No Time to Die

Plot

In North Africa during the Second World War, a squadron of British tanks is destroyed in battle by panzers of their German adversaries.

A tank commanded by American Sgt. David Thatcher (Victor Mature) is hit and he and driver Trooper "Tiger" Noakes (Anthony Newley) bail out. The squadron's attached reconnaissance vehicle, commanded by Sgt. Kendall (Leo Genn), becomes stuck in the sand and the crew bail out too.

The three survivors are quickly captured and transported to an Italian-run POW camp. Thatcher has a secret and tries to escape at every turn.

Cast

Production

The film was based on a 1954 novel by Ronald Kemp. Warwick Productions bought the film rights in 1955 and tried to get Montgomery Clift to star. Sy Bartlett was assigned to write the script.

In March 1957 Merle Miller was hired to rewrite the script. Then Richard Maibaum did a draft. The script eventually became about five Allied soldiers, two Englishmen, a Pole, an American and an Australian, who escape an Italian POW camp in the Second World War.

Alan Ladd was mentioned as a possibility as star. In April 1957 Terence Young arrived in Hollywood to find two American leading men for the film. Van Johnson, who had just made a film with Young, was a leading contender. Jeff Chandler turned down the role (and fee of $200,000).

In August 1957 Victor Mature signed a two picture contract with Warwick, No Time to Die and The Man Inside.

In September Mature left England for six weeks of location filming in the Libyan Desert, near Tripoli. The Queens Bays Tank Regiment assisted in production of the film.

No Time to Die featured authentic war time Cromwell tanks as well as post-war Centurions and Charioteers as both British and German tanks. In the opening battle Leo Genn commands an AEC Armoured Car and wears the beret of the Cherry Pickers.

Sean Kelly was a South African actor who had been signed by Warwick to a seven year contract.