The Worst Journey in the World (docudrama)
Encyclopedia
The Worst Journey in the World is a 2007
BBC Television
docudrama
based on the memoir of the same name
by polar explorer Apsley Cherry-Garrard
.
Cherry is completely incapacitated by a total collapse in 1946 and starts to recall his past. He arrives at the Natural History Museum
in 1913 with eggs he collected in Antarctica. He recalls his discussion with Dr. Wilson
2 years prior when he had first suggested the expedition. Initially denied a place due to his poor eyesight a generous donation to the Terra Nova Expedition
had changed Captain Scott’s mind and Cherry was signed on.
Scott sets sail from New Zealand
and sets-up camp at Cape Evans
where they settle in for the winter. Dr. Wilson leads Cherry and Birdie on the gruelling 67mile trek to Cape Crozier
where he had discovered an Emperor Penguin
colony in 1902. Constructing a makeshift igloo 4 miles from the colony the trio collect the eggs. Dr. Wilson is badly burnt while rending penguin fat for the stove and they lose their tent in a hurricane.
After recovering the tent the trio begin the journey back to the Cape Evans camp. Delivering the eggs to the museum Cherry is summarily dismissed by the curator and the eggs later prove to be too advanced to be of use. Dr. Wilson and Birdie joined Captain Scott on his trek to the South Pole a few months later and perished along with him on the return journey. Cherry sets out on a rescue mission but was forced to turn back by Scott’s standing orders not to risk the dogs.
An epilogue, telling of Cherry’s mental anguish at failing to rescue his friends who were only 70 miles from One Ton Depot when he turned back, shows the perfectly preserved camp at Cape Evans and the remnants of the igloo at Cape Crozier.
2007 in television
2007 in television may refer to:*2007 in American television*2007 in Australian television*2007 in British television*2007 in Canadian television*2007 in Japanese television...
BBC Television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
docudrama
Docudrama
In film, television programming and staged theatre, docudrama is a documentary-style genre that features dramatized re-enactments of actual historical events. As a neologism, the term is often confused with docufiction....
based on the memoir of the same name
The Worst Journey in the World
The Worst Journey in the World is a memoir of the 1910–1913 British Antarctic Expedition led by Robert Falcon Scott. It was written and published in 1922 by a survivor of the expedition, Apsley Cherry-Garrard, and has earned wide praise for its frank treatment of the difficulties of the expedition,...
by polar explorer Apsley Cherry-Garrard
Apsley Cherry-Garrard
Apsley George Benet Cherry-Garrard was an English explorer of Antarctica. He was a survivor of the Terra Nova Expedition and is acclaimed for his historical account of this expedition, The Worst Journey in the World....
.
Synopsis
A pre-title sequence shows Apsley Cherry-Garrard in London in 1938 struggling with his perceived culpability in Scott’s death.Cherry is completely incapacitated by a total collapse in 1946 and starts to recall his past. He arrives at the Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, England . Its main frontage is on Cromwell Road...
in 1913 with eggs he collected in Antarctica. He recalls his discussion with Dr. Wilson
Edward Adrian Wilson
Edward Adrian Wilson was a notable English polar explorer, physician, naturalist, painter and ornithologist.-Early life:...
2 years prior when he had first suggested the expedition. Initially denied a place due to his poor eyesight a generous donation to the Terra Nova Expedition
Terra Nova Expedition
The Terra Nova Expedition , officially the British Antarctic Expedition 1910, was led by Robert Falcon Scott with the objective of being the first to reach the geographical South Pole. Scott and four companions attained the pole on 17 January 1912, to find that a Norwegian team led by Roald...
had changed Captain Scott’s mind and Cherry was signed on.
Scott sets sail from New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and sets-up camp at Cape Evans
Cape Evans
Cape Evans is a rocky cape on the west side of Ross Island, forming the north side of the entrance to Erebus Bay.The cape was discovered by the Discovery expedition under Robert Falcon Scott, who named it the Skuary. Scott's second expedition, the British Antarctic Expedition , built its...
where they settle in for the winter. Dr. Wilson leads Cherry and Birdie on the gruelling 67mile trek to Cape Crozier
Cape Crozier
Cape Crozier is the most easterly point of Ross Island in Antarctica. It was discovered in 1841 during James Clark Ross's expedition with HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, and was named after Francis Crozier, captain of HMS Terror...
where he had discovered an Emperor Penguin
Emperor Penguin
The Emperor Penguin is the tallest and heaviest of all living penguin species and is endemic to Antarctica. The male and female are similar in plumage and size, reaching in height and weighing anywhere from . The dorsal side and head are black and sharply delineated from the white belly,...
colony in 1902. Constructing a makeshift igloo 4 miles from the colony the trio collect the eggs. Dr. Wilson is badly burnt while rending penguin fat for the stove and they lose their tent in a hurricane.
After recovering the tent the trio begin the journey back to the Cape Evans camp. Delivering the eggs to the museum Cherry is summarily dismissed by the curator and the eggs later prove to be too advanced to be of use. Dr. Wilson and Birdie joined Captain Scott on his trek to the South Pole a few months later and perished along with him on the return journey. Cherry sets out on a rescue mission but was forced to turn back by Scott’s standing orders not to risk the dogs.
An epilogue, telling of Cherry’s mental anguish at failing to rescue his friends who were only 70 miles from One Ton Depot when he turned back, shows the perfectly preserved camp at Cape Evans and the remnants of the igloo at Cape Crozier.
Cast
- Mark GatissMark GatissMark Gatiss is an English actor, screenwriter and novelist. He is best known as a member of the comedy team The League of Gentlemen, and has both written for and acted in the TV series Doctor Who and Sherlock....
as Apsley Cherry-GarrardApsley Cherry-GarrardApsley George Benet Cherry-Garrard was an English explorer of Antarctica. He was a survivor of the Terra Nova Expedition and is acclaimed for his historical account of this expedition, The Worst Journey in the World.... - John Arthur as Dr. WilsonEdward Adrian WilsonEdward Adrian Wilson was a notable English polar explorer, physician, naturalist, painter and ornithologist.-Early life:...
- Lee InglebyLee InglebyLee Ingleby is a British film, television, and stage actor.He is perhaps best known for his roles as Detective Sergeant John Bacchus in the BBC Drama George Gently and as Stan Shunpike in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban...
as Birdie Bowers - Julia DalkinJulia Dalkin-Partial filmography:*Nebulous *EastEnders - Polly *Doctors - Suzanne Matthews *The Worst Journey in the World - Angela Turner*Holby City - Nikki Taylor...
as Angela Turner - Ian Hallard as Wentworth
- David RyallDavid RyallDavid Ryall is an English actor who has appeared on British television since the 1970s. He has had leading roles in Lytton's Diary and Goodnight Sweetheart, as well as memorable roles in Dennis Potter's The Singing Detective and Andrew Davies's adaptation of To Play the King and The Final Cut, the...
as Curator - Barbara Kirby as Mrs Cherry-Garrard
- Alexander KirkAlexander KirkAlexander Kirk is a comedy actor and writer in British television, film, and theatre.Kirk trained at Bretton Hall, ....
as Captain ScottRobert Falcon ScottCaptain Robert Falcon Scott, CVO was a Royal Navy officer and explorer who led two expeditions to the Antarctic regions: the Discovery Expedition, 1901–04, and the ill-fated Terra Nova Expedition, 1910–13...