Customer Reviews

Northern Pursuit [VHS]

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

 

 

"Northern Pursuit" was Errol Flynn back on the job at Warner's right after he'd been acquitted in that degrading statutory rape trial in 1943,and take it from me,folks,he isn't Robin Hood any more.The video movieguides will tell you this a routine wartime thriller,"one of the lesser Flynns".Don't you believe it.Seldom has a role and a star's real-life circumstances combined to deliver a performance as intense as this one.Imagine how Flynn felt when he made it.He'd just barely averted a long time prison stretch for a "crime" in which he was almost certainly set-up,and besides having become the laughing stock of every newspaper in general circulation,there was real doubt on the part of the studio as to whether he could sustain his popularity in the face of such humiliating publicity.Of course,Flynn was a terrific actor before he got into this jam,and now that it was over, those bitter scars were fresh and deep."Northern Pursuit" is a naked depiction of Flynn at the edge of the cliff.The story's a good one,but that's just gravy.The pace is intense,crackling---but we expect that in a Warner's wartime star vehicle.The greatness of this movie is Errol Flynn.When he stands there and denounces Tom Tully(he's a Canadian mountie and Tully doubts his loyalty),Flynn's not just playing a scene---he's back on the witness stand in downtown L.A.,only this time he doesn't have to be humble and subdued as he was for the jurors---it's a riveting moment.And there's more.Watch how Flynn kicks the camera out of that reporter's hand after he's been disgraced from the service---that's no act---Flynn looks like he wants to kill the guy for real,and who could blame him?This is a great star opening up all the steam valves after an ordeal few of us could have endured---the fact that he went on to deliver another fifteen years of great performances is a testament to the enduring fascination of Errol Flynn.

In this lesser-known Errol Flynn action vehicle, he stars as Canadian Mountie Steve Wagner who tangles with Nazis on a mission in Canada to bomb an important canal. Since Flynn's character is the son of German parents, he works undercover with his sympathies being questioned by both sides. The set up scenes for Flynn's undercover work are weakly written and directed, but once he goes on his mission the story begins to pick up, with some good action scenes and moments of conflict. Oddly enough, Flynn isn't much of a presence in this film, going through the motions more than acting. Julie Bishop as his fiancee is hardly one of his best leading ladies, while Helmut Dantine as the Nazi leader is good in a role the actor had to play in many films throughout WWII. I'm not sure where the movie was actually filmed, but a lot of it appears to have been on soundstages, which is unfortunate, since the tough, bitterly cold northern Canadian landscape would have added a dimension of reality to an otherwise unrealistic story. Certainly, despite its shortcomings, the film is an interesting one to watch, but fans of Flynn will not count it among the best of his work at Warner Brothers.

I watched this video last night. It is a tightly constructed movie, with a great performance by Errol Flynn. Great action, as Flynn single-handedly outwits the Nazis. The special effects are very dated, and humorous, but, overall the film is a fine evening of fun.

Watch for Errol Flynn's last line in the movie - it is Flynn at his best!

Warner Bros. Pictures presents "NORTHERN PURSUIT" (1943) (93 min/B&W) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) -- Starring Errol Flynn, Julie Bishop, Helmut Dantine, John Ridgely, Gene Lockhard & Tom Tully

Directed by Raoul Walsh

Flynn is cast as Canadian Mountie Steve Wagner, assigned to track down and capture downed Nazi pilot Hugo von Keller (Helmut Dantine) in the snowier Hudson Bay regions. Once Wagner and fellow Mountie Jim Austin (John Ridgely) catch up with Von Keller, they pretend to be on his side, hoping that he'll reveal his espionage plans. Taken in, Von Keller leads the Mounties towards a secret Nazi hideaway, where the Germans have hidden a huge bombing plane, to be used against North America.

Adolph Deutsch scores a cleverly subtle soundtrack to raise the suspense quotient, as he did for "High Sierra" and "The Maltese Falcon".

