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 THE
RED TENT.
DVD. Drama. 1971. Rated G. Italian explorer Umberto Nobile (Peter Finch)
embarks on a groundbreaking expedition to the North Pole. However, after
his zeppelin breaks apart during a violent storm, he and some of his men
are left waiting in the cold. Hoping to rescue the men is a famed
Norwegian explorer, Roald Amundsen (Sean Connery), the Italian government,
and a mercenary aviator seeking only fame. As the stranded men suffer and
die, each of the rescuers has their own selfish agenda.
Although this movie is at times incoherent
and flat out boring, there is some pretty good drama and action. If the
filmmakers had focused more on the crash, survival, and rescue, things may
have been better. With that written, the most astonishing thing about The
Red Tent is its rating. I can not believe this movie is rated G.
Haunting spirits, the uttering of “Jesus Christ,” the groping of a
female’s breast, two intense crash scenes, blood, dead bodies, and the
shooting, mutilation, and eating of a polar bear are all crammed into this
rated G movie. As far as the movie itself, aside from the negatives
written above, I did enjoy the story and the fact that this is based on
actual events is even better. Sean Connery gets a high billing, but he
honestly isn’t in the movie all that much. Those interested in the
Ernest Shackleton story may like The Red Tent. – Denis Sheehan
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