USA, 1968
148m
35mm film, 65mm film, 70mm film, “in Cinerama”, “filmed in Super Panavision”, Metrocolor, 2.20:1
stereo, 70mm 6-Track, English
An American borderline science fiction film directed by John Sturges.
Plot Summary
The crew of the nuclear submarine USS Tigerfish are sent on a mission to transport a British civilian, a platoon of Marines and a Russian liaison to the North Pole to rescue the crew of a weather station, Drift Ice Station Zebra. But an experimental spy satellite has crashed in the area and the rescue mission is not all it seems…
Credits
Crew
Directed by: John Sturges
© MCMLXVIII [1968] by Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer, Inc.
Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer presents. Martin Ransohoff's production of… A Filmways picture
Produced by: Martin Ransohoff
Associate Producer: James C. Pratt
Screenplay by: Douglas Heyes
Screen Story by: Harry Julian Fink
From the Novel by: Alistair MacLean
Director of Photography: Daniel L. Fapp
Additional Arctic Photography: John M. Stephens, Nelson Tyler
Film Editor: Ferris Webster
Music Composed and Conducted by: Michel Legrand
Recording Supervisor: Franklin Milton
Makeup by: William Tuttle
Special Effects: H.E. Millar Sr, Ralph Swartz, Earl McCoy
Special Visual Effects: J. McMillan Johnson, Carroll L. Shepphird, Clarence Slifer
Optical Effects: Robert R. Hoag
Art Directors: George W. Davis and Addison Hehr
Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Culver City, California, USA [uncredited]
Locations: San Diego, California, USA [uncredited]
Cast
Rock Hudson (Cdr. James Ferraday)
Ernest Borgnine (Boris Vaslov)
Patrick McGoohan (David Jones)
Jim Brown (Capt. Leslie Anders)
Tony Bill (Lt. Russell Walker)
Alf Kjellin (Col. Ostrovsky)
Gerald S. O'Loughlin (Lt. Cdr. Bob Raeburn)
Ted Hartley (Lt. Jonathan Hansen)
Murray Rose (Lt. George Mills)
Sherwood Price (Lt. Edgar Hackett)
Michael T. Mikler (Lt. Courtney Cartwright)
Lee Stanley (Lt. [Martin] Mitgang)
Joseph Bernard (Dr Jack Benning)
John Orchard (survivor)
Jonathan Lippe (Russian aide)
Jim Dixon (Earl MacAuliffe)
Ron Masak (Paul Zabrinczski)
David Wendel (Cedric Patterson)
Boyd Berlind (Bruce Kentner)
Ronnie Rondell Jr (Lyle Nichols)
Alternative Titles
Base artica Zebra – Italian title
Destination zebra: Station polaire – French Canadian title
Destination: Zebra, station polaire – French title
Eisstation Zebra – West German title
Estación polar Cebra – Spanish title
Jääasema Zebra – Finnish title
Missão no Árctico – Portuguese title
Polarstation Zebra svarar ej – Swedish title
S.O.S. nordpolen – Danish title
Zebra station polaire – French Canadian title
Links
Extracts included in
Fer-de-Lance (1974)
Jim Brown All American (2002)
Lionpower from MGM (1967)
The Man Who Makes the Difference (1968)
Moscow Does Not Believe in Queers (1986)
Rock Hudson's Home Movies (1992)
Screen Test: 13 January 1971
Screen Test: 18 June 1976
See also
Get Smart: Ice Station Siegfried (1969)
Press
1983
Radio Times vol.238 no.3087 (8-14 January 1983) pp.23, 35
“The original Cinerama presentation cruelly exposed some of the Arctic sets, but a television screen seems just the right place for underwater claustrophobia and the efficient acting of Rock Hudson and Patrick McGoohan. No women characters; no zebras, ether.” – from a review by Geoff Brown (the same review was also published in Radio Times 22 December 1984-4 January 1985 p.29)
References
Periodicals
Empire no.192 (June 2005) p.173 – illustrated DVD review (RWD: Ice Station Zebra by Kim Newman)
Films and Filming vol.15 no.8 (May 1969) p.55
The Hollywood Reporter vol.203 no.11 (23 October 1968) p.3
Kine Weekly no.3207 (29 March 1969) p.11
Men Only May 1969 pp.62-63 – illustrated review (Running around in Arctic circles by Peter Noble)
Monthly Film Bulletin vol.36 no.424 (May 1969) p.103
Motion Picture Herald vol.238 no.44 (30 October 1968) p.51
Music from the Movies no.38 (2003) p.52 – illustrated soundtrack review (Film music review: archival releases by John Mansell)
Premiere vol.18 no.5 (February 2005) p.109 – illustrated DVD review (Ice Station Zebra by J.F.)
Radio Times vol.238 no.3087 (8-14 January 1983) pp.23, 35 – review (by Geoff Brown); illustrated credits
Radio Times 22 December 1984-4 January 1985 pp.29; 42 – review (by Geoff Brown); listing
Radio Times vol.259 no.3392 (3 December 1988) p.40 – review
Today's Cinema no.9768 (6 January 1970) p.16 – note (What I did for the picture)
Today's Cinema no.9665 (28 April 1969) p.12
Variety 23 October 1968 p. 6
Books
Encyclopedia of American Spy Films by Larry Langman & David Ebner p.184 – credits, note
The Espionage Filmography: United States Releases, 1898 through 1999 by Paul Mavis p.151 – credits, review
Feature films, 1960-1969: A Filmography of English-language and Major Foreign-language United States Releases by Harris M. Lentz III p.213 – credits, review
The International Spy Guide 001 by Richard Rhys Davies p.437 – illustrated credits, note
Kine & TV Year Book 1970 p.112 – credits
Nuclear Movies: A Filmography by Mick Broderick p.74 – credits, review
Trick Cinematography by R.M. Hayes pp.188-189 – credits, review
