te acher ▁and ▁nur se ▁Mar tha ▁Raymond ▁( L ola ▁Al br ight ) ▁to ▁Little ▁Di om ede ▁Island , ▁an ▁island ▁two ▁miles ▁from ▁the ▁Soviet - owned ▁Big ▁Di om ede ▁Island . ▁Wor ried ▁that ▁the ▁trigger - h appy ▁gu ards ▁may ▁shoot ▁at ▁them , ▁Mike ▁lands ▁his ▁aircraft ▁short ▁of ▁the ▁In uit ▁village ▁of ▁Little ▁Di om ede , ▁and ▁trans ports ▁Mar tha ▁by ▁dog ▁s led , ▁over ▁the ▁short ▁distance ▁remaining ▁on ▁the ▁fro zen ▁Ber ing ▁Stra it . ▁A ▁rom ance ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁is ▁kind led . ▁ ▁When ▁Mar tha ▁arriv es , ▁she ▁is ▁wel com ed ▁by ▁local ▁Catholic ▁priest ▁Father ▁François ▁( K enn eth ▁Mac Donald ) ▁and ▁local ▁resident ▁Mik so ok ▁( An th ony ▁Gar son ). ▁She ▁is ▁replacing ▁the ▁teacher ▁who ▁had ▁w ander ed ▁too ▁close ▁to ▁the ▁International ▁Date ▁Line ▁that ▁separ ates ▁the ▁two ▁islands ▁and ▁was ▁shot ▁and ▁killed . ▁F lying ▁to ▁N ome , ▁Mike ▁lear ns ▁he ▁has ▁another ▁job , ▁flying ▁business man ▁John ▁W . ▁W ether by ▁( Al an ▁H ale ▁Jr .) ▁on ▁a ▁polar ▁bear ▁h unt . ▁Bad ▁weather ▁del ays ▁the ▁h unt ▁and ▁W ether by ▁express es ▁an ▁interest ▁in ▁visit ing ▁Little ▁Di om ede . ▁A ▁native ▁girl ▁Sar anna ▁( Car ol ▁Th ur ston ) ▁tells ▁Mike ▁that ▁his ▁friend ▁Dave ▁Karl uck ▁( Th omas ▁Rich