source: The Red Tent

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Great acting all round in this polar disaster/one man's guilt story. I've been on a polar explorer kick lately and this helped bring the events of the Italia disaster more into focus. A lovely score by none other than Moriccone! The version I watched didn't have subtitles for the Russian parts, which was a bit off putting at times since I don't have a word of Russian, but I gathered the meaning mostly I think. Overall well worth a watch.

What can I say? There is so much here to recommend this movie. 1. First, it appears to be historically accurate. 2. The cast is fantastic. OK: Enough with the numbers. We have an unusual setting (for any movie) where a man is in conflict with himself. He questions whether the decisions he made were the right ones, and continually brings "ghosts" from his past to judge him. Some are hostile, and others benign. But, I think that the "ghost" of Amundsen sums it up. "You must forgive yourself, and sleep". How many of us have made bad decisions, and have seconded guessed ourselves? Anyone who has been in a similar situation have the same feelings. Stop, and listen to the message here! This is the crux of the movie. Do not destroy yourself by "what ifs". Deal with your folly, and then carry on. Combat, survival, bad business decisions: So what? Press on. This is what makes this movie so great; the message.

This is one of the greatest movies i've ever seen, and i wish it was available on DVD. I'm a guy, and i'm not ashamed to say that it's one of the two or three movies i've ever seen that actually made me cry!!! Yea, it's really that good!!! Forget the macho bullshit, this is about real men, and real courage... It's about the courage to survive in the most adverse conditions... And, it's done with that incredible style and cinematic brilliance that only the Italians seem able to achieve (and this from a self-professed anglo-phile...) Oh, yea, and it's actually a true story too...!!! Watch it, if you ever get the chance, and i'm sure you'll agree that this movie deserves to be in the top ten of anybody's list... Greg, the anglo-Italian movie buff

The Red Tent grows on you. The story line intrigues me so that I have watched the movie time after time. The footage is beautiful. My only complaint is that the movie is not available in DVD to watch in wide-screen. This is not a high action movie. Much line the explorers, the movie is a slow treck. You meet the characters and you learn how play into the story. Most importantly, you learn about the disaster and the quilt and shame associated with it by the ships captain. At the end, you feel resolution, but as he does. Worth watching. Certainly, not one of Sean Connery's most commanding roles. However, the "star" is the air-ship and the beautiful back-ground scenery.

I reckon I must have seen this as a young boy, probably around the age of 11, in the late 70'es. I saw it on TV at that time. The images of this movie to this day are very vivid in my memory, the ice, and the desperation it depicts. Although I don't recall much of the plot, and perhaps didn't even grasp it completely at the time, a few scenes are simply as etched in my brain: The scene where they struggle to repair the radio with graphite from a pencil. And of course Nobile's talks with the ghosts. I also seem to recall that Amundsen as portrayed by Connery came across as a rather self-righteous and arrogant person. A movie that can make such a lasting impression must possess some significant qualities.

I looked up this little-known gem because the director Mikhail Kalatozov had also directed Letter Never Sent. Though the story is a bit hard to follow, since it is told as a recollection and an imaginary reunion of the principals involved. The cinematography is outstanding, capturing the desolateness and starkness of the arctic, along with a haunting soundtrack. The cast is very solid, the story - true life outweighs fiction. I have always found films dealing with survival in the elements to be fascinating. This film keep the viewer engrossed, without resorting to cheap dramatics, or sentimentality. Just solid filmmaking.

The Red Tent (1969) Plot In A Paragraph: Torn by personal guilt Italian General Umberto Nobile (Peter Finch) reminisces about his 1928 failed Arctic expedition aboard the airship Italia. Not many people have seen this movie, it runs a little too long, and it's not what I'd call an enjoyable movie, but that doesn't mean it isn't a good one. The entire movie takes place in the generals mind. He calls back various participants to the events, to re-live what happened, and then ultimately pass judgement on him. It's well directed, well acted and it has a nice score too Attempting to rid himself from Bond, it is the first time Connery would play the wiser, older man, he turns up late on, in what is only a supporting role (at best) or a glorified cameo. The Red Tent was another Connery movie to fail at the box office.

Wow. After a fortnight of seeing movies that were mostly interesting but a little disappointing (Skyfall, Looper, Sahara, The Cabin in the Woods) I was fortunate enough to come across The Red Tent. And what a refreshing change. A good range of character actors, each allowed enough screen time for us to understand who they are and what they mean. Real special effects, not CGI. OK, some of the ice breaking scenes may be from stock footage but they clearly show real activity. And the style of the movie is made interesting by the combination of English speaking actors in an Italian-Russian co-production. I found myself captivated by the story telling and wanting, now, to find more like it. Unfortunately the IMDb "People who like this also liked" feature doesn't seem to be working here. Probably more of a guys movie than a general interest movie. The issues raised are something every man will be able to relate to.