Hell Below Zero
Original Theatrical Poster
Main Cast
Character
Actor
Duncan Craig
Alan Ladd
Judie Nordhal
Joan Tetzel
John Bland
Basil Sydney
Erik Bland
Stanley Baker
Capt. McPhee
Joseph Tomelty
Dr. Howe
Niall MacGinnis
Gerda Petersen
Jill Bennett
Hell Below Zero Alan Ladd . The movie is based on the novel "The White South" (1949) by Hammond Innes. The story is set on whaling ships in Antarctic waters. When the captain of a factory ship is lost overboard under mysterious circumstances, his daughter Judie Nordahl (Joan Tetzel) decides to investigate the accident. She is assisted by Duncan Craig (Alan Ladd), former Navy officer and a new mate on the whaling ship Southern Truce .
The following weapons were used in the film Hell Below Zero :
Revolvers Colt New Service Erik Bland (Stanley Baker ), skipper of Kista Dan , owns a Colt New Service . Bland gives the revovler to his henchman Larsen (Ivan Craig ) who is in turn disarmed by Duncan Craig (Alan Ladd ).
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Colt New Service Revolver - .45 ACP Error creating thumbnail: File missing Bland threatens survivors from sunken Southern Truce . Error creating thumbnail: File missing A closer view of the revolver. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Larsen holds the revolver, guarding the whalers. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Larsen is scalded by boiling coffee. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Duncan Craig, with the revolver in hand, leans over wounded radioman Ulvik (Edward Hardwicke ). Error creating thumbnail: File missing Craig fires towards Bland's tent. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing Craig holds the revolver while searching Bland's tent. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Erik Bland holds his Colt on a promotional image. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Duncan Craig (Alan Ladd ) with the revolver in hand and Judie Nordhal (Joan Tetzel) on a promotional image. Rifles Sporterized Pattern 1914 Enfield Larsen (Ivan Craig ) is armed with a Sporterized Pattern 1914 Enfield (or M1917 Enfield) rifle. Then Erik Bland (Stanley Baker ) takes the rifle from Larsen, giving him his Colt.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Sporterized Pattern M1914 (P 14) Enfield - .303 UK Error creating thumbnail: File missing Larsen holds the rifle at the background. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing Bland with Larsen's rifle. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The rifle has the original front sight of the military gun. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A crewmember of Southern Truce holds same rifle, taken from Bland's tent (this P14 Sporter switches from a Lee-Speed Sporter (see below) that was found in Bland's tent). Error creating thumbnail: File missing Duncan Craig (Alan Ladd ) with the sporterized P14 on a promotional image. He doesn't hold this rifle in the movie. Lee-Speed Sporter Survivors from Southern Truce find a Lee-Speed Sporter rifle in Eric Bland's tent. Duncan Craig (Alan Ladd ) takes this rifle, later is it seen in hands of Erik Bland (Stanley Baker ) instead of previously used sporterized Lee-Enfield No. 1 Mk III* due to a continuity error.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Two well preserved specimens of Lee-Speed Sporters - .303 British. The rifle on top matches the screen gun. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The barrel of the rifle in empty Bland's tent. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing Craig examines the gun and finds out that it's empty. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Bland aims and fires at Judie Nordhal. In previous moment he had a sporterized Lee-Enfield No. 1 Mk III* (see below). Error creating thumbnail: File missing As Bland runs out of ammo, he uses the rifle as a club in final fight with Craig. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Duncan Craig (Alan Ladd ) with the Lee-Speed Sporter and Judie Nordhal (Joan Tetzel) on a promotional image. Sporterized Lee-Enfield No. 1 Mk III* During the final confrontation Erik Bland (Stanley Baker ) uses a sporterized rifle. The shape and position of the bolt and ajustable sight allow to identify the base model as Lee-Enfield No. 1 Mk III* . The rifle lacks typical protruding magazine, so it appears to be a 5-shot version (such sporters were made, for instance, by Parker-Hale).
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Sporterized Lee-Enfield No. 1 Mk III* - .303 British. Unlike this sample, the screen gun lacks the magazine and has shorter handguard. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing Bland escapes on skis, carrying the rifle. Error creating thumbnail: File missing In next moment his rifle looks different, lacking the ajustable rear sight. In the following scene Bland again holds the rifle with rear sight on place. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Bland ambushes pursuers. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing Bland fires. In this scene the rifle fires a series of gunshots while Bland doesn't operates the bolt handle. The muzzle smoke looks very faint; all this allow to guess that the rifle doesn't fire but uses pyrotechnical charges to imitate shooting. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A good view of the rear sight. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing Now Bland operates the bolt, unlike previous moment. In next scene this rifle switches to a Lee-Speed Sporter . Error creating thumbnail: File missing Erik Bland (Stanley Baker ) holds the rifle on a promotional image. Trivia Harpoon Cannon A harpoon cannon is mounted on Southern Truce . This is a 90mm Kongsberg model, one of the most widely used harpoon cannons throughout the world.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing Gerda Petersen (Jill Bennett), the skipper of Southern Truce , shows the harpoon cannon to Duncan Craig. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The harpoon cannon in action (in this scene Jill Bennett is replaced with a male stunt double). Error creating thumbnail: File missing Craig at the harpoon cannon. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing Dr. Howe (Niall MacGinnis) fires the harpoon cannon at the crates with dynamite on the top deck of Kista Dan that goes to ram Southern Truce . 
