Talk:Ice Cold in Alex

Request for help

Help me !!!!! Does anyone out there know what happened to the real sister Denise Norton (where she is buried etc.) and does anyone know what happened to Captain Anson and sister Diane Murdoch? Did they get together in real life? What happened to them, and where are they now? One last thing: what happened to Katy the Austin K2Y ambulance? Is it in a museum somewhere or on a scrap heap? Any help or info you have may prove very helpful. e-mail me at mrbiscuits13@hotmail.com with as much as you know.

Thank you.

"Real"?

The novel doesn't suggest that it's based on fact (at least, not my copy) Captain Pedant (talk) 22:51, 7 November 2008 (UTC)

I think at the beginning of the film it states it's based on a true story but doesn't explain which parts of the story.Owain meurig (talk) 12:02, 30 March 2012 (UTC)

Possible reference

John Mills himself has told the story of getting 'plastered' many times. One of the most recent was on the TV chat-show 'Parkinson' just before his death in 2005.

84.130.120.46 22:40, 19 November 2005 (UTC)

Possible additions

Can anyone confirm (or deny) either of these possible additions?

• 'Katy' was a generic name for K2 ambulances, not the name of the specific ambulance; the name 'Katie' or 'Katy' often appears associated with the name—but of course a lot of people have seen the film... (But note that an earlier version of this page had "The ambulance is nicknamed Katy. Contrary to misconceptions, it is not a pun on the type, an Austin K2/Y, but the name given by its original driver in the novel. Many World War II ambulances were named after wives and girlfriends." This was later removed.)

If true, then the first paragrahh of 'Plot needs a change.

• Originally when I viewed this page, someone had put the line about the ambulance being nicknamed Katy as it was a K2/Y, and I changed it by adding the "Contrary..." line. The current addition that 'Katy was a generic name' is incorrect - the novel makes this clear as do many other sources on military vehicles in WW2 - squaddies simply named them after women they knew etc. The novel notes that in this instance it got its name from a sweetheart at home. --Poodler (talk) 15:19, 1 August 2008 (UTC)

• The film-makers in fact mounted the body of an Austin K2/Y on twoItalic text Canadian Military Pattern 4x4 chassis (hence apparently why the front wheels spin in the quicksand scene). 'These two ambulances were used in different locations in the Libyan Desert near the viilage of Mizdah south of Tripoli. All the other K2/Y ambulances seen in the film, belonged to 35 Field Ambulance RAMC, a unit based in Tripoli during the Suez crisis. (additional information by tcaptrasc who was present during some of the filming).':quota 09:56, 28 October 2007 (UTC)

For the moment, I've edited the Katy bit to "the crew of an Austin K2/Y ambulance, which they call 'Katy'", which hedges our bets about whether it's specific or generic. Any kind of "contrary to misconceptions ..." editorial would need a published source, otherwise it gets into WP:NOR territory. Gordonofcartoon (talk) 15:51, 1 August 2008 (UTC)

Surely the 'published source' is the only source in this case -- the novel. It's quite clear, there:

"My official name is A1079654, Ambulance, Austin, K2 ... But I have always been called KATY. ... my one and only driver ... he painted my name on the bonnet in England...". (Page 110.) quota (talk) 20:22, 1 August 2008 (UTC)

Certainly. I just mean the "contrary to misconceptions" phrase, which is unsourced editorialising unless there's a source saying that there have been misconceptions. Gordonofcartoon (talk) 12:34, 2 August 2008 (UTC)

Is it worth mentioning that 'van der Poel' is renamed from 'Zimmerman', his name in the novel? Captain Pedant (talk) 22:53, 7 November 2008 (UTC)

Segment "Lifted"?

The article says: Carlsberg simply lifted the segment in which Mills contemplates the freshly poured lager in the clearly Carlsberg-branded glass, before downing it in one go and declaring, "Worth waiting for!" This was followed by a variation in the usual Carlsberg tag-line: "Still probably the best lager in the world."

How could Carlsberg simply "lift" the segment? Was the film out of copyright, or did Carlsberg pay for the segment? The article should clarify this. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 109.255.194.210 (talk) 18:45, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

It means that they took a single sequence from the film and used it in its entirety, not altering/re-editing it as Holsten had. It certainly has nothing to do with the film's copyright status at the time, since it will not be public domain in the UK until at least 2073. Nick Cooper (talk) 11:42, 17 February 2014 (UTC)

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Plot Clarification

As written, the article misses the point that on arrival in Alexandria, but before the bar scene, Anson informs the Military Police senior officer off-screen that Van Der Poel is a regular German soldier who they met lost in the desert and who has surrendered to them and given his parole (word of honour), securing the MP's agreement to allow them to enjoy a beer with their captive before taking him into custody as a prisoner of war. Without this subterfuge, "Van der Poel" would be shot as a spy. I've added this element to the description. AKarley (talk) 16:13, 14 November 2017 (UTC)

You are correct, that is why when they are enjoying their beers in the bar upon their arrival in Alexandria, Pugh, upon noticing Van der Poel's false South African dog tags, surreptitiously removes them before anyone outside of their small team notices. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 95.149.172.235 (talk) 11:37, 10 November 2018 (UTC)

Lovers

Two of the actors in this film, the co-star Harry Andrews and the supporting actor Basil Hoskins, were in real life romantically involved; although I've no information as to whether they had met before this film. Conceivably they may have met on location. Even more remarkably, to my knowledge this has never been mentioned before in any discussion of this film.

Nuttyskin (talk) 16:04, 17 September 2019 (UTC)

If you can cite a reliable source then this could be added to the Harry Andrews and Basil Hoskins articles. In my view this would not merit mention in this article. I am sure many actors have off-stage romances that have no relevance to the films in which they appear. Verbcatcher (talk) 23:56, 16 October 2019 (UTC)