Mr. Forbush and the Penguins Backdrop Blur
Mr. Forbush and the Penguins Poster

Mr. Forbush and the Penguins

A self-absorbed young biologist takes on a six-month research post in Antarctica to study a penguin colony. Alone in Shackleton’s abandoned hut, with only radio contact and letters to his distant girlfriend, he endures the harsh winter and gradually forms a bond with the penguins—discovering resilience, humility, and a new sense of purpose.

Top Cast

  • John Hurt

    John Hurt

    Richard Forbush

  • Hayley Mills

    Hayley Mills

    Tara St. John Luke

  • Dudley Sutton

    Dudley Sutton

    Starshot

  • Tony Britton

    Tony Britton

    George Dewport

  • Thorley Walters

    Thorley Walters

    Mr. Forbush Sr.

  • Judy Campbell

    Judy Campbell

    Mrs. Forbush

  • Joss Ackland

    Joss Ackland

    Head of Board

  • Avril Angers

    Avril Angers

    Fanny

  • Cyril Luckham

    Cyril Luckham

    Tringham

Overview

A self-absorbed young biologist takes on a six-month research post in Antarctica to study a penguin colony. Alone in Shackleton’s abandoned hut, with only radio contact and letters to his distant girlfriend, he endures the harsh winter and gradually forms a bond with the penguins—discovering resilience, humility, and a new sense of purpose.

Rating

5.0 / 10
11 Reviews
0 Popular

1 Reviews

  • CinemaSerf
    CinemaSerf
    7 Apr 4, 2022

    I have only recently come across this film, and John Hurt is super. He is "Forbush", a rather rakish biology student who is coasting through life until his professor (Tony Britton) nominates him for a gig counting penguins - in Antarctica! Meantime, he has been bothering local barmaid "Tara" (Hayley Mills) who isn't really interested in him, and is frankly quite delighted when he announces his imminent project. He duly arrives, settles into Shackleton's hut and waits, and waits, and waits - no penguins! Then they arrive, slowly but surely and, despite himself, his interest is tweaked. He has to count them, weight them and generally monitor them and their behaviour. As winter sets in, they start to lay their eggs and incubate them from the extreme storms that very nearly do for him, too! As the chicks arrive and the skua's begin to raid, he becomes even more protective of his several thousand charges - and devises one hell of a catapult to exact his revenge. It's a bit of a slow starter, this, but once he is in situ, the story appealed to me. He has quite a few Eureka moments that vindicate the approach taken by his professor at the start - to help him grow up and develop a sense of purpose. The photography is fun - especially of the penguins milling about, and I really did quite enjoy Hurt's performance here. Well worth a watch, I'd say.

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