ICE STATION ZEBRA
US, 1969, 152 minutes, Colour.
Rock Hudson, Ernest Borgnine, Patrick Mc Goohan, Jim Brown, Tony Bill, Lloyd Nolan, Alf Kjellin, Gerald S. O' Loughlin.
Directed by John Sturges.
Ice Station Zebra is a popular Alistair McLean? novel. Many of his novels were filmed in the "60s and '70s e.g. Puppet on a Chain, When Eight Bells Toll, Golden Rendezvous and, most successfully, in the late '60s, Where Eagles Dare. Ice Station Zebra is from the same production company, M.G.M. - but the film lacks the action flair of Where Eagles Dare. The film captures the atmosphere of the Cold War - very cold with the arctic sequences. There is espionage, confrontation between the United States and Russia, the danger of an incident triggering nuclear war.
The cast is competent. Director John Sturges made a number of significant action films including The Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape. (It is interesting to see the influence of this film on the telemovie, mini-series World War Three which starred Rock Hudson as the United States President.)
1. How enjoyable was this adventure? Audience expectations? What main adventure ingredients did the film use?
2. The value of widescreen, submarine photography, the Arctic etc.? The creation of atmosphere?
3. How plausible was the plot? The camera and the capsule, the submarine's mission, the spies, the Russian confrontation? Was this all communicated plausibly?
4. How well did the film involve its audience? The presentation of the capsule, the anonymous agents at the Arctic, the mystery, the submarine chase, the initial sabotage, the revelation of Vaslov's identity, the clashes and the international crisis?
5. How do audiences respond to the Russian- American international tensions? The danger of nuclear war? Did this assist the atmosphere of the film?
6. Commander Faraday: Rock Hudson's style, American, the hero, handling the ship well, capability in crisis? Has he a character or did he merely represent a type?
7. How did Jones contrast with Faraday? The Englishman and his nonchalance, the whisky, his knowledge of submarines, of agents, his involvement in the mystery, his revelation of the truth, attacked by Vaslov, misunderstanding Vaslov, his trust of Faraday at the end?
8. How credible a villain was Vaslov? The double agent type, his words on patriotism, the happy-go-lucky manner, the sabotage, the fight with Anders, his finally being shot?
9. The point of Captain Anders? The black man, martinet, his skills, his being mistaken, audience response to his death?
10. The significance of Walker, young, victimised by Anders, his nervous reaction in crisis?
11. Ostrovsky: as a Russian, his mission, his handling of the clash, the threats, his decision about final peace?
12. How interesting were the personal clashes in the submarine? Were the crew clearly communicated as persons? What insight into submarine life, warfare?
13. The importance of particular sequences: the submarine and its pickups of men, the breaking of the ice, life in the submarine, the space sequences, the fights, the unscrewing of the capsule, the final detonating?
14. What was the basic message of this adventure film? Its presentation of popular beliefs and popular types, popular heroism?
