Shackleton is a 2002 British television miniseries. It was written and directed by Charles Sturridge and starred Kenneth Branagh as explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. The film tells the true story of Shackleton's 1914 Antarctic expedition on the ship Endurance. The cast includes Kevin McNally, Lorcan Cranitch, Embeth Davidtz, Danny Webb, Matt Day and Phoebe Nicholls (also the director's wife) as Lady Shackleton. It was filmed in the UK, Iceland and Greenland. The film used first-hand accounts by the men on the expedition to retell the story and Shackleton biographer Roland Huntford was a production advisor.
Shackleton was first broadcast in two parts by Channel 4 in January 2002. In North America the film was first broadcast by the A&E Network in April 2002. The film was nominated for seven Emmy Awards, six BAFTA Awards, and a Golden Globe Award.
Plot
The film tells the true story of explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton (Kenneth Branagh) and his 1914 Antarctic expedition on the ship Endurance. The story begins with him planning the expedition and finding sponsors, particularly Sir James Caird. Shackleton's goal is to drive dog sled teams from one side of Antarctica to the other, which would make Britain the first nation to undertake such a trans-continental journey.
Once the expedition is underway, trouble arises due to thick sea ice and low temperatures. Endurance becomes trapped and is eventually crushed by pack ice. Shackleton vows to find a way to rescue the men. He leads them on an epic journey across the ice, followed by 800 miles on the Southern Ocean, finally climbing an uncharted mountain range on South Georgia Island. He eventually finds a whaling station, Grytviken, and rescue parties are sent to collect his entire shipwrecked crew from remote Elephant Island. The otherwise failed expedition is made famous for every crew member surviving despite seemingly insurmountable odds.
Cast
(In order of appearance)
- Kenneth Branagh as Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton
- John Grillo as Franks
- Phoebe Nicholls as Emily Shackleton
- Eve Best as Eleanor Shackleton
- Mark Tandy as Frank Shackleton
- Cicely Delaney as Cecily Shackleton
- Christian Young as Raymond Shackleton
- Embeth Davidtz as Rosalind Chetwynd
- Danny Webb as Perris
- Lorcan Cranitch as Frank Wild
- Michael Culkin as Jack Morgan
- Mark McGann as Tom Crean
- Abby Ford as Marcie
- Kevin McNally as Frank Worsley
- Robert Hardy as Sir James Caird
- Pip Torrens as James McIlroy
- Ken Drury as Harry McNish
- Matt Day as Frank Hurley
Awards and nominations
| Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television | Nominated | |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or a Movie | Henry Braham (Part II) | Won |
| Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (Dramatic Underscore) | Adrian Johnston (Part II) | Won | |
| Outstanding Single Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special | Peter Coulson (Part II) | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie | Kenneth Branagh | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Miniseries | Francesca Barra, Delia Fine, Emilio Nunez, Selwyn Roberts | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special | Kevin Brazier, Philip Barnes, Blair Jollands, Wayne Brooks | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special | Charles Sturridge | Nominated | |
| BAFTA Awards | Best Drama Serial | Selwyn Roberts, Charles Sturridge | Won |
| Best Costume Design | Shirley Russell | Won | |
| Best Actor | Kenneth Branagh | Nominated | |
| Best Editing (Fiction/Entertainment) | Peter Coulson | Nominated | |
| Best Photography and Lighting (Fiction/Entertainment) | Henry Braham | Nominated | |
| Best Production Design | Michael Howells | Nominated | |
| Cinema Audio Society Awards | Outstanding Sound Mixing for Television, MOW's and Mini-Series | Dave Humphries, John Rodda (Part I) | Won |
| Producers Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television | Selwyn Roberts | Nominated |
| Royal Television Society | Best Art Director | Lynne Huitson, Matthew Robinson | Won |
| Best Production Design, Drama | Michael Howells | Nominated | |
| Best Make Up Design, Drama | Jeremy Woodhead | Nominated | |
| Satellite Awards | Best Miniseries | Nominated |
