Khyber Patrol
                
Director: Seymour Friedman
Year: 1954
Rating: 5.0
Upon the heels of watching Kim, this film falls very much into the same territory with the British and the Russians - bastards that they are - playing the Great Game. In the opening credits I noticed that Raymond Burr was in it. I bet 3-1 odds with myself that he was a villain. I would have won a bundle. The British regiment is stationed near the Khyber Pass that connects India (now Pakistan) and Afghanistan. Having passed through it a few times many years ago, it is a remarkable journey with a narrow passage for miles surrounded by steep high mountains that look down on it. Easy ambush territory. The Brits have to hold it because if an invasion comes from Afghanistan, it will likely go through the Pass.



Heading the patrols is Capt. Cameron played by Richard Egan. Egan is American but Cameron is Canadian explaining his lack of a British accent and thankfully not forcing Egan to fake one. Egan was kind of a cool guy - in the army he taught judo, knife and bayonet. A good guy to have with you if you go out drinking in the wrong part of town. But it is hard warming up to him as the good guy with his surly looks and smirk always at the call. They have to throw in a romance as well regrettably - with him and another soldier (Patric Knowles) in love with the same woman, the daughter of head of Intelligence. She is played by Dawn Addams with a pointy bra that looks dangerous.



Burr is an Afghan military man who seems to spend most of his time in Peshawar frolicking with scantily clad dancing girls and drinking whiskey. He and Cameron are friends - or so Cameron thinks - in fact his character Ahmed Shir is planning the invasion. Lots of scheming and temptations as Cameron is shown six stunning girls to choose from. For entertainment. But he is a proper British officer. Too bad. Burr of course makes a convincing Afghan with his darkened skin and blue eyes. Who would know he was a white man. Burr got a lot of crap roles pre Perry Mason. Unlike Kim, this one got no closer to India than a curry meal.