BEAR ISLAND

UK/Canada, 1979, 102 minutes, Colour.
Richard Widmark, Vanessa Redgrave, Donald Sutherland, Christopher Lee, Barbara Parkins, Lawrence Dane.
Directed by Don Sharp.

Just as Alistair McLean's novels are an institution, so the annual film version of one of his stories is now expected. This British/Canadian co-production has wonderful Arctic locations and action shots. It has the usual complex international espionage, expedition, violent setting and plot. Complications abound, including German bullion, U-boats and neo-Nazi. The usual villains unmask at the end? a little more credibly this time (if that is possible) with Donald Sutherland handling the heroics plainly enough and Vanessa Redgrave as a somewhat unlikely Norwegian psychiatrist heroine. Richard Widmark, Christopher Lee and Lloyd Bridges head the supporting cast with varying degrees of suspicion. As usual, better while watching than thinking over.

1. The appeal of Alistair McLean? stories? Popular ingredients: adventure, action, mystery?

2. The use of Arctic locations, look, beauty, sinister atmosphere? Their use for action sequences? The background of World War Two? NATO? The sea, the snow, the avalanches?

3. The NATO background, the Nazi background, the neo Nazis? The world of ships, expeditions, radio links, isolation? Real, fantasy?

4. The initial murder and its impact, the clues, the puzzle? The lining up of the characters on various sides? Larsen and his mysterious contact? The identity of the killers? How well did the film develop the mystery, use clues, provide facets for the audience working out the puzzle?

5. Frank Lansing as hero? Donald Sutherland's style and personality? German and American background, qualifications in Marine Biology? The helicopter arrival and his fall.. the relationship with the psychiatrist? The story of his parents and his quest for his father and his justification? The friendship with Judith, criticisms of her, being persuaded to ski with her, the impact of her death? His reaction to the professor and the rest of the expedition group, his knowledge of German? The friendship with Smithy and its use? Personality clashes, discoveries? His plans, the finding of the U boat. the photos, his dead father? His ability to cope, enlist the aid of Heddi, leadership qualities especially with the radio and the generator broken? His manoeuvring the final chase, participation in it? The background of his boxing fight with the neo Nazis? The finale at the cemetery? A credible hero, adventure type? His standards and values for a contemporary hero?

6. The choice of Vanessa Redgrave for Heddi? Her presence, personality, psychiatric skills, her work as medical aide to the group, audience suspicions of her, her searching the room, the contact with Larsen, his message in the eye chart, being employed by the Norwegian government? The interaction with Frank? Discovering the ship with him? The bonds between the two? Her participation in the chase with the neo-Nazi? An Alistair McLean? heroine?

7. Audience interest in the background of the U-boats, the discovery of the Arctic relics, the professor's skill and knowledge. Lansing and his presence, the story of the gold, the log book? His rehabilitation at the end? The irony of the neo Nazis using the gold?

8. Richard Widmark as the professor, type, his role in the expedition, German background, Nazi suspicions, reliance on Paul? His insistence on the isolation. his reaction to the deaths, audience suspicion of him? The explanation of his motives? The confrontation with Paul? A credible expedition leader?

9. Paul and his unobtrusive assistance to the professor, his taking over and helping Lansing, the discovery of the truth, the fight with Smithy, the final fight with Lansing and his manoeuvring to stay alive? An expected villain?

10. Lloyd Bridges' style as Smithy, the American type, bluff, helping the rescue after the helicopter fall, helping Lansing even when the vehicle exploded, his behaviour and suspicions, his disappearance, a fortune-hunter and his death?

11. Judith and her clash with the Russian? The background of views on ecology, salt water and the changing of weather patterns? Her commenting on her narrow rightwing attitudes? Her death? Christopher Lee's style as the Russian, his story about imprisonment, his purpose in the expedition, his death and information?

12. The neo Nazis and their killing, the background of their birth and bringing up, the boxing bout with Lansing, their control of the U boat situation, their being imprisoned, the chase and their deaths?

13. Themes of isolation, radio contact, NATO, storms, temperatures, avalanches?

14. The action sequences and audience enjoyment: the fights, the chase, the finale?

15. The value of right and wrong, good and evil, heroism and villainy in this kind of popular action film?