Crossfire, The (ITV 1967, Eric Portman, Peter Wyngarde)

The Crossfire was an entry in the Play of the Week strand focused on the then highly topical war in Algeria. Dr David Sorel, an elderly distinguished physician, finds himself quite literally caught in the crossfire when he begins treating the wounded from “the other side”.

Over 40 years old and still as relevent today as it was back then. Right at the start one of the characters says “these are dangerous times we are living in”, the places may have changed but the situation hasn’t. The dialogue is fantastic, one wonders whether this would get made today though. Eric Portman as Dr David Sorel and Jeannette Sterke as Eliane de Croissilon.

The Crossfire is also full of great cult tv names like Peter Wyngarde, Roger Delgado and Ian Hendry (who really is a powerfully good actor). Great to see the fantastic Eric Portman here in a rare TV role, speaking to the TV Times at the time of broadcast he said that he was keen to do more TV but always seemed to be in long running plays both at home and in the US and whenever he wasn’t he liked to relax at his cottage in Cornwall . There’s also a great, totally gratuitous belly dance scene too.

production details
UK / ITV Network – Anglia / 1×60 minute episode / Broadcast 9 February 1967

Writer: Anthony Steven / Play: Maurice Edelman / Production Design: Reece Pemberton / Producer and Director: John Jacobs

cast
ERIC PORTMAN as Dr David Sorel
ROGER DELGADO as Dr Si Cada
ANNE BLAKE as Francesca
JEANNETTE STERKE as Eliane de Croissilon
JEFFREY SIRR as Salem
PETER WYNGARDE as Hugo de Croissilon
ZOE RANDALL as Dr Marianne Lagny
IAN HENDRY as Paul Du Pre
PHILIP LOCKE as Vedoni
MIA NARDI as Maria
VENETIA MATANIA as Dancer
PATRICK BARR as General Palice
WOLFE MORRIS as Lieutenant Vinh
MICHAEL COLES as Armidal
FRANK GATLIFF as President of the Court
KENNETH McREDDIE as Ist Guard
LINDSAY CAMPBELL as Colonel Carnot