Opiniones de usuarios

There have recently been a lot of dramatised and documentary programmes on UK terrestrial and satellite TV on the pioneering polar explorers, erstwhile rivals and colleagues Scott & Shackleton so I was keen to view this British made dramatisation of the former's doomed 1912 expedition to the South Pole. I was not disappointed. It is obviously difficult to maintain cinematic excitement for the viewer of what is basically a long march (a similar problem as in "The Spirit of St Louis" and "The Old Man & the Sea"), but the true to life tragedy here proves compelling in the end. Jack Cardiff's colour photography is splendid and I was surprised to observe so few "process" shots for a film from the 1940s, given the scale of the task here. John Mills is excellent in the key role of Commander Scott but the supports are all excellent, many of them chosen for their physical similarity to their real life counterparts - Mills too bears a more than passing likeness of physiognomy to Scott. In the post - war climate, Britain obviously sought comfort and inspiration from past heroes as the country rebuilt itself in economic austerity and Scott must have been an ideal model for glorification. Regardless of sniping comments from historians about Scott's poor planning, the film quite rightly avoids judgements and asks the viewer to recognise and admire the human heroism of these gallant men. There is surely no more tragic sacrifice in all exploration than Oates' "I'm going outside, I may be gone some time" - exit and the movie captures this moment with the necessary pathos, later repeating the sensitivity as Scott and his last two colleagues expire with the so near and yet so far "11 miles" on their freezing lips. The Vaughan-Williams music is suitably sweeping and elegiac. One wonders why Hollywood ignored the film at the Academy Awards of 1948, certainly the acting, cinematography and music, to name but three, were worthy of recognition. I wonder if anyone would remake it in the modern era as we approach the centenary of the triumph and tragedy of Scott's expedition. Are you listening Peter Jackson...?

Produced by Ealing Studios, Scott of the Antarctic is a stiff upper- lipped depiction of Captain Scott's infamous, ill-fated expedition to the South Pole. Facing freezing storms, starvation, lack of fuel, and having just digested the sobering revelation that Norwegian rival Roald Amundsen had beaten them too it, Scott and his remaining team of four settled and died just 11 miles from camp, where food, warmth and undoubtedly survival awaited them. Trading very much on the legend of Captain Scott, the film charms thanks to it's post-WWII optimism and gorgeous colour cinematography.

Beginning with a determined Scott, played heartily by John Mills, rounding up his crew, the film takes it's time to get to the Arctic. Relying on Captain Scott's beautifully written diary for its source of information, the film feels more documentary than straight feature. It is all the more detailed and authentic for it, but it comes at the expense of any real character development. By the time the credits roll, we know little more about Scott than when we started, apart from that he was obviously a determined and courageous man. But it makes up for this neglect with a startling final third, where director Charles Frend puts us through every step of Scott's exhausting final thrust to get back to civilisation.

Mills and the supporting cast (James Robertson Justice, Kenneth More, Harold Warrender et al) are excellent throughout, starting out as eager and boisterous, and later, as the last survivors wait to die in the tent that would become their tomb, withdrawn and contemplative. The setting plays as the main villain, and it's captured as both a place of isolated beauty and uninhabitable terror , thanks to Jack Cardiff's stunning cinematography, and it's the encroaching sense of doom that gives Scott of the Antarctic a raw power. Although it obviously ends badly, Scott's death proved to be the making of him. Amundsen was (somewhat cruelly) dismissed as a bad sportsman, and Scott was instantly labelled a hero for daring to stare such overwhelming odds in the face and hold his head high. For a country still recovering from the ravishes of war at the time of the film's release, it must have been a powerful sentiment indeed. One of Ealing's most overlooked efforts.

www.the-wrath-of-blog.blogspot.com

Scott of the Antarctic is a flawed but compelling and beautifully made film, that is definitely worth seeing. The pacing is rather pedestrian in places, the film does sort of idealise the character of Robert Falcon Scott and there is one or two meanderings in the story. Flaws aside, the special effects are absolutely incredible, even for back then, the cinematography is very skillful, the scenery is splendid and the score is resolutely haunting. Also very well done is the focused direction and the compelling performances of John Mills, James Robertson Justice, Diana Churchill and Kenneth More. And there are excellent values portrayed throughout, achievement, triumph, friendship and endeavour, consequently the film's ending is quite moving to say the least. All in all, it isn't perfect but it is worth seeing for the acting and the effects. 7/10 Bethany Cox

The Ealing Studios production `Scott of the Antarctic' is a work of art and an inspiration to human achievement. The film depicts the polar explorers of the Second Scott Antarctic Expedition (1910-1913). They are portrayed first as pygmies against the terrible backdrop of the ice continent, then as dauntless giants within the enclosed spaces of their fragile tents as they await their certain death.

