Bear Island (1979)

On the remote Norwegian Bear Island, used as a submarine base by the Germans during World War II, U.N. scientist Larsen sends a distress signal using an emergency N.A.T.O. frequency, and is received by scientific vessel Morning Rose.

Director:

Don Sharp

Writers:

David Butler (screenplay), Don Sharp (screenplay)

Stars:

Donald Sutherland, Vanessa Redgrave, Richard Widmark

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Donald Sutherland	...	Frank Lansing
Vanessa Redgrave	...	Heddi Lindquist
Richard Widmark	...	Otto Gerran
Christopher Lee	...	Lechinski
Barbara Parkins	...	Judith Rubin
Lloyd Bridges	...	Smithy
Lawrence Dane	...	Paul Hartman
Patricia Collins	...	Inge Van Zipper
Michael J. Reynolds	...	Heyter
Nicholas Cortland	...	Jungbeck
August Schellenberg	...	Marine Technician
Candace O'Connor	...	Laboratory Assistant
Joseph Golland	...	Meteorological Assistant
Bruce Greenwood	...	Technician
Richard Wren	...	Radio Operator

Storyline

A group of people converge on a barren Arctic island. They have their reasons for being there but when a series of mysterious accidents and murders take place, a whole lot of darker motives become apparent. Could the fortune in buried Nazi gold be the key to the mystery? Donald Sutherland and Vanessa Redgrave investigate.

---

Plot Keywords:

psychotronic film | cold the temperature | freeze | icy | artificial avalanche | 

---

Taglines:

The Third Reich ended here...The Fourth Reich is just beginning

---

Genres:

Action | Adventure | Mystery | Thriller

---

Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Last theatrical movie to be made from an Alistair MacLean until River of Death (1989).

---

Goofs

When everyone is outside after the generator explosion it is blowing a blizzard, but the flames are rising vertically with minimal wind disturbance rather than being virtually horizontal, revealing that wind machines are being used just on the area where the actors are.

---

Crazy Credits

"Coming soon: Alistair MacLean's Goodbye California"

---

Alternate Versions

The Region 1 DVD has certain graphic elements removed. Most notably, the view of the captain Lansing's cabin presents the captain's corpse being handcuffed to bulkhead and another corpse sitting by the desk. (Later the viewer learns it was an SS operative.) However, in the censored version only a glimpse of the captain Lansing's corpse is shown, the SS-man is totally cut out. This censorship severely interferes with the plot, as it is crucial to the novel to understand the motives of captain Lansing.

---

Connections

Referenced in The Bond Essentials (2002)

User Reviews

Good movie

I read the book and saw the movie. I enjoyed both. Donald Sutherland was excellent. This is a suspense thriller and so it goes slower than a typical action flick. If you expect this to be an action flick you will be disappointed. There are a few surprises which is typical of the writer's style.

If you want an action movie MacLean is not for you as he is the Master of Suspense and writes in a way to keep you on the edge of your seat wondering what is going on. If you see this from the middle, you will be bored, you must see it from the start and watch with full attention. If you miss any of the plot, you will get confused frustrated and wonder why you're watching the movie.

When you watch this, don't do anything else except watch it and I assure you that you will applaud this movie along with others like unto it like Where Eagles Dare, Guns of Navarone, Force 10 from Navarone, Ice Station Zebra, Detonator I and Detonator II, Satan Bug and a few more. The only one that dragged for me was Puppet on a Chain but I saw it chopped up on network TV so I need to see it again unchopped, unedited and not edited for television.

Details

Country:

UK Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 December 1979 (UK)

Also Known As:

Bear Island

Filming Locations:

British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

CAD12,100,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Selkirk Films, Canadian Film Development Corporation (CFDC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1