Ice Station Zebra (1968)

Director:

John Sturges

Writers:

Alistair MacLean (novel)
Douglas Heyes (screenplay)

Release Date:

23 October 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

It's a race for the secret ... or TOTAL DESTRUCTION

Plot:

Commander James Ferraday, USN, has new orders: get David Jones, a British civilian, Captain Anders, a tough Marine with a platoon of troops...

Plot Keywords:

Marine | Ice | Spy | Submarine | Nuclear

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

Rock Hudson	...	Cdr. James Ferraday
Ernest Borgnine	...	Boris Vaslov
Patrick McGoohan	...	David Jones
Jim Brown	...	Capt. Leslie Anders
Tony Bill	...	Lt. Russell Walker
Lloyd Nolan	...	Admiral Garvey
Alf Kjellin	...	Col. Ostrovsky
Gerald S. O'Loughlin	...	Lt. Cdr. Bob Raeburn
Ted Hartley	...	Lt. Jonathan Hansen
Murray Rose	...	Lt. George Mills
Ron Masak	...	Paul Zabrinczski
Sherwood Price	...	Lt. Edgar Hackett
Lee Stanley	...	Lt. Mitgang
Joseph Bernard	...	Dr. Jack Benning
John Orchard	...	Survivor

Also Known As:

Base artica Zebra (Italy) [it]
Destination zebra: Station polaire (Canada: French title) [fr]
Destination: Zebra, station polaire (France) [fr]
Eisstation Zebra (West Germany) [de]
Estación polar Cebra (Spain) [es]
Estación polar Zebra (Spain) (DVD title) [es]
Jääasema Zebra (Finland) [fi]
Kutup harekâti (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Ledena stanica Zebra (Serbia) [sr]
Missão no Árctico (Portugal) [pt]
Mystiki vasis Zebra (Greece) [el]
Polarstation Zebra svarar ej (Sweden) [sv]
S.O.S. nordpolen (Denmark) [da]
Zebra station polaire (Canada: French title) [fr]

Runtime:

148 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track

Certification:

Canada:G (Manitoba) (original rating) | Canada:G (Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) (video rating) (1991) | Iceland:16 | Australia:PG | USA:TV-PG | West Germany:12 (f) | Brazil:Livre | Netherlands:6 | Finland:K-12 | Norway:11 | Norway:12 (1970) | Sweden:11 | USA:G | Singapore:PG | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Filmways Pictures

Trivia:

Charlton Heston was originally offered the role of Ferraday but turned it down, saying there was no characterization in the script. Gregory Peck was then offered the part and early adverts in Variety magazine carried mention of Peck's casting, together with Laurence Harvey as Jones.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the Russian fighters that are dispatched to the ice station are first seen they are MiG-21s. In subsequent effects shots they are also MiG-21s. When footage of the fighters flying overhead is shown they are obviously F-4 Phantoms, an American fighter plane.

Quotes:

Cmdr. Ferraday: [after reading the name of the person who authorized the mission] All right sir, I'm impressed. Not enlightened - but impressed.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Sam & Max: Season 2 (2008) (VG)

Great Adventure Film

This film is very underrated on this site. It is in a genre that is not really made very often any more--action adventure that is plausible both in plot and technology. And the action adventure plays equal footing to the actual acting and dialog. It is closer to an World War II action film than to, say, one of Arnold Schwartzeneger's action films.

As an artistic piece of work, the lack of women (and any romantic story) keeps this cold war picture completely focused on the primary story, and makes the actors work all that much harder to keep the viewer engaged.

There is also a good bit of spectacular on-location filming that still takes your breath away with its beauty. The actual polar icecap scenes (with actors) where the focal point of the movie's action takes place is a set. And it is a glorious one. No CGI imagery here! I bought this DVD for this film in a bargain bin. If you get the chance snap one up, or rent it and watch it on a decent TV. Great transfer.

Good score as well.