The Red Tent gives a fictionalized account of the ordeal faced by the crew of airship Italia, which in 1928 crashed on the North Pole; among survivors are general Nobile (Peter Finch), second-in-command Zappi (Luigi Vannucchi), radio operator Biagi (Mario Adorf) and scientist Malmgren (Eduard Martsevich). Nobody knows their position and ice starts to break. Meanwhile, explorer Amundsen (Sean Connery), Nobile's friendly rival, and Malmgren's fiancée (Claudia Cardinale) react to the tragedy.
Structure is unusual. The story is told in flashbacks as a conflicted Nobile confronts the ghosts of his past in a dreamlike trial. It's peculiar and a little kitsch but effective, culminating in a memorable moment where Nobile, pressed by Amundsen, recalls his main motivation behind a key choice.
The most interesting characters are Nobile, portrayed by Finch as a man haunted by his decisions, and Connery's Amundsen, who has a relatively small but crucial role. Cinematography is solid; Morricone's haunting soundtrack - one his best works, and that's no small feat - conveys the epic, bittersweet mood of the movie.
8/10
Structure is unusual. The story is told in flashbacks as a conflicted Nobile confronts the ghosts of his past in a dreamlike trial. It's peculiar and a little kitsch but effective, culminating in a memorable moment where Nobile, pressed by Amundsen, recalls his main motivation behind a key choice.
The most interesting characters are Nobile, portrayed by Finch as a man haunted by his decisions, and Connery's Amundsen, who has a relatively small but crucial role. Cinematography is solid; Morricone's haunting soundtrack - one his best works, and that's no small feat - conveys the epic, bittersweet mood of the movie.
8/10