Langdon towne robert young, an aspiring artist, is kicked out of harvard law school for doing an offensive cartoon of the kings attorney, wiseman claggett. Spencer tracy made his first color appearance in the glorious technicolor outdoors epic of 1940, northwest passage. Northwest passage will not find too much favor with a lot of. Northwest passage is definitely not for the politically correct of the day. Mgm made a short film about the making of northwest passage, entitled northward, ho. Tracy is leading a savage reprisal against the abinagi, he burns the town, kills all the males of fighting age, steals their meager food supplies to feed his men who are hungry themselves. Rogers rangers is a 1940 film directed by king vidor, based on the 1937 novel by kenneth roberts the year is 1759. Northwest passage dvdr 1940 warner archive collection.
The screenwriters adapted the first half of the book about the rangers and there were plans to make a second movie to cover the second half of the book where there is a search for such a passage to the northwest of the future usa, but a second part was never. It represents centuries of effort to find a route westward from the atlantic ocean to the pacific ocean through the arctic archipelago of what became canada. In february 2020, the film was shown at the 70th berlin international film festival, as part of a retrospective dedicated to king vidors career. Keith larsen, buddy ebsen, don burnett, philip tonge. But northwest passage is a marvelous example of how to make an interesting historical film. Based on the bestselling 1936 novel by kenneth roberts, starring spencer tracy, robert young, walter brennan and ruth hussy, and directed by. There is no search of a northwest passage in the movie. Apart from the route and the more modern equipment, the biggest difference between the two mens journeys was the reason for going. An epic western, about major robert rogers, the tough frontiersman who led a grueling expedition to canada in 1759 to punish a fearsome indian tribe and seek a northwest passage to the pacific.
The following information has been obtained from news items, production charts and the film s pressbook, unless otherwise noted. The documentary will be broadcast by a major television outlet and viewed by the public at special screening events at each of the northwest passage project partner institutions. Francis and their marches before and after the battle. Van dyke, who had done initial work on the project. Opening the northwest passage to regular commercial ocean traffic would have.
King vidor directed northwest passage, replacing w. Another film released on friday, february 23, 1940 is dr. This film is set in 1759, when major robert rogers set out from the colonies to seek out a northwest passage to the pacific ocean. Other screening events will be held at penn states polar center and the environmental film festival. The picture is based on a novel by kenneth roberts titled northwest passage 1937. Do you have any new or corrected filming details to add. To capitalize on the novels popularity, however, the pictures full title became northwest passage book irogers rangers, in spite of the fact that none of the film actually concerns a search for the northwest passage. Northwest passage by kenneth roberts, first edition. Hollywood has done very little to bring this history into the popular imagination. It was also long for its time, at more than two hours.
Northwest passage trade route, north america britannica. A 26episode halfhour adventure television series about major robert rogers during the time of the french and indian war 17561763. Northwest passage students britannica kids homework help. Volume ii from 19401974, composed by jeff alexander, cyril mockridge, david shire, herbert stothart, harry sukman. Northwest passage 1940 king vidor, jack conway, spencer tracy, robert young, walter brennan. Northwest passage is a 1940 technicolor film, starring spencer tracy, robert young, walter brennan, ruth hussey, and others. Northwest passage full title northwest passage book i. Northwest passage wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Told through the eyes of primary character langdon towne, much of the novel follows the exploits and character of robert rogers, the leader of rogers rangers, who were a colonial force fighting with the british during the french and indian war. It was based on the first part of kenneth robertss 1937 novel of the same name. It takes place during the french and indian war when major rogers and his rogers rangers attempt to wipe out a native town of. Northwest passage, historical sea passage of the north american continent. Elmer bernstein bernard herrmann alfred newman alex north miklos rozsa.
