This was an old fashioned jungle melodrama set in the Congo and released by Universal in Technicolor.

Although filmed mainly in Hollywood and not on location the way this is done is first class as we can almost feel the heat and humidity of the jungle

ABOVE: Virginia Mayo takes the film’s main role with George Nader – a handsome leading actor who does a good job in this one.

They’re both in a real sleazy town in the French Congo where Peter Lorre runs a rather loose enforcement policy. There’s also Michael Pate who seems to have been sent to track down Virginia Mayo.

Rex Ingram plays  a black doctor running a hospital. 

Among the supporting Cast of Congo Crossing as already mentioned is Peter Lorre – in a scene above –  as a cynical Police Inspector and Rex Ingram as a dedicated doctor.

Peter Lorre appears unwashed and  quite shabby, hanging about in his dirty uniform, covered by medals in the style of a South-American dictator.   Needless to say his time on screen is a joy to watch

I have read  that Universal got Virginia Mayo’s services for Congo Crossing in exchange for Rock Hudson going to Warner Brothers.

Shot in the Botanical Gardens of Los Angeles  ABOVE – where some of the Bomba films were also shot – this good action adventure film has Virginia Mayo as a socialite on the run and George Nader an engineer on a surveying mission.

Steamy Jungles where people are eaten by flies – in this case Virginia Mayo on the boat fending off those creatures ABOVE.

Action and colour in the Jungle as their boat is attacked ABOVE

More action Scenes from Congo Crossing 1956

This is a much better film than you might imagine – very colourful and is able to put over a film that you would think had been filmed in Africa – as the Producer, Director and Set Designers seem to have got the style and mood very accurately – and we think we are there.

Peter Lorre ABOVE.

Action Scenes ABOVE