Scott of the Antarctic (1948 film)
| Scott of the Antarctic | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Charles Frend |
| Produced by | Michael Balcon |
| Written by | Walter Meade Ivor Montagu Mary Hayley Bell |
| Starring | John Mills, James Robertson Justice, Barry Letts |
| Music by | Ralph Vaughan Williams |
| Distributed by | Ealing Studios |
| Release date(s) | 29 November 1948 |
| Running time | 111 min. |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Scott of the Antarctic is a 1948 film about Robert Falcon Scott's ill-fated expedition to be the first to the South Pole in Antarctica in 1910-12. John Mills played Scott, with a supporting cast which included James Robertson Justice, Derek Bond, Kenneth More, John Gregson, Barry Letts and Christopher Lee.
Produced by Ealing Studios, the film was directed by Charles Frend largely on location in Norway. It was filmed in Technicolor. The script was by Ivor Montagu, Walter Meade and the novelist Mary Hayley Bell, Mills' wife. The film is also known for its score by Ralph Vaughan Williams that was later reworked into his Sinfonia Antarctica.
Making good use of location shooting, the film is largely faithful to the real events of the ill-fated trek to and from the pole (though many incidents are skimmed over or not included at all), with emphasis on the heroic character of Scott and the enormity of their achievement in keeping with the contemporary view.
Plot summary
Captain Scott is given the men, but not the funds, to go on a second expedition to the Antarctic. As his wife works on a bust of him, she tells him that she's "not the least jealous" that he's going to the Antarctic again. The wife of a scientist whom Scott hopes to recruit has a very different opinion from Scott's wife, but the scientist agrees to go. Scott also visits Fridtjof Nansen, who insists that a polar expedition must use dogs. Scott goes on a fundraising campaign, and despite popular skepticism, manages to raise enough money to fund the expedition.
After a stop in New Zealand, the ship sets sail for Antarctica. Once there, a camp is set up at the coast, and a small contingent of men, horses and dogs begins the trek towards the pole. About halfway, the horses are shot and some of the men are sent back with the dogs. At the three quarter mark, Scott selects the five-man team to make the push to the pole. They reach the pole only to find the Norwegian flag already planted there and a letter from Roald Amundsen asking Scott to deliver it to the King of Norway.
Hugely disappointed, Scott's team begins the long journey back. Scott is very concerned about the health of his men, Evans, who has a serious cut on his hand and another, Oates, whose foot is appallingly frost-bitten. Evans eventually dies and is buried under the snow. Just 11 miles short of a supply depot, the rest of the team dies soon after Scott writes the famous "I do not regret this journey..." entry in his log.
Cast
- John Mills as Captain R.F. Scott R.N.
- Diana Churchill as Kathleen Scott
- Harold Warrender as Dr. E.A. Wilson
- Anne Firth as Oriana Wilson
- Derek Bond as Captain L.E.G. Oates
- Reginald Beckwith as Lieutenant H.R. Bowers
- James Robertson Justice as Petty Officer 'Taff' Evans R.N.
- Kenneth More as Lieutenant E.G.R. 'Teddy' Evans R.N.
- Norman Williams as Chief Stoker W. Lashly R.N.
- John Gregson as Petty Officer T. Crean R.N.
- James McKechnie as Surgeon Lieutenant E.L. Atkinson R.N.
- Barry Letts as Apsley Cherry-Garrard
- Dennis Vance as Charles S. Wright
- Larry Burns as Petty Officer P. Keohane R.N.
- Edward Lisak as Dimitri
- Melville Crawford as Cecil Meares
- Christopher Lee as Bernard Day
- John Owers as F.J. Hooper
- Bruce Seton as Lieutenant H. Pennell R.N.
- Clive Morton as Herbert Ponting
- Sam Kydd as Leading Stoker E. McKenzie R.N.
External links
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