After having watched the 2017 movie "The 12th Man" about the mythical figure of Jan Baalsrud and his struggle for survival at the limits of human endurance, I wanted to see this 1957 film on the same topic, of which "The 12th Man" is an obvious remake.
In both movies, undoubtedly the most interesting aspects are the snowy landscapes, of spectacular beauty, and the photography that perfectly captures the magical atmosphere of these desolate mountains. One in dramatic black and white and the more recent one in stunning color photography. Filming in snowy landscapes with a predominance of pure white snow is undoubtedly a challenging and very difficult task.
Furthermore, the movie, aside from the underlying story, is rather flat and at times boring. However, the monotony of the unchanging landscapes and the days passing one after another can't help but be boring. In this aspect, the film succeeds in conveying this general sense of boredom, which here appears to be intentionally sought.
In terms of narrative, there are some consistency errors, and it's not very clear how, despite the protagonist's continuous movements, he always seems to be in the same cave.
It should also be noted that in terms of the use of weapons and explosives, the movie lacks credibility, and it doesn't seem like there was any expert in the field consulted. Jan shoots his pistol in such an unnatural way that it detracts from the credibility, especially in those sequences where the film breaks away from its monotonous tone for climactic moments.
Clearly, it's a low-budget film. In fact, the main episode of the film, the sinking of the ship, is not visualized in the film. On the other hand, it is an experimental cinematography, relying more on visuals than narrative, which makes it an interesting film for its time and, in some way, a hallmark of Nordic filmmaking, which thrives on silence rather than extensive dialogues.
