Mr. Forbush and the Penguins

The film was based on a 1965 novel by Graham Billing, who had worked for the New Zealand Antarctic Division.[4]

The film was a co-production between EMI Films, PGL Productions and British Lion Films. It was part of the initial slate of movies greenlit by Bryan Forbes who had been appointed head of EMI.[5] Forbes announced it in August 1969 as part of a slate of fifteen films.[6]

Director Al Viola had won awards for his commercials and this would be his feature film debut - the same for producer Henry Trettin.[7]

The novel was adapted by playwright Anthony Schaffer, doing his first script. Swedish filmmaker Arne Sucksdorff was hired to shoot footage in Antarctica. The original stars were John Hurt and Susan Fleetwood.[8]

Forbes later described the film as a "calculated risk" with an "intriguing script" and "formidable logistical problems... Admittedly a far cry from The Sound of Music, but positively different and worth attempting."[9]

Filming started 4 November 1969 at Palmer Peninsula in Antarctica.[10] Fifteen technicians, including the producer Henry Trettin and director Al Viola, plus John Hurt, travelled to Antarctica and stayed for eight weeks living at Esperanza Base. It was the first movie to be shot on that continent.[11] This was followed by studio work at Elstree Studios. By March 1970 it was reported that filming was expected to finish soon.[12]

According to Forbes, penguin footage shot by Arne Sucksdorff on location in Antarctica did not cut smoothly into scenes involving humans shot in the studio. He says the Boulting Brothers and Launder and Gilliat, then on the Board of British Lion "were adamant that drastic changes had to be made. They insisted that the director be replaced together with the leading lady and that the Boultings take over the rescripting and reshooting with Hayley Mills, then Roy Boulting’s wife, recast as the female lead. I felt that such drastic surgery was bound to make matters worse at such a late and critical stage but I was outvoted and landed with the unhappy task of conveying these decisions to those concerned."[13] Filmink later argued " it boggles the mind that" Forbes "allowed someone as green as Al Viola to direct Forbush which involved having to match footage with scenes shot in Antarctica."

Viola was replaced by Roy Boulting and Susan Fleetwood by Hayley Mills. John Hurt was angry at this and Bryan Forbes of EMI had to spend an entire evening persuading him not to quit.[14]

Filming involving Hayley Mills took place in November 1970 at Shepperton Studios.[15]

Schaffer, the screenwriter, recalled it as "a fairly chaotic movie which had the young John Hurt capering about the Atlantic slinging rocks at Skuas with a Roman balista, in a vain attempt to protect penguins' eggs from their deprivations. I'm not sure that it all added up, though my younger daughter assures me... it's her favourite film of mine." He added that the female lead "was replaced after the first rough assembly and it was the only film I know of in which a stage direction was delivered as spoken dialogue. It didn't matter. No one noticed - which should generally tell you something about the respect accorded the screen writer's craft."[8]

Sidney Gilliat then on the board of British Lion called the film "a terrible hodgepodge" and felt Bryan Forbes "made a great mistake putting Hurt in it instead of [Michael] Crawford."[16]