The voyage from the atlantic to the pacific was completed in 24 days. Maps of the northwest passage our maps of routes through the passage todays route, first route discovered by roald amundsen, the deep water route, and the westeast route first travelled by rcmpv st. Northwest passage is a big budget technicolor historical epic from mgm. In 1940, canadian rcmp officer henry larsen was the second to sail the passage. Northwest passage 1940 stream and watch online moviefone. Part of kenneth roberts novel was serialized in the saturday evening post, under the title rogers rangers 26 december 19366 february 1937. Northwest passage by kenneth roberts, first edition abebooks.
Northwest passage herbert stothart film score monthly. Based on the kenneth roberts novel of the same name, this film tells the story of two friends who join rogers rangers, as the legendary elite force engages the enemy during the french and indian war. Tracy makes it clear this is reprisal for raids against the british colonists. The film was noted for its stunning cinematography. Basis for the 1940 movie that starred spencer tracy, and, almost 20 years later, a television show starring buddy ebsen and keith larsen. Northwest passage original theatrical trailer youtube. Spencer tracy and a stellar supporting cast grab muskets, gun powder and knives, and head out for adventure in northwest passage, a lavish. King vidors first technicolor film tells the story of robert rogers, celebrated indian fighter and leader of rogers rangers. The lavish first half of a projected two film package based on kenneth roberts popular novel, depicting the troop of rogers rangers fighting the wilderness and hostile indians. Northwest passage 1940 full movie 123movies free watch online with english subtitles. Cyril mockridge david shire herbert stothart harry sukman.
It was the second ship to make the passage, and the first. Northwest passage was initally released in the united states on friday, february 23, 1940. Set in 1759, the film follows the adventures of a young artist robert young and his roughneck friend walter brennan who, after a. Northwest passage is an historical novel by kenneth roberts, published in 1937. The northwest passage is a sea route through the arctic ocean. Released 1940, northwest passage stars spencer tracy, robert young, walter brennan, ruth hussey the movie has a runtime of about 2 hr 6 min, and received a score of out of 100 on metacritic. Larsen, of the royal canadian mounted police, made it through in a schooner. Links go to the internet movie database laserdisc database buy posters from buy this poster from moviegoods buy this soundtrack from search ebay for. This site is for research, and is not meant to infringe on the rights of the owners of this motion picture. But preproduction delays led to the decision to film a nelson eddyjeanette macdonald musical in color first. The first voyage through the passage that was completed in a single season was achieved in 1944. The title hasnt much to do with the events or subject matter of the movie. It takes place during the french and indian war when major rogers and his rogers rangers attempt to wipe out a native town of hostile indians deep in french.
Its all done in a few minutes without dialog and its own of spencer tracys greatest film moments. Northwest passage was intended to be mgms first full production in threestrip technicolor, the revolutionary photo process that made its feature debut about five years earlier. In the past, the northwest passage has been virtually impassable because it was covered by thick, yearround sea ice. The film was a favourite of mine since i was a small boy and looked at the list when this title came up. It has been released on friday, may 27, 1949 in france. The northwest passage drive expedition is captured in the motion picture documentary film passage to mars 2016.
A television series, inspired by the roberts novel, was broadcast on the nbc television network from. The full title of the movie is northwest passage book i rogers rangers. Northwest passage is an excellent and exciting film based upon the first part of the novel by the same name by kenneth roberts. Shot in color rare for 1940, this film was nominated for an oscar for cinematography. It hit theaters early in 1940 but was filmed during that most magnificent of all movie years, 1939. Northwest passage 1940 king vidor, jack conway, spencer. The northwest passage is a sea route that connects the atlantic and pacific oceans through the canadian arctic archipelago. He would not appear in color again until the 1950s. It wasnt until 12 years later, in 1940, that larsen finally got the chance to emulate amundsen and navigate through the northwest passage, albeit on a westtoeast course the first person to do so. The story follows langdon towne played by robert young, a young man. Stream free northwest passage full movie online on marvel. Briefly, it is 1759, and major robert rogers and his famous rangers probably americas first example of a special forces unit are sent into territory in the hands of an enemy indian group. The picture was one of the top twenty films at the box office in 1940, but, according to modern sources, lost money because of the high cost of production. Reviewed in the united kingdom on 24 september 2010.
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