Product Details

• Actors: John Wayne, Stewart Granger, Ernie Kovacs, Fabian, Capucine
• Directors: Henry Hathaway
• Writers: Ben Hecht, Claude Binyon, John H. Kafka, John Lee Mahin, Ladislas Fodor
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, HiFi Sound, Special Edition, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• VHS Release Date: January 1, 1998
• Run Time: 122 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6301805518
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #144,249 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Even people habitually hostile to John Wayne movies tend to cast an indulgent eye on this rumbustious comedy-Western--partly because the Alaska gold rush setting seems more exotic than, say, Texas or Arizona, and because there are no Indians to discriminate against and no macho gunplay to fret about. As for John Wayne as all-purpose icon of male chauvinism, Big Sam McCord (the Duke) spends much of North to Alaska in a state of growing discombobulation because he has fallen in love with, and is thoroughly flummoxed by, "Angel" (Capucine), the woman he's brought back from Seattle to marry his heartsick partner George (Stewart Granger). Henry Hathaway directs in a broader vein than usual, but he hits pay dirt. Even Fabian, the latest pop music idol to be dragooned into supporting the elder roughnecks, is fun, and Ernie Kovacs is droll casting as chief "villain." --Richard T. Jameson

Product Description

John Wayne and Stewart Granger strike it rich in this sprawling, brawling comedy-adventure set in the rowdy heydey of the Alaskan gold rush. When prospectors Sam McCord (Wayne) and George Pratt (Granger) finally hit the mother lode, George asks Sam to go to Seattle and fetch his sweetheart, Jennie, but she's already married someone else. Heartbroken for his buddy's sake, Sam visits a saloon, meets dancer (Capucine) and invites her back to Nome as Jennie's replacement - the plan goes perfectly until Sam falls in love with her too!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A lighthearted film from the Duke, April 13, 2003

By 

bixodoido (Utah, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: North to Alaska [VHS] (VHS Tape)

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.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Duke Movie, but would be better on DVD, February 17, 2003

By 

F. Healy (Pinehurst, NC United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: North to Alaska [VHS] (VHS Tape)

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.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars John Wayne Strikes Movie Gold!, August 11, 2002

By 

Alice Bright (Kansas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: North to Alaska [VHS] (VHS Tape)

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.