MR FORBUSH AND THE PENGUINS

UK, 1971, 101 minutes, Colour.
John Hurt, Hayley Mills, Tony Britton.
Directed by Roy Boulting.

Mr Forbush and the Penguins is based on a novel Forbush and the Penguins by Graham Billey! (credited as one of the first novels to emerge from Antarctica). The screenplay is by Anthony Shaffer (Sleuth, Evil Under The Sun).

However, the commercial film is not as originally intended. Director Al Viola made a film focusing solely Richard Forbush and his work in Antarctica. Veteran cinematographer of Antarctica, Arne Sucksdorff, was responsible for the animal sequences. To make the film commercial, veteran director Roy Boulting directed the London framing sequences with Hayley Mills.

John Hurt is suitably anguished and crusading as the biologist studying penguins and reacting against the skua gulls in Antarctica. The London background, however, reflects the atmosphere of the swinging '60s and is trendy and dated.

1. An interesting and enjoyable film? London background? Antarctica sequences? (Seemingly two films in one?)

2. The impact of the Antarctica sequences? The snowscapes, the seasons and the weather, the penguins, the gulls? A human being in the context of Antarctica? The contrast with the scenes of swinging London? Universities, flats; London city?

3. The title and the focus of attention on Richard Forbush, his background, ambitions? His work in Antarctica? Study of the penguins? Protection of them? The lessons he learnt from his experience?

4. The background of London: swinging London.~ luxury, carefree? Richard Forbush in this context? His study, his relationship with Professor Dewport? His parents? The friends? The Board and the discussions about his appointment? His attraction towards Tara? His trying to impress her? her reaction to him? Disdainful yet attracted? The correspondence from Antarctica? The importance of his motivation for him in his work? His return to London and his.. new sense of purpose?

5. Tara - character? Attraction towards Richard? Discussions with him? Influence and inspiration? Correspondence?

6. The atmosphere of Antarctica: temperatures, climate, weather, sunny days, blizzards? The ice and the snowscapes? The penguins in this natural habitat? Their plight? The attack of the gulls? The vivid presentation of the penguins and their life cycle? Forbush landing in Antarctica, adapting, Shackleton's hut? His feeling of desolation? Outside contact? Correspondence? His identification with the penguins, concern? The gulls and their attacks? His anger at them? His building the catapult, the intensity of his motivation? Firing at the gulls' nesting site? The failure of his attack? His realisation of the cycles of nature, the survival of the fittest? His own experiences, cold, his collapse, his being saved by Starshot's visit? The effect of the Antarctic experience on him?

7. The audience sharing the Antarctic experience: information, visualising of the birds and wildlife, in the ice continent?

8. How more satisfying would the film have been had it focused solely on Antarctica? The effect of the London framing?