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IMDbPro

Ice Station Zebra

  • 19681968
  • GG
  • 2h 28m
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
11K
YOUR RATING
Ernest Borgnine, Jim Brown, Rock Hudson, and Patrick McGoohan in Ice Station Zebra (1968)
Trailer for this chilly thriller
Play trailer2:37
1 Video
76 Photos
AdventureThriller
USN nuclear sub USS Tigerfish must rush to the North Pole to rescue the staff of Drift Ice Station Zebra weather station.USN nuclear sub USS Tigerfish must rush to the North Pole to rescue the staff of Drift Ice Station Zebra weather station.USN nuclear sub USS Tigerfish must rush to the North Pole to rescue the staff of Drift Ice Station Zebra weather station.
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
11K
YOUR RATING
    • John Sturges
  • Writers
    • Alistair MacLean(novel)
    • Douglas Heyes(screenplay)
    • Harry Julian Fink(screen story)
  • Stars
    • Rock Hudson
    • Ernest Borgnine
    • Patrick McGoohan
    • John Sturges
  • Writers
    • Alistair MacLean(novel)
    • Douglas Heyes(screenplay)
    • Harry Julian Fink(screen story)
  • Stars
    • Rock Hudson
    • Ernest Borgnine
    • Patrick McGoohan
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 133User reviews
    • 39Critic reviews
    • 49Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 Oscars

    Videos1

    Ice Station Zebra
    Trailer 2:37
    Watch Ice Station Zebra

    Photos76

    Ernest Borgnine, Rock Hudson, Jed Allan, Tony Bill, and Ron Masak in Ice Station Zebra (1968)
    Donald Sutherland and Shirley Douglas in Ice Station Zebra (1968)
    Ernest Borgnine, Rock Hudson, Tony Bill, and Ron Masak in Ice Station Zebra (1968)
    Patrick McGoohan in Ice Station Zebra (1968)
    Rock Hudson, Gerald S. O'Loughlin, Sherwood Price, and David Wendel in Ice Station Zebra (1968)
    Rock Hudson, Patrick McGoohan, Sherwood Price, and David Wendel in Ice Station Zebra (1968)
    Patrick McGoohan in Ice Station Zebra (1968)
    Ernest Borgnine in Ice Station Zebra (1968)
    Patrick McGoohan in Ice Station Zebra (1968)
    Ernest Borgnine and Patrick McGoohan in Ice Station Zebra (1968)
    Ernest Borgnine, Patrick McGoohan, Ted Hartley, and Murray Rose in Ice Station Zebra (1968)
    Rock Hudson in Ice Station Zebra (1968)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Rock Hudson
    Rock Hudson
    • Cdr. James Ferraday
    Ernest Borgnine
    Ernest Borgnine
    • Boris Vaslov
    Patrick McGoohan
    Patrick McGoohan
    • David Jones
    Jim Brown
    Jim Brown
    • Capt. Leslie Anders
    Tony Bill
    Tony Bill
    • Lt. Russell Walker
    Lloyd Nolan
    Lloyd Nolan
    • Admiral Garvey
    Alf Kjellin
    Alf Kjellin
    • Col. Ostrovsky
    Gerald S. O'Loughlin
    Gerald S. O'Loughlin
    • Lt. Cdr. Bob Raeburn
    Ted Hartley
    Ted Hartley
    • Lt. Jonathan Hansen
    Murray Rose
    Murray Rose
    • Lt. George Mills
    Ron Masak
    Ron Masak
    • Paul Zabrinczski
    Sherwood Price
    Sherwood Price
    • Lt. Edgar Hackett
    Lee Stanley
    Lee Stanley
    • Lt. Mitgang
    Joseph Bernard
    • Dr. Jack Benning
    John Orchard
    John Orchard
    • Survivor
    William O'Connell
    William O'Connell
    • Survivor
    Michael T. Mikler
    Michael T. Mikler
    • Lt. Courtney Cartwright
    Jonathan Goldsmith
    Jonathan Goldsmith
    • Russian Aide
    • (as Jonathan Lippe)
      • John Sturges
    • Writers
      • Alistair MacLean(novel)
      • Douglas Heyes(screenplay)
      • Harry Julian Fink(screen story)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In the era before VCRs, Howard Hughes would call the Las Vegas TV station he owned and demand they run this particular movie. Hughes so loved this film that it aired on his Las Vegas station over 100 times during his lifetime.
    • Goofs
      Not only was file footage of a US F4 Phantom used instead of a USSR MIG-21, the clip used was obviously of an aircraft on short final approach as the landing gear and flaps were in the landing position. Even if the type of air snatch represented could be done with an F4 or a MIG (with its flaps and landing gear down to give it the slowest possible air speed above a stall) the craft lacked the distinctive V-shaped whisker poles protruding off the nose that the Fulton retrieval system had evolved to use by the 1960s.
    • Quotes

      Cmdr. Ferraday: It wasn't sealing wax. It wasn't chewing gum. It was epoxy glue. And all of a sudden you know a whole damn lot about submarines.

