In Blokes Up North, the book in which Oliver and Lancashire record their adventure, there is a telling line: ‘Royal Marines do tend to see themselves as somewhat indestructible and it takes a lot to change that mindset and turn down a challenge.’ The story, supporting this parade of no-talent, is even less appealing. Mercilessly padded out with circular, repetitious and boringly inconsequential dialogue, "Dangerous Cargo" is a chore to sit through. After Amundsen, the St Roch, a Royal Canadian Mounted Police schooner, achieved the first west-east transit in 1940-42; the first yacht was Williwaw, a 45ft steel vessel skippered by Dutch explorer Willy de Roos, in 1970; the first passenger cruise ship was successful in August 2016. However, according to Oliver, ‘By 2013, only about 100 boats had succeeded.’

Also worth seeking are the horse-racing drama "The Great Dan Patch" (1949) and the crime noir "711 Ocean Drive" (1950)starring Edmond O'Brien. Arctic explorers dislike socialising,’ adds Sara. She made ‘socialising’ sound like ‘having to look after lots of children’. However, it was directing shorts in the "Crime Does Not Pay" series where Newman really cut his teeth in the noir game. An interesting and amusing interview transcript with Vernon Sewell held by www.historyproject.org.uk can be read there in full but here is an extract relevant to this film .To maintain esprit de corps, Stirling will change crew twice mid-passage, meaning tortuous logistics and costly flights. Crew members include high-latitude sailors, cold-climate specialists, shipwrights, a former submarine commander and a chef. This was remade in the early 90s as a Lindsay Wagner TV-movie, which was called Treacherous Crossing.) In 1950, the film "So Long at the Fair" debuted. It was the film about a brother and sister who went to the Paris Exhibition--only to have the brother disappear. Even more odd, no one seems to have remembered seeing him and soon the authorities seem to think she is losing her mind. Only three years later, a very, very similar film is released and "Dangerous Crossing" is essentially the same film but with a very different ending. I know that a few other similar films have been released--so clearly "Dangerous Crossing" won't get points for originality. Dangerous Crossing' has its flaws. The melodrama does get a little much in the latter stages and Crain's character as others have said is pretty one-dimensional and could have done with more subtlety in the writing.

Some quality acting throughout, a whole host of talent, but credit to Jeanne Crain, she was quite brilliant I thought.Just about everybody writes Crain off as delusional, maybe even suicidal. But we know the groom's still on board; he phones her up late at night. The reason they can't find him despite searching every nook and cranny is.... I know what the voyage is costing,’ says Stirling, ‘but am not prepared to discuss it!’ They have some limited support: The Gino Watkins Memorial Fund and The Arctic Club have funded cold-climate safety and first aid training. The Andrew Croft Memorial Fund has supported the installation of a ‘cross-reference depth sounder’ to mitigate the risk posed by incomplete nautical charts, and Plymouth Gin has also chipped in. Panerai is gifting two watches: ‘One for Will, the other to be engraved and sold at auction next year,’ says Martina Sklenarova of Bucherer Watches, adding, ‘Profits will go either to fund this voyage or support the next.’ In 2018, Stirling sailed her to Iceland and based her there for four years. Stirling and his crew explored Svalbard, Norway, and then Jan Mayen island on which stands Beerenberg, the world’s most northerly volcano, which they climbed. He then took on eastern Greenland which is even more remote than the Northwest Passage. ‘East Greenland is fantastic!’ he cries.

Erm, there are a few hills south of Resolute,’ says Oliver. ‘The rest is shingle bank and slight undulations. For me, the attraction is spending time in remote places and making an effort to get there. Bear Grylls, a friend whom I hugely respect, has been through the Passage in a speedboat. Where is the fun in that?’ There are geopolitical sensitivities too. Canada regards the Passage as its own; the US sees it as an international strait. ‘The US and Canada agree to disagree,’ says Oliver. ‘There is big oil and gas, especially off Alaska. Russia and America are making moves. You might think the locals want to keep it pristine. But oh no! The indigenous populations can get huge rewards from mineral and hydrocarbon rights.’Dangerous Voyage is a 1954 British second feature [1] mystery crime film directed by Vernon Sewell and starring William Lundigan, Naomi Chance and Vincent Ball. [2] It was distributed by Anglo-Amalgamated in the UK, [1] and in the United States by Lippert Pictures as Terror Ship.

These included Americana such as "Another Language" (1933); musicals such as "Going Hollywood" (1933) and "Rose Marie (1936); comedy such as "Riptide" (1934)and classic dramas "Dinner at Eight" (1933) and "David Copperfield" (1935) for which he was nominated for an Oscar in the short lived category of Best Assistant Director. While 'Dangerous Crossing' didn't strike me as a great film and could have been better than it was, especially considering that its potential was hardly small in the first place, a lot works in its favour and far outweighs the not so good. And if asked as to whether to recommend 'Dangerous Crossing', my answer would be a solid if not quite enthusiastic yes. There are a lot better films of this type and there are also worse, if this is the sort of film that appeals to you there should be plenty to like even if it doesn't reach masterpiece level. Stirling introduces me to his ‘office’, a Portakabin that feels like an Arctic refuge, filled with fleeced-up Stirling & Son employees warming themselves with tea. One of Integrity’s crew, Col. Kevin ‘Kev’ Oliver, a mountain leader officer in the Royal Marines, turns up looking every inch the trim, chiselled genuine article. His 33 years in the forces include tours in several global hotspots, and in 2009, Oliver and fellow marine Major Tony Lancashire attempted the Northwest Passage in a 17ft open boat, sailing west to east. Newlyweds Jeanne Crain and Carl Betz board an ocean liner for a honeymoon cruise to Europe. He then promptly vanishes. Crain, reacting with swooning spells and hysterical outbursts, comes under the doting care of ship's doctor Michael Rennie, who's forever "prescribing" her things like shuffleboard or Champagne. (His cheekbones, meanwhile, threaten to pop right through his skin.)

The irony of all this effort is that the Passage is not considered a viable trade route. ‘Even if the ice breaks, the Passage is easily choked,’ says Oliver. ‘In winter it is impassable, even with ice breakers.’ Ruth is surprised when she receives a telephone call from John who tells her that they're both in danger and that she should trust no-one. This only increases her anguish and the presence of a sinister-looking elderly gentleman with a cane, a steward whose manner is rather strange and a wealthy divorcee who tells her that "husbands can get lost so easily", only add to her discomfort and her reliance on Dr Manning to solve the mystery of what's happened to John and also to discover the reason for his disappearance. What happens when you are iced up in the middle of nowhere and the voice in your head sounds like the speaking tube of HMS Erebus?’ I ask. ‘Have you worked out who you’ll eat first?’ An A.C.T. (Association of Cinema Technicians) Production, made at Nettlefold Studios. U.K. release through Monarch: July 1954. No U.S. theatrical release, but distributed to TV through Modern Sound Pictures. Australian release through Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer: 31 October 1955. 5,563 feet. 61 minutes. Censored by 90 seconds in Australia.