Dark of the Sun

Dark of the Sun
Original film poster by Frank McCarthy
Directed byJack Cardiff
Screenplay byRanald MacDougall (as Quentin Werty)
Adrien Spies
Based onThe Dark of the Sun
by Wilbur Smith
Produced byGeorge Englund
StarringRod Taylor
Yvette Mimieux
Jim Brown
Peter Carsten
CinematographyEdward Scaife
Edited byErnest Walter
Music byJacques Loussier
Production
company
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release dates
  • 8 February 1968 (1968-02-08)
(UK)
  • July 3, 1968 (1968-07-03)
(USA)
Running time
101 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Box office$2 million (US/ Canada rentals)[1]

Dark of the Sun (also known as The Mercenaries in the UK) is a 1968 British adventure war film starring Rod Taylor, Yvette Mimieux, Jim Brown, and Peter Carsten. The film, which was directed by Jack Cardiff, is based on Wilbur Smith's 1965 novel, The Dark of the Sun. The story about a band of mercenaries sent on a dangerous mission during the Congo Crisis was adapted into a screenplay by Ranald MacDougall. Critics condemned the film on its original release for its graphic scenes of violence and torture.[2]

  1. ^ "Big Rental Films of 1968". Variety. 8 January 1969. p. 15.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference CRT was invoked but never defined (see the help page).