Lots of sand but no day at the beach for its characters -- and not, from all appearances, the actors, either. Among the best of director Sidney Lumet's movies not set in New York. [08 Jun 2007, p.8E]
83
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Rebel-with-a-cause clichés are mostly averted by sturdy acting, Oswald Morris’ vivid black-and-white cinematography, and a satisfyingly bleak conclusion.
80
Empire
Empire
Atmospherically black-and-white photography provides suitable accompaniment to Sidney Lumet's unrelenting direction, with the two leads into it with plenty of relish.
80
Time Out
Time Out
Sean Connery took a break from Bond to give a sterling performance in this awesomely intense drama set in a North African British army camp, where the favourite punishment for prisoners is to send them clambering up and down a man-made hill in the full heat of the day.