Bear Island (VHS)

Director Don Sharp's film version of Alistair MacLean's novel, "Bear Island," seems like a psychoanalytic case history of MacLean's imaginary. This film qualifies as a action-charged thriller.

The story's set in the Arctic circle. An international scientific team convene there to do experiments. As some of the scientists are mysteriously murdered, an interesting sub-plot emerges pertaining to a Nazi U-Boat loaded with gold.

The cast is stellar. Donald Sutherland plays a Canadian, Frank Lansing, the heroic figure who's in love with Heddi Lindquist (Vanessa Redgrave), a statuesque Scandanavian scientist with a convincing accent. Lloyd Bridges is appropriately named "Smithy" because of his comedic role as a former Navy diver. Richard Widmark plays Otto Gerran, who admits to being German, but viewers will need to watch to discover if he's a fiend or friend. The Polish scientist, Lechinski (Christopher Lee), could break out with fangs dripping with blood at any moment.

The film was shot in British Columbia, Canada, where the knee-deep snow & iced-over panaoramic scenery must be watched in widescreen to be fully appreciated~