In June 1934, as temperatures dropped to 70 degrees below zero, Richard Byrd lay alone in a tiny hut near the South Pole, close to death. No one had ever experienced winter in the interior of Antarctica. Desperately ill, Byrd made a note in his diary: Fully expect to die.

In an age of heroes, he was one of the world’s greatest. An explorer,aviation pioneer and scientist, Byrd was also an egotist, risk-taker – and, his critics claim, a self promoter who took credit for the accomplishments of others. Byrd became an international hero after he claimed to have made the first flight over the North Pole. But some questioned whether he had really made it. Undeterred, Byrd set out for Antarctica where he would be the first to fly over the South Pole. Then, with no poles left to conquer, he secretly planned a dramatic feat: enduring the winter alone on the polar ice.

Drawing on compelling archival footage, interviews with family members, colleagues and historians, and a rich musical source, ALONE ON THE ICE tells the remarkable story of America’s most famous, and controversial polar explorer.

Running time: Approximately 60 minutes.
Color, CC, VHS Format