actor being cast. Henreid said the role was a departure for him, but "it had the greatest lines in the script, and I had a lot of fun doing it." Reception Critical response Film critic Glenn Erickson reflected on the background of the film, and how it was received when first released: "A polished production on all technical levels, the gritty Rope of Sand was filmed from a screenplay purchased by producer Wallis specifically for Burt Lancaster in 1947. Although William Dieterle's direction is capable, the script works too hard to introduce an overly familiar collection of stock thriller types ... Critics generally liked Lancaster's performance, even if they slighted the work of Claude Rains and Peter Lorre, and saved the bulk of their praise for Paul Henried's nasty villain. Lancaster's own assessment of the film was unprintable, but he was quoted at a time when he was itching to move on to more interesting roles. Accolades Nominated Golden Globes: Best Screenplay, Walter Doniger, 1950. References External links Rope of Sand information site and DVD review at DVD Beaver (includes images) Streaming audio Rope of Sand on Screen Directors Playhouse: April 28, 1950 1948 films 1940s adventure films American adventure films American black-and-white films 1940s English-language films Film noir Films scored by Franz Waxman Films directed by William Dieterle Films produced by Hal B. Wallis Films set in South Africa Paramount Pictures films 1940s American films