In the Heart of the Arctic (1955)

[Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] This is the central Arctic. Brave and daring men tried long ago to fathom its secrets. In the year 1914, Lieutenant Gyorgi Sedov was determined to reach the North Pole and hoist the Russian flag there. These unique shots were made by an artist named Pineigan who was a member of the Sedav expedition. Without backing at his own risk, Lieutenant Sedov with a small group of courageous men made that heroic voyage. [Music] Thus, Sidov started out for the pole. He perished far up in the icy Arctic, not very far from his destination. The history of polar exploration is a story of unexampled bravery, of grim struggle with the elements. There have been many defeats in this unequal struggle and only a few successes. [Music] No trace was ever found of ships locked in the ice. Nonetheless, attempts continue to penetrate this icy wasteland. [Music] The famous Norwegian Vot Nansen, his whole life was devoted to a study of the Arctic. He was the first at the end of the last century to reveal the secrets of the high latitudes of the Arctic Ocean. But the North Pole was still inaccessible until in 199. The American Robert Perry was the first to set foot on the pole. 23 years of his life were spent in dauntless polar campaigns. This is the Swedish engineer Salomon Andre. His audacious attempt to reach the pole in a balloon ended in disaster. [Music] In 1914, the first airplane appeared in the Arctic. The pilot, a Russian named Naguski, insisted that it was possible for a plane to reach the pole. [Music] 12 years later, in the derigible Norway, Rald Ammonson flew over the North Pole. The famous Norwegian Arctic Explorer counseledled, "Don't attempt to fly deep into these icy fields. Throughout our long journey, we didn't see a single place suitable for landing." For centuries, men of various nations continued their spirited quest in order to learn the laws of nature in the Arctic. [Music] As early as the 18th century, the brilliant Russian scientist Lavonosov predicted that a great northern seaw route would be opened in the future. [Music] Linosov summarized in his works the centurylong experience of Russian navigators. They had long sailed through these icy waters on worthy seagoing frigots and on small sailing vessels. [Music] The officers of Russia's young navy had many a fearless exploit to their credit. The Soviet land borders for thousands of miles on these gloomy northern seas. [Music] It's a cheerless coastline. The polar night lasts for many long months. And when summer comes, the sun never sets. [Music] Countless numbers of birds build their nests on these steep cliffs. It would seem that none but the beast could live here and that for man, as an ancient Russian book of exploration says, this land is uninhabitable. [Music] There's a wealth of sea mammals here, and the earth is rich in treasures. Great seaways lie along these shores. [Music] Extensive research in the far north was begun during the early years of Soviet power. Vladimir Lenin said that the conquest of the Arctic was of great significance to the state. Before long, ships began to fly along the country's northern coastline. Polar stations were set up on this forbidding shore from the Cola Peninsula to the cliffs of Chucia, and the Soviet people began to settle farther and farther to the north. In 1932, the crew of the Soviet icebreaker Cibilia Kof set out to cover the northern seaw route in a single navigation season [Music] in the heavy ice off the coast of Chucia. The screw shaft was broken, [Music] but the crew didn't surrender. 17 days and nights they tried to free the ice locked vessel. Improvised sails made of canvas were set and the battle was won. Here they are in the bedding straits at last. The voyage has been a success. A year later, the Cheluskin, making the same voyage as the Ciberia, was icebound. Weeks and months passed. Finally, crushed by the ineable ice, the Cheluskin sank on February the 13th, 1934. Passengers and crew among them women and children were left on a drifting ice blow. Through blizzard and fog, planes located the Cheluskin Knights camp. [Music] Every single person was rescued from the ice by the Arctic flyers. Anatoli Lepedki, Sigis Mon Levenki, Vasili Molo, Nikolai Kamriis Lipnikov Piano and Ivan Doronin. The seven pilots became the first heroes of the Soviet Union. [Music] The great northern seaw route passes through five Arctic seas. Actually, they are more like gulfs of the Arctic Ocean than seas. And the key to the mystery of the ice movement, the chief enemy of polar navigators, lies in the heart of the Arctic. That meant a study had to be made of the zone around the North Pole. The year 1937, Soviet planes are bound for the North Pole. The chief of the expedition, Academy Schmidt, is on board the flagship. The pilot is Mikail Bapiano. The 21st of May. This is an unforgettable day. The Soviet flag is raised over the North Pole. Four men remain behind to make scientific observations on the drifting ice. Pota Shia, Ernest Kraken, Ivan Patanin, and Yeni Podro. The North Pole station number one began its historic drift which lasted 274 days. The years went by. Airmen and scientists have now been to the pole many times. [Music] By now, man is the master of this Arctic wasteland. Nonetheless, every landing at the pole is a great event, and each time it's marked with traditional ceremony. The first thing after landing on the drifting ice is to pitch a temporary camp, a place for rest, a shelter from cold and wind. The elements give them a frigid welcome. A severe blizzard is raging. The wind velocity is more than 40 y a