portman and Harvey with unlikely stiff upper lips.

The two are cold and emotionless to the point of grotesque. Harvey is especially bad as a junior officer messing up a major operation against narcotic smugglers.

It's a decent plot, set in motion by the murder of a businessman, associated with the smugglers, two brothers one of which jailed and about to get released. Unfortunately, the pace is incredibly slow and lacking any tense or suspenseful moment.

The scene with the camel troops is an additional oddity, even if it is supposed to celebrate the work of the Egyptian police.