Customer Reviews

The Red Tent

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is an unforgettable mix of history and the study of human nature with supernatural overtones. Peter Finch plays Nobile, the ill-fated Italian explorer who, years after a doomed 1928 expedition to overfly the North Pole in an airship, must confront the restless spirits of those whose lives were destroyed. With his Roman apartment turned into a court of inquiry, Finch faces not only those killed when arctic winds tore his airship in half and split his crew up, but others whose lives were ruined by their loss, suffered from botched rescue attempts or otherwise suffered the horror of survival. (The crew car of the dirigible "Roma" is torn clean from the main body of the airship, and those left in the now powerless gasbag on top can only look helplessly as they float away from their comrades.) Among the accusers stands Nobile's fiercest rival, the legendary Roald Amundsen, (Sean Connery) and Claudia Cardinale as a crewmate's lover. "Tent" excels because it rises above just telling the story of the expedition. Instead, the film delves deeper into human nature, and the drama that men try to create. (One unforgettable moment has Amundsen escaping the wreck of a plane in which he had planned to rescue his rival. In a twist of fate, and to underline his own doom, Amundsen emerges from the ruined plane to discover the wreck of the Roma's main body and the now dead crewmembers who floated away with it. Inside, he finds a bible opened to an ominous verse. A fellow accuser chastises Amundsen - the found bible seems to have been a detail invented for dramatic purposes. But this seems acceptable, since man needs some drama to highlight his own pitiful existnce. Isn't that why men take to exploration in the first place?)

Guilt isn't so much the issue, decides a surprisingly sympathetic Amundsen who lost his life in one of the rescue attempts. Instead, Nobile cannot be punished for being no worse under the circumstances than his accusers who were, in turns, incompetent, greedy or unreasonably pious. The last of these earns one of Nobile's ascetic accusers, Amundsen's harshest rebuke. Piety, Connery says, is nice, but it's human nature to think for one's own pleasure. If a man can't think for his own good he is less likely, not more, to think of the good of others. Foregoing pleasure isn't pious, but sterile, and leaves only bitterness for the survivors. "You should have given her one last night of pleasure" Amundsen concludes. It is only after he discredits his fellow accusers that Amundsen offers what is both the most damning yet redeeming evidence: when boarding a rescue plane that can carry only him but not his crewmen off the ice-floe, the General thought not of his men's welfare, but of the warm bath that awaited him back in civilization.

The "Red Tent" is in turns heart-breaking, incisive and also quite funny. Finch is fun, but Connery runs the show (it's interesting to compare how he looks today and how he looks here, made up prematurely old). The other characters are more one-note, but, like good leaders, Nobile and Amundsen are more than capable of putting their qualities together to form a complex whole. A must-see.

For devotees of arctic exploration, this is one of the best movies ever made. Aside from the general excellence of acting and photography, and the fidelity to history, one cannot forget the haunting, wordless picture of Cardinale when she sees again the form of a man she might have loved. The whole film has that aura - dreamlike, memory-nudging, self-reproaching, the over riding sense of regret that a brilliant screen writer has fashioned in a wholly unexpected presentation. The story of Nobile is given a treatment that one wishes had been adapted by the film makers to the equally tragic story of Scott, his wife @ his stalwart comrades. This film is better than "The Last Place on Earth", a famous Scott saga, because of its originality, poetry and profound sense of authentic tragedy. Not just another adventure film, its characters as ghosts prove to be the best way to tell it's true story.

I knew I was in trouble when the menu for this film came up on my TV screen and the background art showed the airship "Italia" blowing up like the Hindenberg...in fact, exactly like the Hindenberg. Whoever did the art didn't get it, and whoever was managing the DVD project didn't catch it. (The "Italia" did not blow up) Overall, the quality of this DVD release indicates nobody gave a rat's hinder anyway. There was also no noticeable attempt to clean up the image which is sad because what I remember of the theatrical release it had a nice quality--hardly Technicolor but still nice. Felt like real life, which was no doubt intended.

The story is of the disastrous 1920's trip of the Italian General Nobile (no-bill-lay--it should roll trippingly off the tongue) and his "boys" to the North Pole in an airship. It's set up as a sort of ghost-court years later--Nobile at home in the 1950s conjuring the past (literally--the characters turn up and hold court) and asking for judgement. The crash and the results (The bulk of the film and I won't spoil it for you!) were an endless series of screw-ups and good/bad luck and Nobile was pilloried for the whole extraordinary debacle.

