ISLAND AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD (1973, U.S.)

Island at the
Top of the World

(1973, U.S.) Technicolor 93 min
Walt Disney Pictures / Buena Vista Pictures
Story: Ian Cameron (from his novel “The Lost Ones”)
Screenplay: John Whedon
Music by Maurice Jarre
Cinematography by Frank V. Phillips
Produced by Winston Hibler
Directed by Robert Stevenson

With: David Hartman (Prof. John Ivarsson), Donald Sinden (Sir Anthony Ross), Jacques Marin (Captain Brieux), Mako (Oomiak), David Gwillim (Donald Ross), Agneta Eckemyr (Freyja), Gunnar Öhlund (Godin), Lasse Kolstad (Erik), Erik Silju (Torvald), Rolf Søder (The Lawspeaker), Torsten Wahlund (Sven), Sverre Anker Ousdal (Gunnar (as Sverre Ousdal), Niels Hinrichsen (Sigurd), Denny Miller (Town Guard), Brendan Dillon (The Factor), James Almanzar (French Engineer), Ivor Barry (The Butler), Lee Paul (Chief of Boat Archers)

***

Walt Disney Productions' THE ISLAND AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD is based on the book The Lost Ones by Ian Cameron. The story opens in turn-of-the-century London. A weary traveler, Professor Ivarsson (actor/talk show host David Hartman, best remembered as Lucas Tanner and co-host of ABC TV's Good Morning America) leaves a coach and enters the beautiful home of Captain Ross (Donald Sinden). Ross is a tough ex-sea captain turned successful shipping company executive; he wants Ivarsson to help him locate his son Donald, who went on an expedition in the Artic North to try and find “The Whale's Graveyard” years ago, but has disappeared. After many unsuccessful attempts to find him, Brittish authorities have declared the young man dead. Ross will not accept the official report, and in a last-ditch attempt to find his son, Ross seeks out Ivarsson to accompany him on a trek to the fabled landmark.

At first, Ivarsson believes the captain to be insane, and he wants no part of this dangerous trek until he is offered a lot of money, as well as credit for any discoveries that could be found at the legendary site. Intrigued by the offer, Ivarsson accepts the Captain's invitation. The pair sail to France, where they hire a French aviator and his blimp to fly them to Alaska. There, they meet the last person to see Donald alive: Oomiak, an Eskimo guide who tries to warn the men of an evil group who captured Donald and took him prisoner.

Oomiak (Mako) barely escaped their foes, but he couldn't save Donald, as the group disappeared into the frosty night. Nevertheless, our troop follows the trail to “The Whale's Graveyard”. After many days, they finally find the graveyard, but a thunderstorm soon comes and the blimp is forced to the ground. The three men are next taken prisoner by the men who captured Donald. This group of Norsemen, who see the trio as invaders who want to take over their hidden Shangri-la, a Viking kingdom hidden in a secluded valley beyond “The Whale's Graveyard”.

Needing to reassure the tribesmen that they are not a threat to their world, Ivarsson speaks to the Norsemen in their language and is able to prove that they are friends seeking out one of their villagers. The tribesmen's attitude changes, and they take the three men to their village, where Ross is reunited with his son, and his beautiful Norse bride.

They dine with the Norsemen and their king that night in the grand hall. Over the mountainside comes a hideous figure, called “The Lawgiver”, who warns the tribesmen that the men traveled to their village via a “flying dragon” (the blimp), and that the storms that have encroached upon the village will mean that more outsiders will destroy their peaceful world. The Lawgiver orders the king and his people to sentence the trio and Donald to be put to death by being burned at the stake.

Two days later Ross, Donald, Ivarsson and the Oomiak are being tied to wooden poles inside of an old Barq, and sage-brush is being placed at their feet. Luckily, Donald's wife saves them from the tribesmen, and they flee to the mountains. After a long and difficult chase through the hills, the group is reunited with the flier of the blimp, who helps them find “The Lawgiver”. After an aerial chase, they force the evil despot to confess to unjustly condemning them to death. “The Lawgiver” is killed in a fall from the blimp.

The Norsemen apologize for mistrusting the group, but still can't allow Ross and his friends to leave, as they still fear that other outsiders may invade their world. They insist that one of the group will have to remain a prisoner. Ross is outraged at this ultimatum but Ivarsson is willing to remain with the Norsemen, and the troop leaves the village for their hard-won trip back to England.

***

I first saw this film at The Allterton Theater in the Bronx, NYC. It's an exciting adventure story filled with great special effects, a wonderful script filled with thrills and warmth, and fine performances from the leads. I was lucky enough to meet David Hartman back in the 1980's, in New York City, and I met Mako at The Chiller Theater Convention in New Jersey last year; both told me that they enjoyed working on this movie.

THE ISLAND AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD is a great adventure that belongs with Disney's other classic tales, 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA and IN SEARCH OF THE CASTAWAYS!

- Kevin S. Butler

Video/DVD availability: VHS/DVD (Disney Home Video)

Beautiful British quad poster for ISLAND AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD.