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IMDb > Ice Station Zebra (1968)
Ice Station Zebra
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Ice Station Zebra (1968) More at IMDb Pro »

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Overview

User Rating:
6.5/10   2,650 votes
Director:
John Sturges
Writers:
Alistair MacLean (novel)
Douglas Heyes (screenplay)
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Release Date:
23 October 1968 (USA) more
Genre:
Action | Drama | Thriller more
Tagline:
It's a race for the secret ... or TOTAL DESTRUCTION more
Plot:
Commander James Ferraday, USN, has new orders: get David Jones, a British civilian, Captain Anders, a tough Marine with a platoon of troops... more | full synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for 2 Oscars. more
User Comments:
"My First Name Is Captain" more

Cast

 (Cast overview, first billed only)

Rock Hudson ... Cdr. James Ferraday

Ernest Borgnine ... Boris Vaslov
Patrick McGoohan ... David Jones

Jim Brown ... Capt. Leslie Anders
Tony Bill ... Lt. Russell Walker
Lloyd Nolan ... Admiral Garvey
Alf Kjellin ... Col. Ostrovsky
Gerald S. O'Loughlin ... Lt. Cdr. Bob Raeburn
Ted Hartley ... Lt. Jonathan Hansen
Murray Rose ... Lt. George Mills

Ron Masak ... Paul Zabrinczski
Sherwood Price ... Lt. Edgar Hackett
Lee Stanley ... Lt. Mitgang
Joseph Bernard ... Dr. Jack Benning
John Orchard ... Survivor
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Additional Details

Runtime:
148 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Metrocolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
70 mm 6-Track
Certification:
Canada:G (Manitoba) (original rating) | Canada:G (Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) (video rating) (1991) | Iceland:16 | Australia:PG | USA:TV-PG | West Germany:12 (f) | Finland:K-12 | Norway:11 | Norway:12 (1970) | Sweden:11 | USA:G | Singapore:PG | UK:U
MOVIEmeter: ?
V 10% since last week why?

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Gregory Peck and David Niven were both attached to this project. more
Goofs:
Factual errors: If the torpedo room floods from the tube, the amount of water that would come through the tube would make it impossible for the crew to stop it. For this reason, there is a mechanical interlock whose key is held by the captain, to prevent opening both breech and muzzle doors at the same time. more
Quotes:
David Jones: The Russians put our camera made by *our* German scientists and your film made by *your* German scientists into their satellite made by *their* German scientists. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "The West Wing: The Leadership Breakfast (#2.11)" (2001) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
18 out of 20 people found the following comment useful:-
"My First Name Is Captain", 9 May 2007
9/10
Author: bkoganbing from Buffalo, New York

The very first film Rock Hudson did after finishing his contractual obligations at Universal Studios was no cheapie. Ice Station Zebra was spared no expense by MGM in bringing the Alistair McLean Cold War novel to the screen. Unfortunately this and some other ill conceived projects are what brought MGM to bankruptcy in the next decade.

Though it got only so-so reviews and didn't have the box office that MGM wanted and needed, Ice Station Zebra has stood up well and is really best seen on the big screen. Even a letter boxed version doesn't do the vast polar landscapes justice nor the underwater shots neither. The film was nominated for special effects and color cinematography.

Watching Rock Hudson in command of the U.S.S. Tigerfish was like watching James T. Kirk in charge of the Enterprise. I wouldn't be surprised if Hudson took a few cues from William Shatner in his performance.

Hudson has an Enterprise like mission and later on leads an away team on a polar icecap where a Russian spy satellite has been busy photographing all of the U.S. missile launching sites. The film is wanted by both sides and both sides send teams to get it.

It's a curious bunch that Hudson has to deal with on his team. A Russian defector scientist Ernest Borgnine, British agent Patrick McGoohan (wasn't that ever natural casting) and spit and polish Marine captain Jim Brown. They've all got varying agendas and one in his crew is a double agent.

The highlight of the film is the standoff with Hudson and Russian colonel Alf Kjellin. They are an evenly matched pair, I would not like to be playing poker with.

Ice Station Zebra is far better than the reviews it got at the time. Even with the Cold War over, it's still an exciting and suspense filled film.

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Don't watch if you read the book! wedgar
Spoiler within!! Why did Jones... perka_nr1
U.S Ships james-rae2
Gregory Peck was originally the Sub Captain Moor-Larkin
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