Ice Station Zebra (1968)

Rock Hudson: Cdr. James Ferraday

Photos 

Quotes 

• Cmdr. Ferraday : It wasn't sealing wax. It wasn't chewing gum. It was epoxy glue. And all of a sudden you know a whole damn lot about submarines.

  David Jones : I know how to wreck them, and I know how to lie, steal, kidnap, counterfeit, suborn and kill. That's my job. I do it with great pride.

• Cmdr. Ferraday : There's one thing that cannot happen on board a submarine by accident... is both ends of a torpedo tube open to the sea at the same time!

  David Jones : You cross-connect the hydraulic manifold to the outside door mechanism so that the indicator reads shut when the door is actually open. The same sort of electrical cross on these two panels, and the open position reads green when it should flash red. Then you plug up the inlet to the test cock with chewing gum, sealing wax, anything... just so that it shows a dribble. And then you open the tube, and Good Night.

• Cmdr. Ferraday : We operate on a first-name basis. My first name is Captain.

• Boris Vaslov : [looking into the reactor]  Oh... it seems almost benevolent.

  Cmdr. Ferraday : In that state, yes. Contained, controlled. But it is nuclear fission... and it hates being confined even more than you do.

• David Jones : May I ask, Captain, when we expect to reach the ice barrier?

  Cmdr. Ferraday : Yes, you may ask.

• David Jones : ...and all of a sudden, you know a whole damn lot about my business!

  Cmdr. Ferraday : We don't believe in going on a mission totally blindfolded.

• David Jones : Jones. Bad name. Bad connotations. I once killed a man called Jones. Though not for that reason, of course.

  Cmdr. Ferraday : That's not your name?

  David Jones : Isn't that obvious? It's a - it's a code cover name. Brilliant deception, don't you think? Jones.

• 1st Lt. Russell Walker : It's just... none of us have ever been aboard a submarine before.

  Cmdr. Ferraday : Rest easy. I have.

• Cmdr. Ferraday : [after reading the name of the person who authorized the mission]  All right sir, I'm impressed. Not enlightened - but impressed.

• Cmdr. Ferraday : I'm in command of this submarine, and I am not sticking another torpedo up that spout...

• David Jones : Is it true, Captain, that aboard United States naval vessels, no whiskey is ever served?

  [lights a cigarette] 

  Cmdr. Ferraday : I'm to extend to you every facility, short of endangering the lives of the crew. That could include a pint of medicinal whiskey - if you happen to be seasick.

  David Jones : I am - habitually.

• Cmdr. Ferraday : Here. Keep this with you. It is a nuclear submarine, as you know. We'll check you from time to time for radiation.

  David Jones : That's very kind of you.

• Cmdr. Ferraday : We have an escort, Mr. Jones.

  David Jones : A Russian trawler?

  Cmdr. Ferraday : The innocent and inevitable - Russian trawler. Just happens to be in our neighborhood.

• Cmdr. Ferraday : Attention all hands, this is the Captain. A Norwegian freighter has just picked up another distress signal from Ice Station Zebra. Quote: For God's sake hurry. Unquote. The rest of the transmission is garbled. So, somebody's still alive up there. The last estimated position of the British camp was 85 north 21 west. But, we can't pin it down, their position drifts with the ice pack. As you know, the United States and Soviet Russia are making a joint effort to reach the survivors. An ice storm has ruled out any chance of air rescue by either side. So, we're going in under the ice pack. One more thing, we have with us a British civilian. I'm authorized to tell you his name is: Jones. And that there are certain classified aspects to his mission which means its none of our business. So, let's leave the poor man alone. I'll keep you informed. That is all.

• Cmdr. Ferraday : Those men up there must be pretty important.

  Admiral Garvey : They're not the reason you're going. They're just the excuse.

  Cmdr. Ferraday : Well then, what is the reason sir?

  Admiral Garvey : Oh, I can't tell you that. But I can tell you this: it is important - vitally.

• Lt. George Mills : Captain, the scam is that this guy's a, eh...

  Cmdr. Ferraday : A what?

  Lt. George Mills : A spy?

  Cmdr. Ferraday : Just don't get too buddy-buddy with him.

• [last lines] 

  Col. Ostrovsky : My men and myself will be picked up within the hour.

  Cmdr. Ferraday : And we'll be on our way. We're a long way from home.

  Col. Ostrovsky : We both are, Commander. Do svidaniya.

  David Jones : Until you - meet again.

  Cmdr. Ferraday : Yes - until we meet again.

  David Jones : Do svidaniya.

• Cmdr. Ferraday : [During uncontrolled descent from flooding incident]  She's slowing faster!

• Admiral Garvey : Pour you a drink?

  Cmdr. Ferraday : Yes, sir.

  Admiral Garvey : I'm a bourbon man, myself; but, when in Scotland...

  Cmdr. Ferraday : Mists of the Scottish moors. It does it for me! Cheers.

• Admiral Garvey : Jim, just how much do you know about Ice Station Zebra?

  Cmdr. Ferraday : Just what's been in the papers, sir. Drift Ice Station Zebra: British civilian weather station over the North Pole. They're in some sort of trouble, apparently.

  Admiral Garvey : Trouble, yes. They've been sending out distress signals; but, too weak and garbled to make much sense. Something has gone wrong up there, that's for sure.

• 1st Lt. Russell Walker : [aboard the submarine]  Some of the men were wondering, sir, if they could smoke down here?

  Cmdr. Ferraday : Of course, they can. Except when the smoking lamp is out.

• Cmdr. Ferraday : [last lines before Intermission]  As you reminded me, Mr. Jones, my orders are to get you to Zebra. We move out in 10 minutes.

• Cmdr. Ferraday : Now, let's see if we can catch ourselves a submarine.

• Col. Ostrovsky : Sir, you and your men will stand away and release the capsule.

  Cmdr. Ferraday : Sir, those of us who are unarmed will withdraw. The rest of us, Sir, will not!