| gross = $1.7 million{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/variety197-1955-01-05/page/n58/mode/1up|title=1954 Box Office Champs|magazine=Variety Weekly|date=January 5, 1955|page=59}} - figures are rentals in the US and Canada

}}

Hell Below Zero is a 1954 British-American adventure film directed by Mark Robson and starring Alan Ladd, Joan Tetzel, Basil Sydney and Stanley Baker. It was written by Alec Coppel and Max Trell based on the 1949 novel The White South by Hammond Innes, and presents interesting footage of whaling fleets in action.[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047072/ IMDB entry] It was the second of Ladd's films for Warwick Films.

Plot

Captain Nordahl, an associate in a Norwegian whaling company, Bland-Nordahl, is on a factory ship Southern Harvester in Antarctic waters, when he is lost overboard.

Duncan Craig, an American, meets Judie Nordahl, the captain's daughter on his way to South Africa, where he gets even with a business partner who cheated him. With little money left and a desire to see Judie again, Craig signs on to be a mate on the ship taking Judie to Antarctica.

On arrival in Antarctic waters, Craig finds suspicious evidence that seems to implicate skipper Erik Bland, the new captain of the factory ship, in a conspiracy. Another murder follows and the film concludes with a dramatic showdown on the ice.

Cast

Alan Ladd as Duncan Craig
Joan Tetzel as Judie Nordhal
Basil Sydney as Bland
Stanley Baker as Erik Bland
Joseph Tomelty as Capt. McPhee
Niall MacGinnis as Dr. Howe
Jill Bennett as Gerda Petersen
Peter Dyneley as Miller
Susan Rayne as Kathleen
Philo Hauser as Sandeborg
Ivan Craig as Larsen
Paddy Ryan as Manders
Cyril Chamberlain as Factory Ship Radio Operator
Paul Homer as Kista Dan Radio Operator
Edward Hardwicke as Ulvik
John Witty as Martens
Brandon Toomey as Christiansen
Genine Graham as Stewardess
Basil Cunard as Office Manager
Fred Griffiths as Drunken Sailor
John Warren as Hotel Receptionist
Philip Ray as Capt. Petersen
Paul Connell as Svensen
Glyn Houston as Borg

Production

The movie was based on a 1949 British novel The White South by Hammond Innes. Film rights were obtained by Warwick Productions who had a deal with Columbia Pictures to make films in Britain.

The movie was the second in a two-picture deal Ladd made with Warwick Films, following The Red Beret.{{cite magazine|magazine=Variety|url=https://archive.org/details/variety187-1952-07/page/n325/mode/1up?|date=30 July 1952|page=12|title=Col. to do 2 Alan Ladd Prods in Britain}}{{Cite book|author=Broccoli, Albert R. & Zec, Donald|title=When the Snow Melts: The Autobiography of Cubby Broccoli|publisher= Trans-Atlantic Publications|date=1999}}{{Cite news|title=STUDIOS PLANNING 2 ALAN LADD FILMS: Warwick and Columbia to Join in Offering 'The Red Beret' and 'The White South' |date=July 15, 1952|work=New York Times|page=17}}{{Cite news|title=LADD PLANS MOVIE OF A WHALING TRIP: Actor to Make 'White South,' About Antarctic Expedition, Abroad for Irving Allen |date=Nov 3, 1952|work=New York Times|page=36}} (He also made The Black Knight for Warwick.) Ladd's fee was $200,000 against 10% of the profits.{{cite magazine|title=Warwick schedules more features|url=https://archive.org/details/variety194-1954-06/page/n195/mode/1up?|magazine=Variety|date=23 June 1954|page=4}}

During production the film was also known as White South and White Mantle.{{Cite news|title=ROBSON TO DIRECT WHALING PICTURE: Ladd Stars in 'White Mantle,' to Be Filmed in England for Warwick Productions|date=Dec 3, 1952|work=New York Times|page=45}} Director Mark Robson wanted Eugene Pallette to play a role but Pallette was unhappy with the size of the part in the script.{{Cite news|title=Freeman Gives Light on New 3-D Process; Ryan Set for 'Inferno'|author=Schallert, Edwin|date=Feb 7, 1953|work=Los Angeles Times|page=13}}

Shooting took place at Pinewood Studios near London"The Future Programme", Kinematograph Weekly, 31 May 1956 p 14 in addition to location footage shot in Antarctic waters. Albert Broccoli accompanied a second unit crew down there for over three months.{{Cite news|title=Looking at Hollywood: Alan Ladd and Stanley Baker to Co-Star in Movie of Antarctic |author=Hopper, Hedda|date=Feb 6, 1953|work=Chicago Daily Tribune|page=b4}} The film's sets were designed by the art director Alex Vetchinsky.

According to one report the film had a budget of approximately $1 million.{{Cite news|title=A TOWN CALLED HOLLYWOOD: Producers Want English Clear--Even in Oklahoma|author=Scheuer, Philip K.|date=June 13, 1954|work=Los Angeles Times|page=D4}} Records revealed the final budget was £247,512 plus the fees of Ladd, Broccoli and Allen, screenwriter Maibaum and the director.Chapman, J. (2022). The Money Behind the Screen: A History of British Film Finance, 1945-1985. Edinburgh University Press p 358

The makers of a sound documentary called Hell Below Zero sued the filmmakers for $1.5 million in damages.{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/variety195-1954-07/page/n78/mode/1up?|magazine=Variety|title=Carveth Wells sues|date=14 July 1954|page=13}}

Release

The film was launched in Britain with what Variety called "slambang, saturation technique" of marketing.{{cite magazine|magazine=Variety|url=https://archive.org/details/variety194-1954-04/page/n6/mode/1up?|date=7 April 1954|title=Results far from 'zero' as Brits imitate Yank methods|page=7}}

Reception

=Critical=

Variety called the film "a vigorous action drama which should play sturdy dividends at the box office."{{cite magazine|title=Hell Below Zero|url=https://archive.org/details/variety193-1954-01/page/n445/mode/1up?|magazine=Variety|date=27 January 1954|page=6}}

=Box office=

According to Kinematograph Weekly the film was a "money maker" at the British box office in 1954.{{cite magazine|first=Josh|last=Billings|magazine=Kinematograph Weekly|title=Other money makers|date=16 December 1954|page=9}} Variety estimated its North American rentals at $1.7 million.