The Spiral Road (1962)

50% of users liked it
(124 ratings)

Since it was released in the same year as his masterpiece, To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), it is ironic that this drama was probably the least liked of director Robert Mulligan's films. A stiff adaptation of a novel by Dutch author Jan DeHartog, the film stars Rock Hudson as Dr. Anton Drager, an… More Since it was released in the same year as his masterpiece, To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), it is ironic that this drama was probably the least liked of director Robert Mulligan's films. A stiff adaptation of a novel by Dutch author Jan DeHartog, the film stars Rock Hudson as Dr. Anton Drager, an opportunistic atheist who travels with his wife Els (Gena Rowlands) to the jungles of Java in 1936. Drager is to become the new right-hand man of famed Dr. Brits Jansen (Burl Ives), a legendary humanist who works with lepers and is rumored to have done groundbreaking work that Drager believes could make him famous and wealthy. Trouble with a native witch doctor practicing black magic leads to a crisis of conscience for Drager, however, forcing him to reevaluate his self-centered philosophy. A former divinity student at New York's Fordham University, Mulligan may have been intrigued by the material's spiritual bent, but his direction is uninspired, and The Spiral Road (1962) was not considered a success. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 2 hr. 25 min.
Directed By: Robert Mulligan
Written By: John Lee Mahin, Neil Paterson
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Classics

In Theaters: Aug 3, 1962 Wide
On DVD: Nov 14, 2006

Critic Reviews

Michael E. Grost, Classic Film and Television
Weird but wildly inventive tale of doctors in the jungle, with good visuals.

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Featured Audience Ratings

jay n

Sprawling, well made if a bit heavy handed drama is helped by good location work and sturdy performances from Rock Hudson and Burl Ives. Gena Rowlands in one of her early roles does what she can with the thin character handed to her but the focus is really on Hudson and his journey of… More
Sprawling, well made if a bit heavy handed drama is helped by good location work and sturdy performances from Rock Hudson and Burl Ives. Gena Rowlands in one of her early roles does what she can with the thin character handed to her but the focus is really on Hudson and his journey of self awareness.

Cast

            Rock Hudson as Dr. Anton Drager

            Burl Ives as Dr. Brits Jansen

            Gena Rowlands as Els

            Geoffrey Keen as Willem Wattereus

            Neva Patterson as Louise Kramer

            Will Kuluva as Dr. Sordjano

            Philip Abbott as Frolick

            Larry Gates as Dr. Kramer

            Karl Swenson as Inspector Bevers

            Edgar Stehli as The Sultan

            Judy Dan as Laja

            Robert F. Simon as Dr. Martens

            Reggie Nalder as Burubi

            Leon Lontol as Dr. Hatta

            David Lewis as Maj. Vlormans

            Parley Baer as Mr. Boosmans

            Fredd Wayne as Van Bloor

            Leslie E. Bradley as Krasser

            Barbara Morrison as Mrs. Boosmans

            Martin Brandt as Dr. Sander

            David Frankham as Drager's Replacement

            Paul Keast as Minister

            David Sharpe
            
            Tom Steele as Planter

            Lang Yun as Barmaid

            Anna Shin
            
            Glen Walters
            
See full cast