second. That's the kind of wind that will blow down a sturdy tree. The planes have to be anchored down to the ice. [Music] The fierce wind sets the ice in motion. The ice fields begin either to crack or they jam into ice packs. By now, the cracks are a menace to the planes. There's an ice fisher right beside the wheels. Under the machine's weight, the ice is beginning to sag. Quick action is needed. And this is the way the pilot decides to save the plane. [Music] There's another place where the danger is even more immediate. [Music] The plane must be moved without delay, but its skis are frozen fast. Heave home, every minute counts. [Music] For a time, the plane is safe, but all around there's a labyrinth of ice fishes. To get away will be no easy task. [Music] The ice field has split up into parts and in places the cracks have widened into stretches of open water. Here in the north, fuel is worth even more than its weight in gold. Means of communication between the various sections of the camp are quickly improvised. But the main thing is to restore the flying field. The cracks have now been filled up with jagged chunks of ice, and the extreme frost has accounted for the rest. [Music] A piggy flying field is finally cleared. At the takeoff, the machines have a narrow escape. [Music] Soviet scientists have penetrated a hitherto inaccessible zone in the Arctic Ocean. Area by area, the investigation of the central Arctic proceeds. As soon as they land, the scientists begin their observations. Two or three days of work and they fly on to the next point. [Music] The astronomers make constant observations. The meteorologists investigate the intricate processes taking place in the air ocean. The magnetologists make important new findings. The hydraologists investigate the ocean depths. Their portable laboratories are set up in tents. Ocean currents and the flora and fauna are carefully studied. In 1948, the work of Soviet scientists leads to an outstanding discovery in geography that explains many of the mysteries of the Arctic. [Music] Central Polar Basin used to be conceived as a deep hollow with a comparatively even floor. However, its relief was found to be very uneven. Between the New Siberian islands and Greenland lies a huge subterranean range which has been named the Linosa Range. This is March 1954. Dozens of planes landed on the fringe of the Arctic Ocean. The calendar says that springs arrived, but it's still very cold. But this is home to Bashka. She thinks the weather ideal. [Music] A new expedition is ready to start for the central Arctic. The cargo is measured by the hundreds of tons. The mobile teams of scientists must be supplied. Two drifting scientific stations have to be landed and provided with all they will need for a whole year. While preparations are in progress, the ice is being scrutinized from the air. The ice reconnaissance program covers the entire central polar basin. [Music] The last bits of land are visible far below. The farthermost Arctic islands covered by eternal glacias. Beyond lies the boundless frozen ocean. The pilot is caught off. He and the hydraologist Treshnikov who is chief of the North Pole station number three are selecting a place for the future camp. [Music] Similar reconnaissance is being conducted in another sector of the Arctic Ocean by pilot Tidl and the weather forecaster Tolstikov, chief of the North Pole station number four. The ice reconoitering is finished now. The most headless job of all is now ahead. The first landing on an unknown field of ice. His many years of experience prompt the pilot in making the right choice. The ice flow is up to the mark as far as size. The smoke box shows the direction of the wind and is decided to make a landing. One after another, the expedition's planes land on the ice. [Music] A helicopter arrives from Moscow and this newcomer in the Arctic is to remain for the use of the scientific stations. A lorry is also a convenience on the drifting ice. Her name is Palm. Her frisky mood says that with such good masters, it won't be at all bad living on an ice flow. The planes keep on landing. [Music] Station North Pole 4. Specially constructed houses have been placed on skids. It sometimes happens that a hasty change of address is necessary on the drifting ice. The designer of this electric saw hardly thought it would be of use to others than lumbermen. This is the way the camp hydraologists bore through 13 ft of solid ice. At the same time on the 86 parallel, the other station, North Pole 3, is being set up. They are settling down on the ice for a good long stay. [Music] The mess room is built in the center of the camp. The raw material is local and the resources inexhaustible. The camp hydraologist Somov is the man who does the work and the architect is Yatsun the film cameraman. What's a mess room without a piano? [Music] There's nothing like a good hearty song up at the North Pole. Spring is just around the corner. Its first harbingers are the snow buntings. It will soon be Mayday. The expedition is now making the return flight to the mainland. and the little team of scientific workers is left behind. An aerostat is sent up every day. The aologists are investigating the strat of the atmosphere. At regular intervals, the hydraologist pull up their troll from the ocean bottom. It used to be thought that there was no life in these Arctic waters, but far-flung investigation has repudiated that theory. This is the first time a crayfish of this type has been found in the Arctic Ocean. Investigation is not restricted to the zone through which the scientific stations are drifting. Scientists are brought by helicopter from the North