The fact that star Errol Flynn had been recently embroiled in a real-life rape trial only served to increase the box-office appeal of this fine Warner Bros actioner. In the light of Flynn's legal problems, one line in Northern Pursuit invariably brought down the house in 1943: After assuring his girl that she's the only woman he's ever loved, Flynn turns to the camera and quips "What am I saying?"

BIOS:
1. Raoul Walsh (Director)
Date of Birth: 11 March 1887 - New York, New York
Date of Death: 31 December 1980 - Simi Valley, California

2. Errol Flynn [aka: Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn]
Date of Birth: 20 June 1909, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Date of Death: 14 October 1959, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Mr. Jim's Ratings:
Quality of Picture & Sound: 4 Stars
Performance: 4 Stars
Story & Screenplay: 4 Stars
Overall: 4 Stars [Original Music, Cinematography & Film Editing]

Total Time: 93 min on VHS ~ Warner Bros. Pictures ~ (12/07/1994)

In 1943's NORTHERN PURSUIT Canadian Mountie Errol Flynn tracks downed Nazi pilot Col. von Keller (Helmut Dantine) across Canada to prevent his secret sabotage mission from coming to fruition. The premise of the story, by screenwriters Frank Gruber and Alvah Bessie, is good but director Raoul Walsh isn't able to generate much energy until the actual pursuit begins. Julie Bishop is a rather weak female costar while Helmut Dantine is good at what he does best in his role as Nazi von Keller. However, Errol Flynn is good throughout giving a very realistic and determined performance. This film is moderately entertaining but Flynn's presence makes it all worthwhile.

In 1943 Errol Flynn was in trouble. His best days were behind him - Captain Blood (1935), Major Vickers (1936), Robin Hood (1938), the Earl of Essex (1939), George Armstrong Custer (1941), and Gentleman Jim Corbett (1942) were done and gone. He was being criticized for not being in the war (he became a naturalized US citizen in 1942), and he was defending himself against charges of statutory rape. He was near the apex and a steep decline was ahead of him. Apart from "Objective Burma" (1945), he would make one undistinguished film after another until 1957 when he made "The Sun Also Rises" and "Too Much Too Soon". In 1958 he made my favorite later day Flynn film - "The Roots of Heaven" - and he died shortly after that.

But here in 1943 Flynn was trying to reinvent himself, as something less than a swashbuckler, since everyone was asking how he could be so strong and hearty and not be in the war (the answer was that he had serious heart and other problems, but the studio was reluctant to publicize this). He earnestly wanted to do patriotic films to compensate for his rejection by the Armed forces.

He had some success with "Edge of Darkness" (1943) in which he played a Norwegian resistance fighter and then he appeared in a musical (!) "Thank Your Lucky Stars" as part of a Hollywood fund raiser. "Northern Pursuit" was his next project. Flynn plays a Canadian Mountie who joins a Nazi group active in Canada. As with "Edge of Darkness" Flynn emphasizes his anti-Nazi activities but keeps his contribution well within the limits of mortal man. No swashbuckling here.

In his autobiography Flynn said - "How deep the yearning is of an actor who has been stereotyped, who has that sword and horse wound around him, to prove to himself and to others that he is an actor."

Bear in mind that in 1943 the war was still going on and victory was by no means certain.

The film features Helmut Dantine, Gene Lockhart, and Tom Tully

Handsomely chiseled Helmut Dantine (1918-82) plays the bad guy. Dantine was an Austrian who spent time in a concentration camp and a fervent anti-Nazi in real life, but he often played a Nazi on screen, most memorably in "Mrs. Minerva" (1942) and co-starred with Flynn in "Edge of Darkness". In later life he hooked up with Sam Peckinpah and produced and appeared in several of his films including "Bring me the Head of Alfredo Garcia" (1974) and "Killer Elite" (1975).

Versatile Gene Lockhart (1891-1957) appeared in more than 100 films and was nominated as Best Supporting Actor in 1939 for "Algiers" (won by Walter Brennan for "Kentucky"). The father of actresses Kathleen and June Lockhart, he's best remembered for his roles as the judge in "Miracle on 34th Street" (1947) and Georges de la Tremouille in "Joan of Arc" (1948), but I remember him best as Bob Cratchit in "A Christmas Carol" (1938). This is one of the few films in which Lockhart plays a bad guy.

