Struggle to Survive (TV 1994)
"Snowbound: The Jim and Jennifer Stolpa Story" (original title)

Two thousand miles from home, Jim and Jennifer Stolpa (with baby Clayton) lose their way and are stranded in an endless wilderness of deep snow, battling for survival against the elements. ... See full summary »

Director:

Christian Duguay

Writer:

Jonathan Rintels

Stars:

Neil Patrick Harris, Kelli Williams, Richard Ian Cox

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Neil Patrick Harris	...	Jim Stolpa
Kelli Williams	...	Jennifer Stolpa
Richard Ian Cox	...	Jason Wicker (as Richard Cox)
Duncan Fraser	...	Don Patterson
Susan Clark	...	Muriel Mulligan
Michael Gross	...	Kevin Mulligan
Andrew Airlie	...	Dr. Bonaldi
Alexander Ahnert	...	Clayton Stolpa
Zachary Ahnert	...	Clayton Stolpa
Shannon Beaty	...	Megan Mulligan
Heather Beaty	...	Megan Mulligan
Joy Coghill	...	Dr. Jorgenson
Kevin McNulty	...	Joe Tirado
Roger Barnes	...	Steve
J.B. Bivens	...	Roadblock CHP

Storyline

Two thousand miles from home, Jim and Jennifer Stolpa (with baby Clayton) lose their way and are stranded in an endless wilderness of deep snow, battling for survival against the elements. Using only meager supplies and resourcefulness, the young couple struggles to keep themselves and their infant son alive in a frozen shelter while awaiting rescue. Realizing they won't be found, Jim ultimately strikes out on a courageous 50-mile mission, determined to reach help and return to save his loved ones in this exciting and moving true story.

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Plot Keywords:

infant | survival | snowstorm | baby | snow | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 January 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

A hó fogságában

Filming Locations:

British Columbia, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jaffe/Braunstein Films, Pacific Motion Pictures Corporation, Spectacor Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min 120 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

True story that's so harrowing it's hard to believe

All the saccharine, lovey-dovey stuff at the start almost made me turn this movie off, but now I see that the screenwriter was just trying to show us the strong bonds that helped three people survive an unbelievable ordeal. Things started moving quickly as the father, taking his young family to join the rest of the clan, ignored weather reports and drove through a blizzard. The snow got worse and worse and finally they were stranded in the middle of nowhere. Their struggles to stay alive kept me awake when a lot of movies would have left me sleeping at the hour when this film was broadcast. I kept saying to myself "No one could survive this long in the bitter cold." Adding to the tension were the decisions: do they stay in the SUV, which offered shelter, but where they will eventually freeze, or do all three brave the elements and face a much surer and sooner extinction, with only the slim chance of finding help? Once they've made that fateful choice, which way do they walk and what if they pick the wrong way? Does father leave wife and baby to freeze in a cave while he's asked to walk 50 miles with frost-bitten feet to get help? Seven days in the cold seems too much for anyone, much less a baby, but somehow all 3 survived it. I wouldn't have believed any of it had I not known it was all true. Good acting, especially from Kelli Williams of TV's "The Practice" series. I can recommend this movie.