configure error: C compiler cannot create executables

[andy baxter <andy@earthsong.free-online.co.uk>]

hello,

I am trying to compile the latest version of mod_python for apache2 on a 
small debian server. (Because the debian version seems to be broken). I 
have downloaded the tgz file, unpacked it, installed gcc, and run 
./configure, and it gives this output:

whale:/local/usr/src/mod_python-3.3.1# ./configure
checking for gcc... gcc
checking for C compiler default output file name... configure: error: C 
compiler cannot create executables
See `config.log' for more details.

this is what seems to be the relevant part of config.log:

gcc version 4.1.2 20061115 (prerelease) (Debian 4.1.1-21)
configure:1591: $? = 0
configure:1593: gcc -V </dev/null >&5
gcc: '-V' option must have argument
configure:1596: $? = 1
configure:1619: checking for C compiler default output file name
configure:1622: gcc    conftest.c  >&5
/usr/bin/ld: crt1.o: No such file: No such file or directory
collect2: ld returned 1 exit status
configure:1625: $? = 1
configure: failed program was:
| /* confdefs.h.  */
|
| #define PACKAGE_NAME ""
| #define PACKAGE_TARNAME ""
| #define PACKAGE_VERSION ""
| #define PACKAGE_STRING ""
| #define PACKAGE_BUGREPORT ""
| /* end confdefs.h.  */
|
| int
| main ()
| {
|
|   ;
|   return 0;
| }
configure:1664: error: C compiler cannot create executables
See `config.log' for more details.


/usr/bin/ld is installed (in binutils).

I'm never come across this error before, and I don't know what to do.

Can anyone help?

andy baxter.