It was all way too complex a situation to affix blame to any one person and that's the great--stupendous even--aspect of this movie. It conveys, quite brilliantly through a mostly great script and solid acting, the ambiguities of leadership and responsibility, maybe even the imbecility of witch-hunting and scape goating. The cast is terrific, with one exception and not her fault (and I'll get to that) with Sean Connery particularly outstanding--proving in 1970 that he could act and he could act well. He plays Roald Amundsen--the Norwegian explorer who was first to reach the South Pole and I'll just assume some Norwegians do have Scottish accents. It's all forgivable. Peter Finch also turns in a typically solid performance as Nobile but Connery dominates the film (well, they gave him a great part).

This movie was a joint Italian/Russian venture and it shows...positively. Episodes that took place in Russia were filmed in Russia and a magnificent Soviet icebreaker co-stars.
It looks like they actually filmed much of this on the ice up north, adding to the documentary feel. The actors and costumes look beat-to-heck; the director was Russian and those familiar with Commie movies know how Russian directors had a fantastic knack for avoiding shine and gloss in historical films. Old cars, for example, never looked like they came out of a car show (a major flaw with US productions) and the cast looks like people of the era. With one glaring exception.

For some fool reason, some nitwit thought a "romantic" element needed to be introduced into this all-male film, so the ludicrously beautiful Claudia Cardinale appears (in a rather vile scene that will make feminists hurl their hot chocolates at the screen) and becomes a love interest of one of the doomed arctic aviators. To someone's credit she is used to carry the plot along at an important point but to someone's dishonor she's also used in saccharine running-through-the-snow-hand-in-hand moments accompanied by even more saccharine Ennio Morricone music. Ghastly! Given the overall excellence of this film, this fluff is as jarring as a train wreck.

The other downer is that in 1970, apparently no one from Italy or Russia knew how to do acceptable--for that era--special effects work. To be fair most of the art direction is stunning and simultaneously believable, but at least one very dramatic moment is badly damaged by the all-too-visible presence of strings holding up a crashing aircraft--astonishing considering how easy it is to conceal things like this in a snowy environment. Also, no attempt is made to give the audience a sense of the size of the airship--at one point it looks like they used a small blimp (far too much smaller than the "Italia") and the problem of scale is jarring. A simple glass shot of the type Mario Bava was a master of and a little more imagination could have fixed nearly everything.

So overall you've got an excellent, unique, and well-worth-owning flick that's marred by a handful of deeply embarrassing moments and an Ennio Morricone score that gets a bit repetitious (what works for a spaghetti western doesn't work as well here). Fortunately, the bulk of "The Red Tent" is great and the film sums up so effectively, with Connery/Amundsen carrying the day, that you'll be convinced this was a once-lost and unfairly neglected treasure.

I'm not planning on researching this but my guess is this film was put together by a committee--the best explanation for the inconsistencies. I'd hazard Cardinale's presence was do to the shenanigans of some Paramount goofus (no distribution in USA without the "babe" factor!) or an overheated Italian film mogul who owed someone a favor. My guess is that if this had been a pure Russian effort with Connery added, and about forty-five minutes longer, it would have turned up on Criterion and on "best" lists.

Minus one star for Paramount's total indifference.

The movie is framed as a jury trial to determine whether General Nobile's choices constitute failure in leadership and dereliction of duty in this doomed North Pole expedition. The trial is convened by Nobile himself during one of his countless sleepless nights even forty years after the events under question. The jury, those whose lives were ended or changed by the expedition, is called up in Nobile's mind to recount the story and render a verdict. This works very well as a case study in leadership, planning and contingencies, rebellion, failure, and forgiveness. Used in a teaching setting on leadership, this is one of the most compelling dramas I've seen on the topic. Sean Connery's role is not large, but his presence in the movie renders it a little more accessible to today's viewers.

This is a great movie. I saw a Russian version in Russia many years ago and some scenes stayed in my memory ever since. I saw the Italian version for the first time a couple of weeks ago. I never realized before that there were two distinct versions of this great movie. The Russian one is about 30 minutes longer than its Italian counterpart (152 minutes version is available on VHS in Russia). The Russian version was dubbed in Russian and also had a different music score (by famous Russian composer Zatsepin). If someone had a great idea to finally release this movie on DVD, why not present both versions to the public? The final product, however great, only seems half-way done to me. What a shame!

There is one scene in The Red Tent in which a rapidly receeding disaster scene is viewed from the perspective of a momentary survivor, who is rising with the doomed remnant of a derelict lighter-than-air craft. You know this soul is doomed, too, because of the nature of the disaster which has just occurred. The scene has lodged in my mind for many years since I first saw it. Astonishing film making.

Since viewing this film 35 years ago I have been in awe of it, it is certainly my all-time favorite and would most likely get my nomination for best film ever. On this point I probably stand in splendid isolation (or to quote Finn Malmgren: "emptiness, loneliness, beauty, and purity"). I mention this in the hope that this will encourage readers to view the film. If you are seeking a comparison, "Krasnaya Palatka" ("The Red Tent") is most like the original "Flight of the Phoenix"; both are superficially action adventure films, with deep allegorical elements about the dynamics behind the functioning of a civilized society. "The Red Tent" even gets a little philosophical along the lines of life as a journey and not a destination.

