Bit nippy …..
Title: Scott Of The Antarctic
Certificate: U
Director: Charles Frend
Major Players: John Mills, Harold Warrender, James Robertson Justice, Kenneth More
Out Of Five: 3.5
Just as the sun shows signs of arriving, we get the re-issue of a classic set in a freezing and inhospitable climate. It’s a delicious irony and, should you find yourself suffering from the heat, it’ll certainly help you cool down.
Originally released in 1948, Charles Frend’s Scott Of The Antarctic arrives in a newly restored version on DVD and Blu-Ray. It’s the true story of explorer, Captain Robert Scott, and his ill-fated expedition in 1912 to reach the South Pole. But he found himself competing against a team of Norwegian explorers and the truly deadly conditions.
It’s a story that’s gone down in history. Scott had been to the Antarctic once before, in his 1901 – 1904 expedition, where he set a new southern record. His 1912 venture has always been viewed as a heroic failure, which makes it sound like he didn’t get there. But he and his four companions did: what tarnished their achievement was that another team from Norway reached the Pole first and, on the way back, all five members of the British team perished from the combination of cold, fatigue and starvation.
At the time it happened, Scott was already something of a national hero after his first expedition. After this one, his status became closer to iconic, with statues and monuments erected in his memory. It was only in the 1960s and 1970s that his reputation came into question, with one biography describing him as more of a heroic bungler than an out-and-out hero. But Frend’s film was released in 1948, when Scott was still described in glowing terms, so it doesn’t rock the boat. We see him as a good leader of men, determined and compassionate, but not without his occasional moment of doubt. Well into the expedition, his motorised sleds fail and he can’t help but remember the advice he received about only taking dogs.
So it’s a film where the audience knows the ending – or, at least, the contemporary audience did – which means it’s not about building tension or anticipation of what’s going to happen. It’s more a study in courage and comradeship against the odds and, as such, its semi-documentary style is a good fit. Each section has its own chapter heading, a basic but nonetheless effective way of moving the story along. Artefacts from the expedition were used in the making of the film, to give it more authenticity and, when we hear Scott (John Mills) voicing the thoughts he writes down in his journal, they’re based on his actual diary as well.
Legendary cinematographer Jack Cardiff already had an Oscar under his belt for Black Narcissus (1947) when he came to the project and faced a number of practical challenges. Filming in Antarctica was impossible, so most of it was shot in a studio and supplemented with stock footage of Antarctica and specially shot footage from Norway and Switzerland. You can see the join, however, with it being all too obvious at times that the actors are battling against the elements on a set. And, even more curiously, there’s never a glimpse of anybody’s breath, even in that severe cold. However, for its day, it’s an impressive technical achievement.
The cast is full of familiar British faces, all giving solid performances. Alongside John Mills in the title role as the driven explorer, there’s James Robertson Justice who, apparently, was so keen to be in the film that he even shaved off his famous beard. So early on he’s bare faced and it’s only his voice – despite a half-hearted attempt at an accent – that gives him away. There’s John Gregson in his first credited film role, well before he went on to make the evergreen comedy, Genevieve (1953). And his co-star in that film and this, Kenneth More, had to wait until 1956 for the role that everybody associates with him, Douglas Bader in Reach For The Sky. If you look very carefully, you’ll also spot a very young Christopher Lee, who has just a few lines. And it says a lot for the cast’s shivering on set, either inside their tent or outside, that they convey the bitter cold so well that you genuinely do feel chilly watching them.
But watching the film as a DVD made me wonder why it hadn’t been re-released in cinemas. It probably would have only received a limited distribution, and made even less money, as it’s not a mass appeal film. But the sweeping, icy landscapes of Antarctica have a place on the big screen and would be even more effective there. As it is, we have to settle for watching this new, sharper restoration on the smaller screen.
It also poses a question that wouldn’t have occurred to its contemporary audience. Nothing to do with heroism or courage. What does the Antarctic look like now? How much has global warming affected the landscape? Chances are, Scott and his men wouldn’t recognise it.
The newly-restored version of Scott Of The Antarctic is released on DVD and Blu-Ray on Monday, 6 June and reviewed on Talking Pictures on Thursday, 9 June.
Talking Pictures 