This was the film debut of Tom Tully (1908-82) who plays a police Inspector. Tully made more than 50 films and was nominated for an Oscar for "The Caine Mutiny" (1954). He transitioned to TV in the 50s and appeared as a regular on "The Lineup" (1954-9), "The Dick van Dyke Show" (1964-6) and "Shane" (1966).

The film is directed by Raoul Walsh (1887-1980). Walsh and Flynn did 7 films together, following Flynn's break-up with Michael Curtiz with whom he made his classic swashbuckler films. Walsh had been an actor appearing as John Wilkes Booth in Griffith's "Birth of a Nation" (1915). He turned to directing in 1930, directing John Wayne in his first film ("The Big Trail"). Walsh directed such notable films as "The Roaring Twenties" (1939), "Dark Command" (1940), "They Drive By Night" (1940), "High Sierra" (1941) and "White Heat" (1949). He started working with Flynn in 1941 ("They Died with their Boots On") and they continued working together through 1945 ("San Antonio"). Walsh declined notably in the 50s after he left Warner Brothers, but his 50+ year career made him one of Hollywood's most memorable directors.

Walsh and Flynn were drinking buddies. Flynn called him a "great and imaginative" director.

Sid Hickox handles the camera. Hickox made hundreds of films for Warner's and transitioned to TV in the 50s where he worked on "I Love Lucy" and "The Andy Griffith Show". Though never nominated for any award, his camerawork was good, and he was responsible for films such as "God is my Co-Pilot" (1945), "White Heat" (1949), and my Hickox favorite, "Dark Passage" (1947). Hickox worked with Flynn on several films including "Edge of Darkness" (1943), "Uncertain Glory" (1944) and "Gentleman Jim" (1942). Although Hickox's camera work is good, the use of cheap models detracts from the value of the film. This is particularly true in the climactic fight aboard an airplane.

Adolph Deutsch (1897-1980) provides a good musical score, although at times it is a little intrusive, perhaps because the plot bogs down. Deutsch was nominated 5 times for an Oscar and won 3 times - "Annie Get Your Gun" (1950), "Seven Bridges for Seven Brothers" (1954), and "Oklahoma" (1955). Not only was he competent in musicals, Deutsch also scored several wartime films like "The Fighting 69th" (1940), "Across the Pacific" (1942), and "Uncertain Glory" (1944). The later he reprised with Flynn, Hickox, and Walsh.

It's interesting to note that this film is similar to "49th Parallel" (1941), another film about Nazi activity in Canada, although "49th Parallel" is a far superior film.

The NY Times' Bosley Crowther said "Apparently Warner Brothers was reduced to a desperate extreme in finding a new story for Errol Flynn..." and "the action is stilted and stagey, the tension indifferently drawn."

1943 was an OK year in films - The top grossing films included "This is the Army", "For Whom the Bell Tolls", "Song of Bernadette", "Coney Island", and "Stage Door Canteen". Other notables included "The Ox Bow Incident". The big Oscar winner was "Going My Way", and other winners included "Gaslight" and "None But the Lonely Heart"

War films were particularly popular - "Action in the North Atlantic" with Bogart and Raymond Massey, "Air Force" with John Garfield, "Bataan" with Robert Taylor and Lloyd Nolan, "Bombadier" with Pat O'Brien and Randolph Scott, "Corvette K-255" with Randolph Scott, "Five Graves to Cairo" with Franchet Tone and Anne Baxter, "Hangmen Also Die" with Brian Donlevy and Walter Brennan, and "Hitler's Children."

If you're an Errol Flynn fan you'll want to see this film, as his character roles in the mid 40s provide a whole other look at Flynn as an actor. This isn't the classic swashbuckler from the 30s, and if you're new to Flynn films you might want to watch these films first. Of this era, my personal preference is "Objective Burma" (1945) and this is certainly not one of his better films.