Customer Reviews

North to Alaska

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is one of the more 'fun' films of John Wayne (along with Mclintock). Wayne plays Sam McCord, a prospector who struck it rich in Alaska. His partner sends him to Seattle to fetch his fiancee, but Sam finds her married and instead goes looking for another French woman (the other woman was French, and Sam apparently thinks all French women are alike). He finds one, Angel, and takes her to Alaska, but both of them fall in love with the other on the trip back. The result is a hilarious fiasco of love and hate, with Sam playing the stereotypical stubborn, hardheaded man.

This movie is a lot of fun. There are the typical barroom brawls (as well as a fight on the street), and also a shootout just for good measure. This is John Wayne through and through, but there is a strong comic element as well. North to Alaska is definitely worth the time, both for fans of John Wayne and for anyone who enjoys a good, lighthearted western comedy.

The great gold rush of the late 1890's brings out thoughts of the wonderful writings of Robert W. Service, and his poems about life during the gold rush. It's so easy to visualize the John Wayne we see in this movie as being part of Service's writings.

Wayne, Stewart Granger, Fabian (???), Capucine and Ernie Kovacs all have major roles, and play them well. But the supporting cast is equally effective... I don't know the names of the actors, but the characters Mr. and Mrs. Lars Nordquist are terrific. And Mickey Shaughnessy is perfect as the inebriated miner who once worked the land near Sam McCord's (Wayne) claim.

The film is a fun film, intermingled with some nice action. Some of the scenes seem as if they were copied from photos of the late 1890's. The scenery is terrific, but don't think that they really went to Alaska to film any of it... it's the best that California could come up with. The city of Nome is nicely done, right down to the muddy streets. As you can expect from any John Wayne movie, you'll have a couple of entertaining fights.

For those who think of John Wayne as being anti-Indian... forget it. That is just the opposite of his character in all his films; and is just propoganda uttered by his political foes in an effort to make his feelings less acceptable. Forget it. As usual, the only folks Wayne picks on here are the ones who cause the trouble.

The whole movie is a romantic fantasy and a very enjoyable one at that.

They must have had a blast making this movie, set in the snowy mountains of Alaska during its exciting boomtown days. Complete with romance, hilarity AND and some really fabulous fist fights, North to Alaska is definitely one of John Wayne's best.

Claim jumpers, love triangles and power plays keep best friends Granger and Wayne on their toes, and almost at each other's throats, and right smack in the middle of it all is a delectable French lady named Capucine. Her cap is set for Wayne, but she soon finds out he's one of the most mule-headed men in Alaska!

Capucine really shines in her comically romantic role. As she employs all of her feminine wiles you will actually find yourself rooting for her! Granger and Wayne are fabulously paired up in this movie as partners, especially since they are exact opposites. This film has it all - love, laughs and lots of exciting action. A definite gold mine.

The tremendously entertaining "North to Alaska" is easily John Wayne's most light hearted and fun filled movie and is wonderful viewing for all ages !!

Henry Hathaway's lively film is loosely based on the play "Birthday Gift" by Ladislas Fodor and Hathaway shows a wonderful hand in the romantic, comic nature of this film.

Confirmed bachelor Wayne and love lorn Grainger strike it rich in Nome, Alaska at the turn of the century and there begins all there problems. Wayne returns to Seattle to bring back Grainger's fiance, finds she has married another man, and ends up in a dance hall and brings back to Nome the glamorous Capucine (she was a knock out in her day !) for Grainger, but the big Duke falls for her womanly charms himself ! Songster Fabian is loads of fun as Grainger's overly amorous kid brother, Billy...and noted funnyman Ernie Kovacs is slick conman Frankie Cannon...eager to get his hands on anyone's fortune. And Johnny Horton's resonant voice sings the title track to the movie !

Henry Hathaway often got the best out of the Duke on screen, and if you never thought screen tough guy John Wayne could be funny...see this film...the honeymoon cabin sequence with cunning Grainger and reluctant Capucine stirring up trouble with an irate Wayne listening is simply priceless !

Watch closely during the all out brawl in the snow and the mud at the conclusion of the film where Wayne cops a hit on the jaw, falls backwards, and his toupee flies off !

Fun, action & romance..."North to Alaska" has got it all !

Great fun here in gold rush fevered Nome sees John Wayne as his inimitable self playing (suprise suprise) himself aka Sam McCord the man's man in gold country. A gentle comic tale sees him return to Seattle and bring back a girl for his lovesick partner played superbly by Stewart Granger. He begins to regret this trip, and task after the initial maiden he is sent to fetch has unexpectantly married whilst Granger was away panning for Gold, and he must quickly find a replacement. Add in some claim jumpers, a romantic subplot, a greedy villian and the ever present sandpaper like comic tension between the main characters, and the end result is a real treat. With an excellent supporting cast, great scenery and nothing too serious to get excited about, this is quality family viewing. The location alone precludes the usual Wayne western formula, but the action and laughs come thick and fast. A great classic. Enjoy

"North to Alaska" has to be the funniest movie of John Wayne's career! the "honeymoon cabin scene" is irreplacable. This movie is a must see.

This is one of the funniest, nicest and most relaxed of all the Duke's movies. Everyone in the movie seem to have had a real ball making this one. They just don't make 'em like that anymore. Not to be missed!

This rousing comedy-adventure set in the Alaskan gold rush finds buddies Sam (John Wayne 1907-1979) and George (Stewart Granger 1913-1993) hitting the mother lode in Nome . George then asks Sam to fetch his sweatheart Jennie in Seatle . But when sam discovers that she has married someone else he concocts a plan to bring George a new love , inviting a beautiful dancer (Capucine 1931-1990) to be Jennies replacement . Even though "North To Alaska" is a rousing western , it was a dramatic change for John Wayne as an actor . More famous for throwing punches than punch lines , he was given a change to also show his lighter side and play for laughs . Made on place In Alska and Washington .Razor sharp transfer and a movie your keep for many years . Higly Recommended

Great male/female dialogue,funny. Beautiful scenery. Timeless story. One of Wayne's best.

Johnny Horton's song, NORTH TO ALASKA, introduces this flick. Sam McCord (John Wayne) and his two partners find gold and strike it rich. McCord is lavish giving his money to others. He is on top of the world, and everybody seems to be his friend. This comedy is full of romantic dialogue, fistfights, and beautiful scenes of nature. The men, being former loggers, compete in a tree-trunk climbing contest.

A saloon girl, Capucine is, in time, romantically pursued by all three men in the partnership--either seriously or in order to make the others jealous. They each get silly trying to woo her, especially the 17 year-old. For her part, she has no plans to settle down, and wants to return to Seattle and to her former life. But then things start to happen. An interloper attempts to make a counterclaim to the three-partners' gold mine, and a local judge must make a decision. She begins to think things over and...