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"CANDLELIGHT IN ALGERIA"


Released by Pathéscope Ltd. in August 1951 on 9.5mm optical sound as T.9690 (9 reels)

The first 9 reel feature issued by Pathéscope in the UK. The 9.5mm optical sound print runs about 74 minutes. Also one of a series of better quality titles released to help the sale of the new Pathé Pax 9.5mm optical sound projector and in preparation for the launch of the new UK made "Son" 9.5mm optical sound projector a year or so later.

The slight shortening for 9.5mm (and maybe the New Realm re-issue?) was cleverly achieved by trimming various scenes slightly, especially towards the end. On 9.5mm the titles are shortened with the song credits removed for example. Next at around 23 minutes, a short scene outside the cafe where the girl Susan Foster, is offered postcards etc. by a street salesman is removed (probably done by Pathéscope - no dirty postcards on 9.5mm!). Later in the Casbah, where James Mason and Carla Lehmann pause for a quick cuddle with a romantic tune in the background, whilst being chased by the Nazis, is also sensibly cut!



"CANDLELIGHT IN ALGERIA" GB 1943     A George King Production  
 Directed by: George King            Produced by: John Stafford
 Photography: Otto Heller            Edited by: Winifred Cooper
 Music: Roy Douglas,James Turner     Musical Director:Jack Beaver
 Songs: Hans May and Muriel Watson
 Original Story by: Dorothy Hope
 Screenplay by: Katherine Strueby, Brock Williams
 Additional Dialogue by: John Clements
 British Aviation Films Ltd          Released by: British Lion
 (Re-issued in the UK by New Realm in 1946)
 85 minutes B/W "U" certificate (approx. 74 minutes on 9.5mm)

Technical Credits:
 Art Director:       Norman Arnold      Make-up Artist:     Gerry Fletcher 
 Camera Operator:    Gus Drisse         Exterior Cameraman: Patrick Guy
 Sound Supervisor:   Ernest A. Royle    Sound Recordist:    Cecil V. Thornton
 Editing Supervisor: Terence Fisher     Editor:             Winifred Cooper
 RCA sound (Re-recorded variable density on 9.5mm)
 
Cast:
 James Mason    - Alan Thurston    Carla Lehmann   - Susan Foster
 Walter Rilla   - Dr Muller        Raymond Lovell  - Von Alven
 Enid Stamp Taylor - Maritza       Pamela Sterling - Yvette
 Lea Seidi      - Sister           Sybilla Binder  - Woman
 Hella Kurty    - Maid             Paul Bonifas    - Owner
 Leslie Bradley - Henri de Lange   Harold Berens   - Toni
 Richard George - Skipper          Meinhart Maur   - Schulz
 Bart Norman    - Gen.Mark Clark   Macdonald Parke - American
 John Slater    - Officer          Albert Whelan   - Kadour
 Christiane de Murin - Singer      Paul Sheridan, Jacques Metadier
 Berkeley Schultz, Graham Penley, Richard Molinas, Cecile Chevreau
 Got d'Ordan, Eric L'Epine Smith

Musical numbers, sung by Christiane de Murin:
 "It's Love" words & music by Muriel Watson & Jack Denby. French lyric by: G. Arbis
 "Flamme D'Amour" music by Hans May, lyric by Alan Stranks. French lyric by: G. Arbis
 (only "Flamme D'Amour" is in the 9.5mm optical sound print)

"Allied and German agents seek a priceless piece of film, deposited in Algeria, which reveals the exact location of a meeting of Allied leaders to determine the counter invasion of North Africa. British Agent Alan Thurston (James Mason) shoots his way out of the Casbah with the film, his warning to Allied officers on the coast saves the lives of patriots liasing with a British submarine in readiness for the invasion. Slick tough-hero thriller. ". (David Quinlan - British Sound Films) - he gave the film four out of five stars!

"This picture topped the popularity polls in Bulgaria after the war" Daily Telegraph

"A classic British wartime film that has rarely been seen since its wartime release in 1944 and James Mason is in top form as a suave, courageous spy." Odeon Entertainment


"World War Two : in 1943, as the invading Allied forces march through Tunis, an American woman lies in the local Red Cross hospital. Susan Foster recounts how she had concealed Alan Thurston, a British Army officer on the run from the Germans. Persued by their enemies, they search for a camera containg film of the coast where Allied leaders will meet to arrange the North African landings ...." Maurice Trace - A Guide to British 9.5mm Optical Sound Film Releases

gln/August2007.


"The film is set during World War 11 in the French Vichy controlled colony of Algiers where an American, Susan Foster - played by Carla Lehmann, agrees to hide a fugitive British agent, Alan Thurston (played by James Mason) from the German Nazis. Thurston is attempting to recover a camera which contains the exact location of the Allies planning the invasion of North Africa. His every move is followed by Dr Muller (Walter Rilla), an evil Nazi sympathiser, who will stop at nothing to acquire the camera and capture the Allied group. As it says on the DVD sleeve, (available from Odeon in their "Best of British" collection by the way), "A web of international intrigue" - certainly a film worth seeing. The DVD is good quality and includes an informative booklet. Look at the credits and spot Otto Heller as Director of Photography and Terence Fisher as Editing Supervisor, whilst a young John Slater can be glimpsed as an American officer. Incidentally although my latin is a bit rusty, I think they have got their copyright date a bit wrong!" - from "Movies On DVD - 8" by Grahame Newnham - Group 9.5 magazine no. 147 Autumn 2011.


. A full length, good quality 82 minute version of "Candlelight In Algeria" is now available on DVD from Odeon Entertainment in the UK. I doubt if HMV or the local DVD shop will stock it: try Moviemail ( www.moviemail-online.co.uk ) or UK Amazon. The disc also includes a few trailers for other Odeon releases, and the pack also includes an informative booklet. Price around £7.95

Odeon intend to release other George ('King of the Quota Quickies') King feature films like "Tomorrow We Live" and "Gaiety George" both also released as 9 reelers on 9.5mm optical sound - let's hope sales of "Candlelight In Algeria" are enough to merit these other long forgotten British feature films arriving on DVD!.

Watch the Odeon trailer on You Tube: http://youtu.be/WUTBQmJlzCo

Return to: 9.5MM PATHESCOPE SOUND FILM CATALOGUE ........... ALPHA .......... NUMERIC


Created March 2004 ...... Last updated: 17 November 2014 ..... 95flmcatt9690.htm ....... ©MM1V Grahame L. Newnham