Voyage of the Arctic (synopsis from Robert Paul's Christmas Supplement catalog of 1903)
The Adventures of Captain Kettle by C.J. Cutcliffe Hyne
Master of Fortune, Being Further Adventures of Captain Kettle by C.J. Cutcliffe HyneThis short film is alternately titled The Adventurous Voyage of the "Arctic" - How Captain Kettle discovered the North Pole. (BTW, it was remade as "Up the Pole" with Baron Munchausen replacing Kettle as the main character.)
When I found out from Overlook's S.F. Film Encyclopedia that there was an illustrated synopsis of this still in existence, I added it to my want list. An inter-net acquaintance, having access to the BFI microfilm archives, was nice enough to scan and email me a copy.
It's tough to give a synopsis here based on a synopsis. In any event, Overlook already provides a fairly good one. I'll just add what I can.
Captain Owen Kettle was a fictitious character invented by C.J. Cutcliffe Hyne. Kettle was very popular in the late 1800s. I've read some of his adventures. He's a complex guy from what I have sampled. Once a total sea-faring ruffian, he is now married and devoted to providing for Mrs. Kettle. As he finds employment in gun-running, briefly as the admiral of the Chilean navy, rescuing valuable cargo, etc., he still finds time to keep his cutthroat crew in line, write poetry and chomp on an occasional cigar.
According to Overlook, Captain Kettle was popular enough to have made it to the Vaudeville stage. He was portrayed by one Fred Farren (who also starred in the film).
The synopsis is illustrated with 14 pictures which are apparently scenes from the film. (They could be staged photographs, I suppose). This was an added treat in my little find.
The whole structural breakdown of the film is very reminiscent of Melies. In particular, some shots look like they could belong to Melies' Conquest of the Pole. There is definitely a more fantastic flavor to the film than Hyne seemingly ever put into his Kettle stories. Kettle and his crew meet up with The Queen of the Polar Region, a sea serpent, the Evil Genius of the North (who temporarily turns them into blocks of ice), Ice Imps, etc. The group finally discovers the exact location of the North Pole by being drawn into a cave by magnetic attraction!!
Also like Melies work, the film is broken down into distinct scenes or "tableaux":
Scene I: The Cabin of the Actic
Scene II: The Deck of the Good Ship "Arctic"
Scene III: The "Arctic" frozen up amongst the Ice
Scene IV: An Open Ice Field
Scene V: The Explorers are Baffled
Scene VI: The Castle of the Evil Genius
Scene VII: At the Foot of the Table
Scene VIII: The Vision of the Compass
Scene IX: Captain Kettle and his men discover a Loadstone Cave
Scene X: The Foot of the North Pole
Scene XI: At the Top of the Pole
In the finale, Kettle hoists the Union Jack atop the Pole. However, the catalog entry states: "NB - The British Flag may be replaced, when desired, by the American, French or German, to suit various audiences". In spite of being distributed internationally, this film is now nowhere to be found.
written: 7/17/2002