The mood of the film is High Victorian, although strictly speaking the setting is Late Edwardian. Edward Adrian Wilson, the artist, played by Harold Warrender, is the quintessential gentleman naturalist. As the film begins, Wilson is shown in the summery garden of his tranquil country homestead in England, meticulously creating a scientific illustration of a mounted bat. At the end, when Wilson is among the few remaining explorers who face frozen death in their wind-whipped tent, his spirit drifts away to his English home.

The Victorian faith in mechanisms is brought forth by close up shots of distance-measuring wheels that are attached to the backs of clumsy man-drawn sledges, and by the heroic but flawed powered tractors that break down in the awful cold.

The film invites the viewer to arrive at his or her own conclusions about the character of Captain Scott. The film makes no judgments - it merely portrays Scott through the superb acting of John Mills.

`Scott of the Antarctic' is a timeless film about eternal values: human endeavor, achievement and triumph.

The story of British explorer Robert Falcon Scott'CVO (6 June 1868 - c. 29 March 1912) , masterfully played by John Mills , and his 1912 expedition and his quest to be the first to reach the South Pole . It is magnificently adapted by means of a splendid cinematography, adequate make up , impressive exteriors and formidable effects . Dealing with his worried wife (Diana Churchil) and how Robert Scott enlists a motley and highy-prepared group (James Robertson Justice , Christopher Lee ,Kenneth More , John Gregson , Derek Bond , Clive Morton ,among others) to carry out the risked travel . But a rival team of Norwegian explorers led by Amundsen conspire against him.

The true story of how a hero attempts to be the first man to discover the South Pole, only to find that the murderously cold weather and far North Pole spoil their ill-fated expedition . To add to the authenticity of this near-documentary/drama movie , it had a lot of the Antarctic scenes that were filmed in Graham Land, Antarctica, , furthermore : Norway, Jungfrau, Kanton Bern, Switzerland , Falmouth Docks, Falmouth, Cornwall, England. Although there was about various weeks to get worthwhile filming locations , the vast majority of this picture was actually shot on studio , in Ealing Studios, Ealing, London. Breathtaking and overwhelming cinematography by three best cameramen of the British cinema : Osmond Borradaile , Jack Cardiff and Geoffrey Unsworth . Adding an impressive and rousing musical score by Vaughan Williams . The motion picture was compellingly directed by Charles Frend . Charles made his directorial debut in 1942 and turned out several low-budget dramas and documentaries. After the war he directed several critically acclaimed dramas, including Cruel Sea (1953) and Scott of the Antarctic (1948) at his best . His final film as director was The Sky-Bike (1967) and the film on which he ended his career was Ryan's daughter (1970), on which he worked as a second-unit .

