At the end of the 19th century, three whalers are marooned in the Arctic Circle when their boat capsizes. The men--Daggett (Timothy Bottoms), Billy (Warren Oates), and Portigee (Lou Gossett Jr.)--are saved from icy deaths by a native band of Eskimos who rescue them and warmly accept them into the community. The fishermen begin to learn the very different customs of the Eskimos, taking part in their community and helping to hunt and fish. Daggett is the youngest and most idealistic; overwhelmed by their generosity, he accepts the ways of the Eskimos and even begins a romance with a young Eskimo woman. Billy and Portigee react with initial fear and trepidation at the Eskimos' very different customs and slowly adjust to their new surroundings by necessity. However, Billy and Portigee never give up hope of being rescued, and they begin to corrupt the daily flow of life in the village with their selfish and carousing ways. And the Eskimos, having tolerated the actions initially, soon tire of the white men's ungrateful behavior and show their own righteous anger. This gripping adventure, based on the novel by James Houston, was filmed on location on Baffin Island in the Arctic Archipelago of Canada's Northwest Territory. Magnificent footage of the visually stunning landscape inspires this bold and courageous story of generosity and bravery. The film features a remarkable supporting cast of native Eskimo people of the Canadian Arctic.