since view this film 35 year ago i have be in awe of it and it be certainly my all time favorite and would most likely get my nomination for best film ever . on this point i probably stand in splendid isolation ( or to quote finn malmgren represent emptiness and loneliness and beauty and and purity ) . i mention this in the hope that this will encourage reader to view the film . if you be seek a comparison and krasnaya palatka ( the red tent ) be most like the original flight of the phoenix while both be superficially action adventure film and with deep allegorical element about the dynamic behind the functioning of a civilized society . the red tent even get a little philosophical along the line of life a a journey and not a destination . this be director mikheil kalatozishvili tribute to sergei eisenstein and a disorienting yet organize montage of vast scale juxtapose with claustrophobic confinement ( it worth watch again just to focus on the scene transition the editing be brilliant ) . the scene inside the dirigible and the red tent ( the title character ) be carefully cut into spectacular exterior shot of arctic landscape and the dynamic energy of crowd in the russian countryside and city . there be a fusion of european expressionism with hollywood realism in this film unlike anything i have ever see before . this be possible because of the storytelling device of have everything unfold in flashback by the main character general nobile ( peter finch ) . nobile be the organizer and commander of italy ill fat attempt to reach the north pole by dirigible . this generally true ( certain historical liberty be take to simplify thing ) story be tell entirely from his point of view . forty year after the expedition nobile be a disgraced figure living in rome and burden by guilt and sleeplessness . you learn that on sleepless night he conjure up participant in the expedition fiasco ( both member and rescuer ) and let them judge him for his action 40 year ago . these session have be largely inconclusive but this night he pull out all stop and convenes a full trial in his living room with almost all the central figure present . more importantly and for the first time he name the ruthless lundborg ( hardy kruger ) a his prosecutor a move that lundborg assure him will mean that the jury will reach a verdict for the first time . these be not ghost but rather figment of nobile imagination and they behave accord to his perception of how they would behave . this storytelling device allow the film to have it own commentary and make it not just an exciting adventure film with wonderful visuals and but an examination of the concept of leadership ( much like command decision and a gathering of eagle and and they come to cordura ) . more importantly it become an allegorical study about free will and destiny and a careful planning and good judgment be just two factor in any complex operation while subject to luck and unforeseen event . the many character be a representative cross section of society while with hero and opportunist and martinet and dreamer and and average joes . ultimately and thing happen ( both good and bad ) not because of the challenge of man versus nature and but because of the placement and misplacement of human resource ( i. e. the right or wrong person assign to a particular role in the expedition and the rescue effort ) . from the event portray in the the rent tent it be difficult to fault nobile a a leader . he wisely turn back to king bay when the weather get bad and he be genuinely devastate at the loss of some of his men and and his action after the crash be all reasonable . he can be blame for allow lundborg to bring him out before his men but under the circumstance it be a sensible decision if not a politically correct one . a samoilovich and captain of the russian icebreaker krassin point out and a leader be judge by their action and and their action by their result and nobile early rescue be the reason the other survive crewman be ultimately rescue . nobile fantasy trial eventually dredge from his subconscious the realization of why he choose to leave with lundborg ( 1000 reason to stay 1001 to leave ) . that such a trivial and self indulgent reason be the difference maker account for his continue guilt . this realization and along with the belief that amundsen ( his peer ) be the only one fit to judge him and allow nobile to finally forgive himself for be human . they go out with amundsen advice to reflect not on their failure but on the thing they attempt and the wondrous thing they saw . there be no guilt in not achieve an ambitious goal and make the attempt be more important than succeed . the music be also great . then again and what do i know . i be only a child .