seoulless The story is far-fetched, to say the least. Movie director Engles (Newton) picks extra Blair (Price) to keep an eye on people congregating at a ski hut for some sinister purpose. How does Engles know about this gathering? Never explained. What is Blair's sole qualification for this cloak-and-dagger job? He served under Engles in the Second World War and can be trusted. Blair blatantly questions all of the suspects, letting them know they're under his clumsy surveillance. Carla, the sole female in the bunch, promptly falls in love with him, despite her rather checkered past. Engles later stupidly shows up by himself to confront this varied bunch of cutthroats at the isolated hut. Von Kellerman (Lom), an unrepentant Nazi, blurts out the entire story without much prompting (or incentive), saying, "Why not?" The action picks up at the end and everything is sort of resolved in a ridiculous and unbelievable way.There's plenty of skiing scenes, if you're into that sort of thing. Otherwise, don't waste your time on this tripe.

Spikeopath Funding the New World Order of the Fourth Reich. Snowbound is directed by David MacDonald and adapted to screenplay by David Evans and Keith Campbell from the novel "The Lonely Skier" written by Hammond Innes. It stars Dennis Price, Mila Parely, Stanley Holloway, Herbert Lom, Robert Newton and Guy Middleton. Music is by Cedric Thorpe Davie and cinematography by Stephen Dade.In short order form the plot basically finds a group of disparate people up in the Italian Alps involved in the search for Nazi treasure hidden somewhere abouts a ski resort. it's a league of nations up in them thar snowy hills, some with deadly motives, others just caught in the crossfire of nefarious plans.The screenplay is a little too tricksy for its own good, with the multiple shifts of the key players identities becoming tiresome in the last quarter of film. That it never gets going fully until late in the play is also an irritant, as is the fact there is a dynamite cast list assembled here that are sadly given one note characters to portray. In fact Newton is so criminally under used the writers and director should have been banished to the Alps as punishment. That said, the set designs, cinematography and a strong turn from Lom, make sure it stays above average as viewing entertainment. While the finale is gripping and features a resolution that's deliciously sly.Marked out by some as an entry in the British Noir pantheon, I'm not willing to suggest it as such myself. Certainly some of Stephen Dade's photography has the requisite noirish tints to it, and it could be argued there's an inevitable feeling of bleakness pervading the narrative that brings it into the film noir realm. As always, film noir is in the eye of the beholder, and to me this is just a better than average drama. Even if it does waste a great cast. 6/10

guenzeld Here is a very enjoyable (and very underrated) little thriller from the golden age of British movie-making. I really don't think you could ask for much more when given an interesting story, an excellent cast and solid production values. It's one of those nice films that it is very difficult not to like.Special mention must be made of the superb cinematography of Stephen Dade and the beautiful sets. These contributions will linger in your memory long after you see the picture.I would have liked to see a little more of Robert Newton since he always gives an enjoyable performance, but that is only a minor quibble.Seek this one out.

Single-Black-Male The actor from the Czech Republic who reinvented himself as Herbert Lom looked quite menacing in this film. In black and white, he has the same sinister demeanour as James Mason. He's likeable though. Swarve, conservative with volatile undertones. I'm surprised he went quite unnoticed during the 40's.