Pole creation to carry on regular observations 100 or more miles away. These flights greatly extend the area of polar investigations. Aminal is used to break up the heavy ice. This explosion produces an unexpected result. Here's a very much surprised inhabitant of the polar waters. [Music] But the hydraologists are the first and foremost interested of course in the still uninvestigated ocean depths. One day they come upon an unusual site from the helicopter. This is the same ice field on which the North Pole 2 station began its long drift in 1950. [Music] The polar workers spent 376 days on this ice field. When they abandoned it, they left their old tents behind. Every summer, the ice melted around the tents. And now, more than 3 years later, they stand on ice pedestals. [Music] Visitors are frequent at the drifting Arctic stations. [Music] Food supplies are renewed every month, and packages and letters arrive regularly. Greetings from home are treasured here as perhaps nowhere else. And this little bouquet carries a tender message of love. [Music] There are times when a letter says far more than what is written on its pages. And a sprig of lilac from one's little daughter is a reminder that it's already summertime at home. As a matter of fact, summer is arriving here, too, in the heart of the Arctic. Measurements of the radiant energy of the sun tell the same story. Summer has made its appearance. [Music] Sunshine and moisture, the ideal combination for a little bit of gardening. That was a good foresight to store up some earth. The polar station will have its own Arctic radishes and lettuce and green onions. It's 5° above freezing point. Summer in the Arctic is peculiar. [Music] Eternal ice and a sun that never sets. [Music] For those who like their cold rubbed down in the morning, there's plenty of water. Nothing like this to make a man feel tiptop. [Music] There's no longer any need to worry about fresh water for the cook's galley. [Music] The animals too are glad of the warm weather. [Music] Two six-month-old bear cubs are now full-fledged members of the camp. [Music] Their names are Tauros and Dulka. They aren't yet quite accustomed to camp life, but behave with propriety. [Music] Summer in the Arctic has its drawbacks, too. Water may have been welcome at first, but now it's a case of too much of a good thing. It threatens to flood the houses, tents, and storehouses. There's grave anxiety in the camp. [Music] Even in midsummer, the water is ice cold. This is no easy job. [Music] Living quarters have to be removed to drier spots. An enterprising polar mechanic has thought up this novel ice bit. [Music] As it melts, the water now runs off under the ice and into the ocean. There's no time to dry their soden clothing. [Music] This is the other station, North Pole 4, which is drifting much farther to the south, and so there's even more water. [Music] To drain off the surplus water is a mansized job. The flood spread before their eyes. And now it's possible to encircle the camp in a boat. The Arctic summer has a beauty all its own. [Music] When viewed from the helicopter, the ice blow on which they're drifting resembles a floating island. [Music] Up in the Arctic, they say at this time of the year, the navigation season has begun. This is the time when navigation really does begin along the northern seaw route. The Soviet Arctic Fleet has now set sail. Ships ply this northern passage according to a strict timetable. Siberian timber is exported to many different countries and all types of goods are brought to the far northern courts of the Soviet Union. This is the headquarters of Arctic Navigation. Weather reports and information on ice movements are received from planes and ships, from the polar stations, and drifting scientific camps in the central Arctic. From this headquarters come directions to all ships and forecasts of ice movement. Arctic captains have a good word to say of the scientists who are keeping watch on their drifting stations. [Music] The heroic voyages made years ago by the Cirf and the Cheluskin are now repeated every year by hundreds of ships. Many of them sail across the great northern seaw route more than once during a single navigation season. [Music] September has come. At the drifting stations, winter is already at the threshold. A fierce wind has whipped up the early snow. To conduct scientific observations in a raging snowstorm requires plenty of stamina. A blizzard like this simply can't be described. You must experience it yourself to realize the force of the wind. The dry biting snow blinds the eyes and whips one's face. In the gloomy darkness, every step is torture. [Music] But even in blizzards like this, you can't leave the mainland without a weather report. [Music] On such a day, it's possible to lose your way no more than a dozen steps from home. [Music] Returning to the heat and warmth of home is heavenly bliss in such weather. [Music] Ordinarily, Dr. Velovich has very few patients. Only rarely do people get sick here in the Arctic. But during a blizzard, it doesn't take long to freeze one's skin. On a frosty day, the comfort of a cometly circle is especially pleasant. The onlookers are no less excited about the game than the players themselves. [Music] The men have a good-sized library. [Music] Domino's is a favorite game among the men. And it's not only skill that wins, but also the best joke. [Music] [Music] [Music] Today is Veoia Kaznov's birthday. You can guess his age by the number of candles around the birthday cake. There's plenty of mentimeament and warm companionship at the table today. [Music] We too wish the Lord many [Music] The long polar night has