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You say Zebra, I say Zeebra
Very much a Sunday afternoon film, this is the kind of big, inflexible entertainment that begs the adjective 'sturdy'. It works because of the worthwhile combination of slightly unimaginative but utterly reliable professionals - the page-turning novelist Alistair MacLean, and the crisp, muscular action director John Sturges. None of MacLean's novels are classics, and few of Sturges' films are unalloyed masterpieces ('The Great Escape' or 'The Magnificent Seven' succeed through stellar casts and incomparable music from Elmer Bernstein rather than the solid direction). However, all of MacLean's books are good fun, and all of Sturges' films are workmanlike but entertaining.
This is no exception - Rock Hudson is the tough sub commander, Patrick MacGoohan is the agreeably hammy spy, and Ernest Borgnine is the comedy Russian. Basically, you have to guess which of these guys is going to turn out to be the villain, during an incident-packed journey to the Arctic crash site of a satellite. There are few surprises, and most of the expected submarine movie cliches. But while it's about 20 minutes too long, it's tense enough once everyone's aboard, and the special effects are excellent for the era. 'Ice Station Zebra' won't change your life, but it will keep you watching. |