This is Director Mikheil Kalatozishvili's tribute to Sergei Eisenstein, a disorienting yet organized montage of vast scale juxtaposed with claustrophobic confinement (its worth watching again just to focus on the scene transitions-the editing is brilliant). The scenes inside the dirigible and the red tent (the title character) are carefully cut into spectacular exterior shots of arctic landscapes and the dynamic energy of crowds in the Russian countryside and city.

There is a fusion of European expressionism with Hollywood realism in this film unlike anything I have ever seen before. This is possible because of the storytelling device of having everything unfold in flashbacks by the main character General Nobile (Peter Finch). Nobile was the organizer and commander of Italy's ill-fated attempt to reach the North Pole by dirigible. This generally true (certain historical liberties are taken to simplify things) story is told entirely from his point of view.

Forty years after the expedition Nobile is a disgraced figure living in Rome and burdened by guilt and sleeplessness. You learn that on sleepless nights he conjures up participants in the expedition fiasco (both members and rescuers), letting them judge him for his actions 40 years ago. These sessions have been largely inconclusive but this night he pulls out all stops and convenes a full trial in his living room-with almost all the central figures present. More importantly, for the first time he names the ruthless Lundborg (Hardy Kruger) as his prosecutor-a move that Lundborg assures him will mean that the jury will reach a verdict for the first time. These are not ghosts but rather figments of Nobile's imagination and they behave according to his perception of how they would behave.

This storytelling device allows the film to have its own commentary, making it not just an exciting adventure film with wonderful visuals, but an examination of the concept of leadership (much like "Command Decision", "A Gathering of Eagles", and "They Came to Cordura"). More importantly it becomes an allegorical study about free will and destiny, as careful planning and good judgment are just two factors in any complex operation; the outcome of which is subject just as much to luck, the unforeseen events, and the interpersonal dynamics of those involved.

The many characters are a representative cross section of society; with heroes, opportunists, martinets, dreamers, and average Joes. Ultimately, things happen (both good and bad) not because of the challenge of man versus nature, but because of the placement and misplacement of human resources (i.e. the right or wrong person assigned to a particular role in the expedition and the rescue efforts).

From the events portrayed in the "The Rent Tent" it is difficult to fault Nobile as a leader. He wisely turns back to Kings Bay when the weather gets bad, he is genuinely devastated at the loss of some of his men, and his actions after the crash are all reasonable. He can be blamed for allowing Lundborg to bring him out before his men but under the circumstances it was a sensible decision if not a politically correct one. As Samoilovich, Captain of the Russian Icebreaker Krassin points out, a leader is judged by the consequences of his actions and Nobile's early rescue is the reason the other surviving crewmen are ultimately rescued.

Nobile's fantasy trial eventually dredges from his subconscious the realization of why he choose to leave with Lundborg (1000 reasons to stay-1001 to leave). That such a trivial and self-indulgent reason was the difference maker accounts for his continuing guilt. This realization, along with the belief that Amundsen (his peer) is the only one fit to judge him, allows Nobile to finally forgive himself for being human. They go out with Amundsen's advice to reflect not on their failures but on the things they attempted and the wondrous things they saw. There is no guilt in not achieving an ambitious goal, making the attempt is more important than succeeding.

The music is also great.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

Considering the dramatic license, the disaster of Noble's failed attempt to reach the South Pole with the dirigible Italia is facinatingly portrayed via first person flashbacks. These occur as Noble dredges up the ghosts of individuals who met an untimely end during the expedition to hold court on his conduct. Finch, who as the italian Noble, gives an admirable portrayal of a man torn by the consequences of the expedition. Sean Connery plays the famed Norwegian explorer Raold Amundsen, the first man to reach the South Pole. He does so with the same stength that he typically brings to his roles. The film gives a possible and very graphic explanation to Amundsen's dissapperance during the search for the downed dirigible. The elements of cold, hunger, and despair are realistically portrayed as is the triumph of ingenuity and courage over adversity. A somewhat accurate portrayal of the events with an emphasis on the desolate and loneliness of the polar expedition. An enjoyable film with a good cast.