arrived. Special pains now have to be taken in watching the behavior of the ice. [Music] The camp is now shrouded in darkness. The night here lasts about half a year. Like with the man that Bechuk, all the other camp scientists are at their posts. The thermometer is dropping steadily. [Music] Radio zones are still launched daily. [Music] They inform the scientists of what is taking place in the upper atmosphere. [Music] Frequently, the Aurora Borealis illumines the darkness of the long night. It would certainly be comfortable sitting at home in weather like this, but treachery may be encountered at every step. It's hard to guess where and when the ice may begin to jam or the ice fields begin to move. [Music] A portable radio station is a reliable companion when you're on night watch here. [Music] It's a grand thing afterwards to have a good wash back at camp. [Music] The harder they scrub, the better it feels. [Music] The radio announcer informs weather man that his little daughter will speak to him. [Music] [Music] [Music] If anybody's dreaming tonight, it's certain to be a pleasant dream about home. And dear ones, [Music] The radio operators at the drifting stations are busy day and night. [Music] The editorial board of the camp newspaper are hard at work, too. Every day on the ice is replete with exciting events, so there's always plenty to write about. [Music] One night in November, catastrophe threatens. At North Pole Station 3, the ice begins to move. [Music] The camp is divided into two parts. In a twinkling, the stretch of water widens to 50 yards. Dangerously close to the camp helicopter, a big fisher in the ice has formed. It will have to be flown off in a great hurry. The stoves used to warm up the engine were right alongside, but now they've been cut off from the helicopter. [Music] Closer and closer to the machine, the water creeps. This is a time when seconds count. [Music] [Music] The whole camp has to be moved in a great hurry to the adjacent ice field. Pack ice forms an ominous barrier on the way. Where a pick won't do the job, explosives are used. [Music] A makeshift bridge is thrown across the fissures for the tractor. [Music] It's only about a mile to the site chosen. for the new camp. But it's not so easy to get underway and cover this route. [Music] The hazards of that night in the Arctic will not soon be forgotten. [Music] Another Arctic adventure is over. Again, the Soviet scientific team has been victorious in its battle with the elements. [Music] It hasn't been an easy battle. It has lasted three whole days. On the new site, camp life is resumed in the old channels. There are the same laboratories and the same busy days of hard work. The men have composed a song of their own about life on their drifting ice flow. is what of earth. [Music] Motherfather. [Music] Forever Lord [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Jesus. [Music] They've been informed by radio that the next plane is due to arrive from the mainland. A good thing their new landing field is ready by now. Ground signals are ignited. Although they are far away at the top of the world, the men never feel neglected or cut off from their country. There is permanent contact between the drifting stations and the mainland. [Music] Old friends meet again. The necessary supplies have arrived along with a good many happy surprises. Each minute seems like an hour while the big mailbag is unpacked and its contents distributed. [Music] The address is a very simple one. North Pole for Papa. Complete strangers often write to the men and their letters are warm and sincere. There is deep affection in them and sometimes a note of healthy envy. Many of the letters come from abroad. [Music] The messages and gifts sent by children are especially touching. How many youngsters dream of the day when they themselves will be Arctic explorers? The days are passing and it won't be long now before their long Arctic drift comes to an end. The first results of the work done by the station scientists are already being summarized. [Music] The chief of the station, Trishnikov. [Music] The long route covered by the drifting ice flows has been charted on maps. Each of the stations has drifted more than 1,250 mi with many a turn and twist. [Music] At last, the first dawn comes after the many months of polar night. [Music] The long awaited day has arrived. At last the sun. [Music] The camp is immersed in its work aer day life. The tractor is still busily plying the ice roads and there's plenty of work for the helicopter. [Music] Finally, after many months of difficult but very fruitful work, the men are preparing for the takeoff and home. But the scientific investigations on the ice are by no means ended. [Music] In these minutes of farewell on the ice flow, one is reminded of a relay where valor and scientific exploit are the prizes to be carried on by the next team. North Pole station 3 is abandoning its ice flow, but station North Pole 4 is taken over by a new group. After a year spent close to the North Pole, their way now lies southward. But a staunch group of scientific investigators remains behind on the ice to continue the noble work of conquering the Arctic. [Music] Homewood bound at last. Moscow has a warm welcome for the polar explorers. They are greeted by their families and friends and by famous veterans of Arctic expeditions. [Music] Welcome home. [Music] The day before yesterday, they were still on their ice flow. Today they're in Moscow. Their separation has lasted more than a year. In the meantime, up in the heart of the Arctic, a new chapter is opening in the heroic epic of daring scientific investigation. Heat. Heat.