Review for Mr. Forbush and the Penguins

What a pleasant surprise this film turned out to be. Not only is an utterly brilliant period piece (the first third of the movie taking place in early seventies London) it’s also an incredibly moving and poignant movie, as well as being a world-class wildlife documentary.

John Hurt is predictably good as a spoiled, wealthy upstart who has yet to apply his academic brilliance in the field of biology to anything other than 'chasing skirt'.


That is until he meets his match in a young undergraduate now working in his favourite watering hole (Hayley Mills, wife at the time of Al Viola who produced the film). 


Unlike the naive young Judy Geeson character that we see at the opening of the film, she is not going to fall for his boyish charm or his considerable wealth. In fact, he’ll need to do something quite extraordinary to woo the lady that he now considers to be the predestined love of his life.



Cue the penguins.

In an effort to impress, he accepts a remote research post in the isolated ruins of Shackelton’s basecamp in frozen Antarctica. With nothing for company other than a two-way radio, bottles of wine and tinned cavier, he patiently awaits the arrival of the Penguins who, every year, return to the spot to lay and nurture their eggs.



At first there seems to be nothing but waiting. But eventually a little waddling figure can be seen on the horizon and before long Forbush is surrounded with hundreds of penguins.


Observing their hardship and the dedication to their journey he becomes deeply engrossed in their plight almost to the point of madness. After all, what is the point of their suffering and why are there so many obstacles to survival?



But despite all the cruelty that nature can throw at them, a number of baby penguins do survive to start the cycle all over again.


John Hurt is mesmerisingly good in the role which is a tough one. Firstly he plays a Robin Asquith like philandering toff which he achieves with consummate ease. But once in the Antarctic he is alone in every sense of the word, delivering a powerhouse performance. The man is just so damned good!


Despite this being such a fine movie (and this a fine print and transfer by the way), it bombed at the box-office and lost the producers a whole heap of money.


Yet what a stellar cast and crew. With a screenplay penned by Anthony Shaffer (who immediately went from this to penning Sleuth and The Wicker man); directed by award-winning wild-life film-maker Arne Sucksdorff (and the London pieces by uncredited Roy Boulting of the famous brothers) scored by (jazz for London / orchestra and solo piano for the arctic) John Addison, and a tight acting cast comprising John Hurt with Hayley Mills and Dudley Sutton, this has an amazing pedigree from the off, though in truth many of these reputations were yet to be built.


Most impressive of all, of course, are the breath-taking Antarctic scenes, apparently filmed with the assistance of the Argentinian army and navy. Apparently the back-story was never intended to be filmed (the London scenes that opened the movie) but were added to make it more palatable and appealing than merely a wild-life film would be. Whilst some critics hated these scenes, I thought they worked a treat and set up the second part of the film beautifully.

All was not sweetness and light on the set during the making of the picture as the focus of Hurt’s love was originally to be played by Susan Fleetwood. When she declined due to other commitments, AL Viola replaced her with his own wife, the very capable Hayley Mills, though this did not please the sensitive John Hurt. Rumour has it that it took an anxious Bryan Forbes a whole evening to talk him back into the picture.


A nice extra on the disc is an isolated music score which is a lovely way to relax and ruminate after watching some an emotional and thought provoking film. Recommended!