Review: Scott of the Antarctic

Captain Robert Falcon Scott (Sir John Mills) makes a second trip to the Antarctic in the hopes of finally achieving the feat of reaching the South Pole. He and his accompanying party encounter all manner of issues on the expedition, which becomes more about grim survival than seeking fame and glory in being the first person to reach the South Pole. Harold Warrander plays Scott’s scientist friend E.A. Wilson, whilst others accompanying Scott are played by the likes of James Robertson Justice, Kenneth More, and Christopher Lee.

 

Rock-solid 1948 adventure/drama from director Charles Frend (“The Cruel Sea”, “Lease of Life”) about the famed Naval officer and explorer Captain Robert Falcon Scott (John Mills) and his doomed second attempt at reaching the South Pole. John Mills isn’t the first person I think of when I think of adventurers, but he’s terrific in the title role. It’s sturdy adventure stuff with a British stiff upper lip, for those who like this sort of thing. Although the makeup has aged terribly, if that’s the only bad thing you’ve got to say (aside from maybe Harold Warrander’s stiff performance), you’re likely watching a very fine film. This is pretty darn well-mounted for 1948, even though the FX work is very much of the era. I was most surprised by how gruelling and dour it was at times for the era. It really does a great job of getting across how gruelling, arduous, and dangerous the expedition was. Personally I find such exploits complete and utter madness, but I’m obviously of very different stock to the likes of Captain Scott. The music score by Ralph Vaughan Williams (“49^th Parallel”) is good, too.

 

Few of the supporting cast and characters get to stand out, so Mills is pretty much the whole show here. However, James Robertson Justice and Kenneth More fare well when given the chance. More in particular gives his scant character more than was likely on the page, and does so with dignity and subtlety. Robertson Justice’s character comes into its own in the second half and he handles the melodrama rather well. It’s a rather tricky character to play without going overboard, in what is mostly more of an understated docudrama. The underrated, veteran character actor gets it just right. A young Christopher Lee has a nothing role here, but you can spot him in a few frames smoking a pipe and trying awfully hard to get noticed, if not quite Donald Pleasence levels of trying to get noticed. It’s interesting to see him in his first year of cinematic acting.

 

A well-done real-life adventure story, and rather gruelling for the period. Fans of this kind of thing won’t want to miss it, even though you wish that very fine British character actor cast were given a little more to do. Nonetheless, Mills provides a strong, sturdy anchor and the film is effective. The screenplay is by Walter Meade (“Another Shore”) and Ivor Montagu (producer of several early Hitchcock films including “The 39 Steps”), with additional dialogue by Mary Hayley Bell (AKA, Mrs. John Mills).

 

Rating: B-