      David Jones: I know how to wreck them, and I know how to lie, steal, kidnap, counterfeit, suborn and kill. That's my job. I do it with great pride.

    • Alternate versions
      Originally shown in theaters with an opening overture, which has been restored for the 2005 DVD release.
    • Connections
      Edited into Fer-de-Lance (1974)
    • Soundtracks
      Overture
      (uncredited)

      Written and Performed by Michel Legrand Et Son Orchestre

    User reviews133

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    Thrilling and rousing film in which Rock Hudson is dispatched to a dangerous mission to rescue a spy artifact
    Spectacular film about Cold War filmed mostly in study that won two Academy Award nominations : Cinematography and special visual effects. Captain James Ferraday (this was Rock Hudson's favourite film of his own, and also of Howard Hughes ; Charlton Heston was originally offered the role but turned it down, saying there was no characterization in the script) , Commander of the nuclear submarine called USS Tigershark, is assigned to the polar ice region on a rescue mission when an emergency signal is heard from a research station, Ice Station Zebra (in real life, there was no "Ice Station Zebra", but there was an "Ice Station Alpha" which was situated in a Arctic's Ice Island). On board there is a civilian and possibly a spy named David Jones (Laurence Harvey was originally cast in Patrick McGoohan's role) , whose orders are dark . Ferraday doesn't like being kept in the secret but Jones is strongly secretive and doesn't give much away . Along the way, they collect two additional passengers, a Russian veteran named Boris Vaslov (the recently deceased Ernest Borgnine) , likely also a spy, and an African-American Marine Captain (Jim Brown) . Based on the novel (1963) by Alistair MacLean, Scottish author of Best-seller novels such as "The Guns of Navarone" . It's one of two Alistair MacLean filmed adaptations released in 1968, the other was ¨Where Eagles Dare¨. Changes made from the Alistair MacLean source novel of the same name for this film included the name of the nuclear submarine, the Dolphin, which was re-named the USS Tigerfish and the names of two characters: Submarine Commander Swanson became Commander Ferraday and spy Dr. Carpenter became David Jones .

    It is one of the most thrilling and exciting films set on the years of the Cold War. Great superproduction with all-star-cast , impressive scenes , shimmer photography and a vibrant sound , the time has increased its documentary value. The acting of the interesting characters is believable and convincing, especially by Patrick McGoohan and the Russian Colonel well played by Alf Kjellin . Special appearance by Lloyd Nolan and film debut for Ron Masak .The film's story has similarities with the real life events, reported in the media in April 1959, of the Discoverer II experimental Corona satellite capsule that went missing and was recovered by Soviet intelligence agents after it crashed near Spitsbergen in the Arctic Ocean ; Spitsbergen is in Norway's Svalbard archipelago of islands which is where both Alistair MacLean 's novel and the film of Bear Island is set. The screenplay has eloquent dialogue, continuous tension and surprising twists that keep the viewer's attention .The soundtrack by singer and French composer Michel Legrand -"The Umbrellas of Cherbourg"- , is full of vibrant sound , brings a solemn score, cutting edge, played by an orchestra of wind . Colorful cinematography in glimmer color by Daniel Fapp. Unique and innovative underwater camera equipment was developed for this movie by 2nd unit cameraman and cinematographer 'John M Stephens', a former U.S.A. Navy diver, who is billed in the credits for additional arctic photography , the camera system enabled the first ever filming of a continuous submarine dive and this technical innovation produced some outstanding photography for the picture.

    The visual effects, despite its quality, not 'see that snow is artificial, that the landscape of the polar station is mounted on set ; his picture is the first of two movies based on an Alistair MacLean novel set in rugged icy and snowy terrain , the second would be Bear Island about eleven years later. John Sturges' filmmaking is absorbent and entertaining , a good job , It's one of two filmed Alistair MacLean adaptations directed by Sturges , the other was ¨The Satan Bug¨ made and released about three years earlier . The production shoot for ¨Ice Station Zebra¨ went for nineteen weeks, from Spring 1967 until October 1967. Rating : Very good , wholesome seeing .
    helpful•26
    5
    • ma-cortes
    • Jul 8, 2012

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 23, 1968 (United States)
      • United States
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Filmways Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 2 hours 28 minutes
      • Color
      • 70 mm 6-Track

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