Casbah - Peter Lorre

[Melvin England]

It is so frustrating when you buy a film in good faith, thinking it is a 4x 400' slight edit, to put it on the projector, watch it and think "I'm sure there is something missing. That just didn't follow on properly."

That happened to me this evening. Checking the leader on each reel (the tail was a great help) Reel one said "Tail R1&2" Reel 2 said "Tail 5&6" , then 7&8, then 9&10 which completely supported my suspicion that the real reel 2 was missing ("Tail 3&4") and that the film "Casbah" was released as a 5x 400'

SO......

Does anybody have a spare Reel 2 of the film "Casbah" starring Peter Lorre that they can let go of, please ? It does not need to be in tip top condition as the rest of the film is in well used "tramlines down the right hand side" condition, and the sound is only mediocre.

It would just be nice to have a complete print.

Thank you in advance.

[Barry Attwood]

Melvin,

I have a copy, and it's definitly only a 4x400' edit (about 64 minutes, I'm guessing), I'm guessing it's a lazy editor not doing his work properly when cutting down the movie, I've never seen this title in anything more than a 4x400' edit.

[Chip Gelmini]

I hope you get this solved because there's nothing worse than going through what's happening to you right now

[Lee Mannering]

Very old print Melvin. Mines 4x400 as well probably around 1300ft+. Its also going pretty silver and patchy dating back to the 70's which is understandable.

[John Burgess]

My St 8 print is 4x400 also
John

[Melvin England]

Thank you everybody for your contributions.

It is very reassuring to know that I have the release as intended regardless of the questionable editing early on. I know what it is like searching for that odd reel to complete a feature (20+ years in one case). The film does not seem to explain properly how the protagonist (Pepe Le Moko) changes his affection from Inez to Gaby as all we are really left with is a remark from Inez showing she is not happy with Gaby's presence. I expected this development to be in the "missing" reel 2. A great shame, really, as the storyline is pretty good once you have taken out all the pointless songs.

One thing I still cannot understand. If this, as has been confirmed, is a 4x 400' why is this now legitimate reel 2 marked at the end as "Tail 5 & 6 " ?

Very strange.