Adding more biographic remarks , the deeds happened in the following way : Robert Falcon Scott was a Royal Navy officer and explorer who led two expeditions to the Antarctic regions: the Discovery expedition of 1901-1904 and the ill-fated Terra Nova expedition of 1910-1913. On the first expedition, he set a new southern record by marching to latitude 82°S and discovered the Antarctic Plateau, on which the South Pole is located. On the second venture, Scott led a party of five which reached the South Pole on 17 January 1912, less than five weeks after Amundsen's South Pole expedition. The temperatures recorded by Scott and his team on remain to this day some of the lowest ever recorded. A planned meeting with supporting dog teams from the base camp failed, despite Scott's written instructions, and at a distance of 162 miles (261 km) from their base camp at Hut Point and approximately 20 km from the next depot, Scott and his companions died. When Scott and his party's bodies were discovered, they had in their possession the first Antarctic fossils ever discovered. The fossils were determined to be from the Glossopteris tree and proved that Antarctica was once forested and joined to other continents. Before his appointment to lead the Discovery expedition, Scott had followed the career of a naval officer in the Royal Navy. In 1899, he had a chance encounter with Sir Clements Markham, the president of the Royal Geographical Society, and thus learned of a planned Antarctic expedition, which he soon volunteered to lead . Having taken this step, his name became inseparably associated with the Antarctic, the field of work to which he remained committed during the final 12 years of his life. Following the news of his death, Scott became a celebrated hero, a status reflected by memorials erected across the UK. However, in the last decades of the 20th century, questions were raised about his competence and character. Commentators in the 21st century have regarded Scott more positively after assessing the temperature drop below , 40 °C in March 1912, and after re-discovering Scott's written orders of October 1911, in which he had instructed the dog teams to meet and assist him on the return trip that was flop . Scott is presumed to have died on 29 March 1912, or possibly one day later. The positions of the bodies in the tent when it was discovered eight months later suggested that Scott was the last of the three to die. The bodies of Scott and his companions were discovered by a search party on 12 November 1912 and their records retrieved. Tryggve Gran, who was part of the search party, described the scene as, "snowcovered til up above the door, with Scott in the middle, half out of his bagg ... the frost had made the skin yellow & transparent & I've never seen anything worse in my life". Their final camp became their tomb; the tent roof was lowered over the bodies and a high cairn of snow was erected over it, topped by a roughly fashioned cross, erected using Gran's skis . As an Observation Hill memorial cross, was erected in 1913 and Captain Scott's log and many of the personal effects of the explorers were loaned by The British Museum . Rating 7.5/10 . Better than average .

Although it verges on being a hagiography and cannot be considered to be historically accurate (what historical film is?), Scott of the Antarctic is a beautifully shot film with a great score and a solid cast. Some of the equipment from the actual expedition was used as props.

One of the other commentators on here makes mention of various failings of Scott's. Skis were depoted on the plateau due to poor surface conditions, as it was easier to haul without them and to carry them would have meant a considerable extra weight. Scott's own team depoted their skis, but went back for them when the conditions improved – they did after all have an extra 200 miles to travel than Teddy Evan's team. Taff Evans wasn't abandoned on the Beardmore: he was suffering from possible brain damage and unable to pull the sledge. Considering that they all faced death if they didn't make the next depot in time, the other expedition members went on ahead with the intention of letting him catch up, whereupon he collapsed and died. Out of Teddy Evans's returning party only Evans himself came down with scurvy as he refused to eat either seal or pony meat for months. The other two members of his team, Crean and Lashly, didn't come down with scurvy and when the bodies of Scott and his men were discovered, the signs of scurvy were not visible on them either.

Nansen DID use dogs on his attempt at reaching the North Pole in 1893-95, although his earlier crossing of Greenland was done by manhaul. Scott already had decided to take skis on his expedition BEFORE he met Nansen in Norway, as he had gone there to buy the skis and test the motorised sledges. In fact it was he showed Nansen his locally purchased skis that the great man suggested Scott taking Gran with him. Gran DID teach Scott's men the basics of skiing on the pack ice on the way south. Scott himself was as good a skier as the average Norwegian. There is no evidence of an affair between Kathleen Scott and Nansen as on the occasion in question she was staying with American friends, not in the hotel with Nansen. According to the evidence they were good friends and nothing more.

I'll not add to the lengthy and learned discussions already entered in regard to this film. It's pretty obvious that Scott's reputation has taken a severe beating since he was erected as the model for all English youth as the First World War was beginning. I will say that the British miniseries "The Last Place on Earth", based on Roland Huntford's book on Scott and Amundsen's race to the pole, is the best piece of television I've ever seen, one which I fortunately taped and have re-viewed several times.

The performances in this film are very sturdy and the cinematography outstanding as well. Most historical films have a biased viewpoint anyway, so this one is no more guilty than any other.

The one point I did want to make that I had not noticed in other comments is that the score for this film is by Ralph Vaughn Williams and is the basis for his "Symphonia Antartica", a beautiful and haunting piece, which deserves to be heard more often.

