The Spiral Road

1962 film by Robert Mulligan

The Spiral Road is a 1962 American adventure drama film directed by Robert Mulligan and starring Rock Hudson, Burl Ives, Gena Rowlands, and Geoffrey Keen. The film was released by Universal International in the United States in 1962, the same year that Mulligan's other movie To Kill a Mockingbird became a critical and commercial success. The movie was filmed in Suriname and was shot in Eastmancolor.

Dr. Anton Drager travels to Java to study the effects of leprosy under an expert on the subject, Dr. Brits Jansen. The two physicians have many of the same views scientifically, but are philosophically a mismatch because of Drager's atheism and Jansen's Christianity. After being married to his sweetheart Els, Drager must trek into the jungle to track down Frolick, a drunken river master who is lost. Frolick has been driven mad by a shaman called Burubi. Drager eventually comes across Frolick, but ends up killing him in self defense. After rescuing another doctor, in the same region, Anton becomes lost in the wild. He nearly dies and has lapsed into a coma by the time he is rescued. Drager's ordeal comes to change his perceptions, turning him into a Christian.

While many critics and audiences were impressed with the setting and scenery of the film, there was general consensus that the script was lacking and that Mulligan's other films, particularly To Kill a Mockingbird, were better. Michael E. Grost of Classic Film and Television wrote: "Weird but wildly inventive tale of doctors in the jungle, with good visuals."

Universal released this film on DVD in 2006 as part of the 'Rock Hudson Screen Legend Collection, a three disc set featuring four other films (Has Anybody Seen My Gal?, A Very Special Favor, The Golden Blade, and The Last Sunset''). Universal then re released this film in 2015 as a stand alone DVD as part of its Universal Vault Series. There is also a Region 2 DVD release of this film.