Arctic climes didn't do Sean Connery's initially troubled post-Bond career any favors, although his top billing in The Red Tent is highly misleading, since his supporting role is not much more than a cameo. Instead, forth-billed (after Claudia Cardinale and Hardy Kruger) Peter Finch takes the lead as General Nobile, whose ill-fated 1928 airship expedition to the North Pole, intended to boost Fascist Italy's international prestige, instead ended ingloriously with the survivors stranded on melting ice packs for weeks while inertia, lack of initiative and the poor chain of command resulted in buck-passing, recriminations and destroyed reputations rather than rescue attempts. The real-life disaster was the inspiration for Frank Capra's Dirigible (Capra and studio boss Harry Cohn were both huge admirers of Mussolini in the early days), but this ambitious Russian-Italian co-production is best remembered, if at all, for either its catastrophic box-office failure or its unusual framing structure. Although unusual may be an understatement: in a move more akin to theatre of the 60s rather than epic cinema, it begins with the ageing Nobile, tormented by another sleepless night, summoning up the ghosts of those involved in the disaster and the rescue to put his command on trial.

As a dramatic device, it's too theatrical to entirely work, especially in the clumsy opening reel, but it impinges little on the main drama once the film gets going and ultimately pays dividends, both in the stark poetry and terrible beauty of a scene where Connery's Roald Amundsen recounts his own death and in the final moments which come to some kind of peace with the issues of responsibility, human fallibility and forgiveness. But it's the survival story that works best, with director Mickail K. Kalatozov often eschewing the spectacle (airship and plane crashes, icebreakers and vast landscapes of ice) with a preference for medium shots that keep the film surprisingly intimate (unusually for such an expensive picture, it is also shot in the more confined 1.78:1 ratio rather than Scope).

I can't answer for its historical accuracy beyond Connery's philosophical Amundsen being nothing like the ruthless and bitter egomaniac that he had become by this time (indeed, Amundsen's death in this rescue did much to salvage his heroic reputation after the public backlash to his bitter score-settling memoirs). However, far from having to be persuaded to join the rescue attempts, Amundsen had immediately volunteered only for Mussolini to specifically insisted he be excluded because of his earlier public disputes with Nobile in the aftermath of their previous expedition, leaving Amundsen to finance his rescue attempt privately. Nor was Amundsen reluctant to return to the Arctic: shortly before the opportunity arose, he said that he wanted to go back and die there "in the fulfilment of a high mission, quickly, without suffering." (The fact that he was undergoing painful radium treatment at the time may have colored his words.) Poetic license aside, it is surprising that the political fallout is not dealt with more overtly - it was a huge national embarrassment that Il Duce's heroes had to be rescued by Russian communists (persistent unproven rumors that two of them ate a Finnish doctor didn't help either). Indeed, the film is almost totally apolitical, with Il Duce mentioned only once in passing in the opening newsreel footage. However, as a drama it's unsensationally compelling, and Ennio Morricone's score is one of his best. Paramount's widescreen R1 DVD transfer is pretty good but sadly lacking in any extras.

Based on true events, The Red Tent is a moving story of a doomed Arctic expedition in 1928 that features a great cast and shouldn't be missed. In May 1928, Italian General Umberto Nobile begins an expedition to the Arctic with his crew in an airship, the Italia, with hopes of becoming the first explorers to reach the North Pole by air. Things go well early on as the Italia even reaches its destination, but nasty weather forces the ship back to its base as Kingsbay. It is on the return trip, that something malfunctions, forcing Nobile to crashland the Italia in the desolate Arctic wastelands. Rescue efforts are mounted, including a Russian icebreaking ship, aviators including the first explorer, Roald Amundsen, but can the survivors of the horrific crash survive in such harsh conditions? This is a bleak film, but it is a beautifully shot movie, especially the shots on the ice fields depicting the survivors trying to get by. The story is told from both perspectives, the survivors and the rescuers, and by the end you really feel for these characters and desperately hope the rescue comes as the days and weeks drag on. Then add in a very moving score from Ennio Morricone, and how can you lose?

Though he's given top billing at the head of a really strong cast, Sean Connery's part as Roald Amundsen is really nothing more than an extended cameo. He doesn't even show up until after the hour mark. It is a good part for Connery as Amundsen, the first Arctic explorer who joins the rescue effort, so don't count on two hours of Connery. Peter Finch gets the meaty role here as General Nobile, the leader of the expedition trying to keep his men going. A decision Nobile makes ends up torturing his thoughts throughout his life, something Finch pulls off well. Claudia Cardinale is excellent as Valeria, a nurse who falls in love with one of the expedition members, Finn Malmgren (Eduard Martsevich in a good part), and will stop at nothing to help bring him back. Hardy Kruger plays Lumborgh, a flyer in the rescue who has an alterior motive for his actions. Mario Adorf stands out in the supporting cast as Biagi, the radio operator who so desperately wants to get back to his pregnant wife. Much of the rest of cast are Russian actors who haven't been in many American films, but they provide strong support for the leads.

The DVD only offers the movie in a quality widescreen presentation, but unfortunately that's it. No special features here. The movie on its own is worth the price. The Red Tent is a moving story based on true events with a great cast, especially Peter Finch, so don't miss it!