OK, we've heard a lot about the "real" history and the debate over whether Scott was a hero or a complete imbecile. Whatever the truth is and whatever revisionist or hagiography history is being peddled, "Scott Of The Antarctic" is a beautifully made film: One of the best looking early colour films which evokes a bye-gone era and is strangely compelling and haunting at the same time. The music by Vaughn-Williams, the greatest British classical composer of his time, is powerful and, again, haunting. In some scenes, they've recreated exactly some of the photos taken during the Scott expedition. The casting is spot on; look at the original photos and Millsy is uncannily like Scott, Kenneth More is Teddy Evans, Reginald Beckwith and James Robertson Justice do their real counterparts well and John Gregson, in one of his first film roles, captures Tom Crean perfectly (compare his performance with Paul McGann's Crean in "Shackleton", which was pretty good). Many film critics feel that "Scott of the Antarctic" was somewhat robbed at the 1949 Oscars.

The movie is slightly redeemed by John Mills's performance, also a great team of cinematographers. This was done at a time when Scott was still considered, in England, to be something of a hero rather than the bungling martinet he was. The film is rife with romantic inaccuracies. E.g., the schoolgirl who makes the touchingly brave effort to contribute her pennies represented, in reality, a concerted campaign by Kathleen Scott to raise money for the expedition from English schoolchildren after Scott was snubbed by the Royal Geographical Society; Oates, the cavalryman, was disgusted with the condition of the Manchurian ponies purchased by Meares, the dog expert, who warned Scott he had no knowledge of horseflesh; Lieut. 'Teddy' Evans did not *ask* permission for his 4-man party to leave their skis behind, his party was singled out and *ordered* by Scott to depot their skis--an order which Lieut. Evans questioned vigorously; on the ill-fated return journey, Scott was not nearly so solicitous of P.O. 'Taff' Evans's weakening condition as is portrayed and essentially abandoned Taff at the foot of the Beardmore Glacier; and, no mention is made of the rampant symptoms of scurvy that affected the second return party and the polar party--a touchy subject with the Royal Navy.

Perhaps the most offensive inaccuracy is the portrayal of the great Norwegian polar explorer Fridtjof Nansen as a monosyllabic lout. "I like doogs", he repeats. In reality, Nansen never used dogs himself; it was Amundsen who learned to drive dogs from the natives of Arctic Canada on his Gjoa expedition through the Northwest Passage. What Nansen tried to impress upon Scott was: a) the foolishness of testing motor sledges in the relative warmth of a Norwegian snow field in spring; and, b) the importance of skis, which Scott, up to this point, had no plans to use. It was only by virtue of a demonstration staged by conspiracy between Nansen and Kathleen Scott (the two later had a brief affair), that Scott was persuaded to take the Norwegian skier, Gran, along to teach his men to use skis. Scott then equipped his expedition with skis, took Gran to Antarctica, but never gave him the opportunity to instruct his men.

For a more accurate and far less romanticized enactment, take the time to find and see "The Last Place on Earth", a 7-hour BBC documentary from 1985 based on Roland Huntford's book, "Scott and Amundsen".

I wanted to say a few words on this magnificent film.

Firstly the acting was first-class. In no film have I seen an actor capture the look of terror that I man feels when he contemplates his death and suppresses terror because of his dignity. It is all in the eyes, and Evan's despairing gaze as he sinks to the snow lingers with the viewer long after the film has ceased to roll. Old as it is, it is a vastly more powerful and shaking film than 'Saving Private Ryan. The make-up and casting are first class. The fact that it was made only a generation after the expedition, gives the film a touch of verisimilitude that truly chills the blood.

Many of the comments here reflect a post-imperialist desire to deconstruct the heroes of the Empire of whom Scott was one. His diary apparently, reveals weaknesses of character. But this ignores that a man facing death, communicates to his diary the depths of his soul while he bears a brave face to his companions. Scott's errors can be seen as those of a man taking a gamble, underfunded, knowing the chances but believing that with ordinary luck, he should succeed. The polar winter closes early and at the end he acknowledges his defeat and imminent death.

If you want to see a film about men challenging the odds and facing death - this is the film.

