The Conquest of the Pole | |
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Directed by | Georges Méliès |
Written by | Georges Méliès |
Based on | The Voyages Extraordinaires series by Jules Verne |
Produced by | Charles Pathé |
Starring | Georges Méliès |
Production company | |
Distributed by | Pathé Frères |
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Country | France |
Language | Silent |
The Conquest of the Pole (French: À la conquête du pôle) is a 1912 French silent science fantasy trick film directed by and starring Georges Méliès. The film, loosely inspired by contemporary events and by Jules Verne's Voyages Extraordinaires, follows the comic misadventures of an international group of explorers on an expedition to the North Pole, where they encounter a man-eating frost giant and a dangerous magnetic needle.
The film, one of Méliès's last cinematic works, was released by Pathé Frères to critical acclaim in France and the United Kingdom, but was a box-office failure and contributed to Méliès's mounting financial difficulties. It continues to be seen as one of his masterpieces and is sometimes named as his greatest work.