SCOTT OF THE ANTARCTIC

New Zealand Listener, Volume 21, Issue 526, 22 July 1949, Page 5

SCOTT OF THE ANTARCTIC

Sir,-Your reviewer of this film has strayed on to shaky ground when he suggests that the balance of presentation tends to distort the spiritual truth of history. He suggests that, in pre-occu-pation with detail," both studio and director "seem to have forgotten that ¥ material accuracy may breed error." As far as detail is concerned, people who are familiar with polar equipment and conditions, while appreciating the accuracy achieved, consider that it has been successfully subordinated to the human values of the story. The facts are that the technical advisers included both contemporary colleagues of Scott, and younger men who have inherited the Scott tradition and interpreted it in action in the same field. The interpretation is that of modern British polar circles in which there

exists a fine blend of hero-worship, knowledge, and practice; and in which it is considered that defective judgment in some of the choices made contributed equally with unforeseen factors of bad luck to the final outcome, The reviewer has pointed out the difficulties inherent in the making of such a film, but they were clearly foreseen by director, producer and actors who cooperated to overcome them with success for which high praise is due, The result is a balanced interpretation. If one cherishes a conviction about any event in history or experience, a book, play, or picture will usually do something to it, and no doubt it is part of a reviewer’s job to say how it affects him; but it is surely mischievous to suggest that the human value of a great story is distorted or obscured by presenting as much historical truth as is

relevant,

R. A.

FALLA

(Wellington)