I recall my first ever bicycle expedition as a youth. Growing up in Elmont, Long Island, where could I travel far enough away, yet be home in time for dinner? I chose the Atlantic Ocean and the Rockaway boardwalk. My two friends and I got on our stingray bikes and headed south following the jets toward John F. Kennedy international. Fourty five minutes later we arrived at Brookville Park where we saw two kid trying to fish. We stopped for water and rested for about an hour. Then we headed onward along a pot hole infested street toward Rockaway Turnpike. Then misfortune struck as my Friend's bike chain broke. There we were stranded along the marshlands adjacent to the airport as plane noise and frustration was on our minds. We never thought about the possibilities. what if we got a flat tire or broken chain or injury? Never entered our thoughts. Now came the painstaking task of walking our bikes back to Elmont on foot. Scott of The Antarctic was modeled in the same way as in most failed expeditions. A cinematic British production out of Ealing Studios and Directed by Charles Frend, you follow the story of an expedition to the South Pole. This film is considered a documentary for it's time yet critic alike tell a different story of tremendous inaccuracies. I was taken by the actual winter scenes. Film in Technicolor for a 1940's movies which is very rear for that cost and period. The story is simple yet very dangerous and unnerving. Sir Robert Falcon Scott (John Mills) and his crew fight their most vicious foe "The Elements" Unspeakable below freezing temperatures as they crawl toward civilization. I could speak about the failed expedition and dreary outcome. The important thing you should know is that I was riveted watching the struggling explorers with their frost bitten faces accompanied by a whiteout filled backdrop till films end. Notable supporting cast includes Derek Bond as Oates, Reginald Berkwith as Bowers, James Justice as Evans and the mostly cast actor on both sides of the pond the incomparable Christoper Lee as Day to complete expedition. As for my return to civilization some 3 hours later in the blazing sun, We did mange to stop for pizza which we enjoyed.

I have just seen this film and reluctantly admire it. I saw it many years ago, but time has mellowed my response to it. John Mills I still think is too much of a star of the time for me to find completely convincing, but no doubt he signalled hope to an immediate post-War public living for the most part in genteel poverty, or confined again to slum buildings. Harold Warrender, a good understated actor, but more subtle, would have been my choice. He stands out in the film as having a quiet sense of presence and less ' heroic, ' and for me he should have been given the role of Scott. His scenes at the beginning of the film with his wife are played with a nuanced tenderness that won me over, and only in his performance do I feel an unspoken presentiment of defeat. But the film, well made and handsome to look at somehow transforms it into the sort of success that the British often attribute to noble failure. Vaughan Williams contributes with a fine musical score and the colour could not be bettered. The ending we should all know by now, and as a child Scott's name was spoken with reverence and he is undoubtedly still a tragic but great figure who failed in his objective, yet is somehow victorious. Both John Gregson and Kenneth More play suitably stiff upper lip roles, and somehow it seems irreverent to give the film a 7. I accept in tragic times it still holds out hope when so little is just over the horizon.

Revisited this recently. Part of me wants to love the film because of its Britishness and taking into account the date it was released (and of course because John Mills does a stellar job as always) but I can't make peace nor get past the idiocy of Scott and the way he is given a heroic portrayal.

Knowing what the benefit of a century later allows us to know, it's still bizarre and almost unfathomable how and why Scott did some of the things he did. To me he was an idiot. To many and especially to the audience and relatives at the time this was released, he is given a far higher honour and greater reputation than was deserved.

That Scott was largely responsible for the unfair and incredibly damaging reputation of killer whales doesn't help. His account of an orca pod deliberately and aggressively trying to sink them is still cited as an incident of aggression from wild orca towards humans.

That said maybe because of the time it was made and the reaction it might have received from an audience in 1948, there was no mention of the party killing and eating penguins for example or using the ponies for food and burying them to find and eat on their return. This being left out gives the impression they simply shot and left the ponies without having even thought to use for food and the rest for clothing and shelter. It also suggests they survived solely on provisions they set out with which again suggests Scott was an even bigger tool than perhaps was the case in that sense.

The scenes that do touch on death and mortality are sensitive especially the point at which the ponies can go no further.

Scott's effort to calm and reassure his pony was touching especially when he's startled at the sound of another pony being shot before him and is given a gentle pat for reassurance and told "Well Christopher old boy" before being lead away to meet the same fate. It was a necessary means but not glossed over nor made graphic.

My own feelings aside you can't help but feel for all these men whose end seemed even crueller given how close they were to safety.

Despite the romantic portrayal this is a well made film with brilliant performances particularly from the ever solid John Mills.

Whilst more recent documentaries might be more accurate and better told, technically, this just-after-the-war Technicolor British 'Pride' docu- drama is both stirring and patriotic.

With one of the best cinematographers that ever lived behind the camera, the great, late Jack Cardiff, the snowy wastes (actually filmed in Norway) are a far cry from the cheeky, monochromatic East End comedies of other Ealing's.

The much-loved John Mills plays and narrates as Captain Scott, whilst there's rousing support from the familiar faces of Kenneth Moore, John Gregson and James Robertson Justice. The stiff upper lip is never far away as bravely, first Scott rallies for funds to pay for the trip and then undertaking it.

There's humour, comradeship, sadness and glorious spectacle in this and I'm sure the at-times dastardly and enthusiastic playing was more for cinematic appeal than the original trek must have been. When it was originally shown, the film must have seemed like a breath of fresh air, being so different to what was normally in the cinema. Location shooting being expensive, abroad more so and in such a hostile environment, a real achievement.

We all know the outcome but it's the journey getting there and this film, very well made and entertaining to watch, does the memory of Scott and his endeavours, proud.

In retelling the now-familiar tale of Captain Scott's expedition to the South Pole, director Charles Frend makes some points of particular significance to post-war Britain (the film was released in 1948). The group of intrepid explorers, including Scott himself (John Mills), Wilson (Harold Warrender), Taff Evans (James Robertson Justice), and Oates (Derek Bond) stick together through thick and thin. They might be reluctant to display their emotions, but they display the kind of loyalty and solidarity that is not only admirable, but helps to sustain their collective spirit. For a bankrupt Britain recovering from the rigors of World War II, this was an important point - especially after having experienced one of the coldest winters in living memory in 1947. SCOTT OF THE ANTARCTIC also emphasizes the spirit of nationalism - even if the explorers fail in their quest, they show a stoicism and tenacity that is truly extraordinary. Such qualities were as important in 1948 as they were in 1912. The film is surprisingly high-budget (for Ealing Studios); although some of the sequences are obviously studio-bound, some of the location photography (by Geoffrey Unsworth, Osmond Borradale and Jack Cardiff) is truly breathtaking. The script contains some familiar lines (notably Oates leaving the tent saying to his colleagues "I may be some time"), but the ending is still beautifully handled, with the camera focusing on the three luckless explorers finally lying down to die, even though they only have eleven miles to complete their trip.

Technicolor British true-life man-vs-nature adventure from Ealing Studios and director Charles Frend. The film tells the story of the 1912 attempt by the British expedition led by Captain R. F. Scott (John Mills) to be the first to reach the south pole. The crew deals with limited supplies, untested means of transport, a rival expedition led by Roald Amundson, and of course the severely harsh Antarctic conditions.

I've watched a lot of arctic and Antarctic stories in the last year, from the 1924 documentary The Great White Silence, to 1930's With Byrd at the South Pole, 1931's Dirigible, and the TV series The Terror. So I was doubtful that yet another telling of the same sort of tale would make much of an impact with me. But I was surprised at how much I became invested in this version as the film progressed, despite knowing the eventual outcome from the beginning. The cast is all fine, although this is the sort of ensemble piece that isn't about showy individuality. The filming is an interesting blend of obvious studio-bound artifice, complete with painted backdrops featuring clearly visible ripples, to elaborate miniatures, to on-location footage of icy waters and craggy glaciers. The cinematography by Jack Cardiff, Osmond Borradaile, and Geoffrey Unsworth is exceptional.

This film sucks in so many ways. As an Englishman I find this self conscious stiff upper lip acting style of Mills and his cohorts utterly embarrassing and stupid. That people seem to like this cartoonish drivel only makes it even worse especially when you see real adult English people trying to imitate it in real life. Then in this film we have the heroising of a man who led an expedition which was by all accounts a consummate failure. Why this perverse English need to make a hero out of a loser? Not only did Scott lose the race but all the loss of life, and suffering including the death of horses and dogs for what? Just to try to be the first person to stand on a bit of ice which is the south pole. Why? To satisfy a massive ego. You think it would all be forgotten as an embarrassing mistake in English history. But no. Back when I was young my school was divided up into four 'houses' named after famous explorers: Lawrence, Livingstone, Rhodes and Scott. I was in Scott. Ugh! The shame of it.