'Northwest Passage' (Book I -- Rogers' Rangers) (1940)

Langdon Towne and Hunk Marriner join Major Rogers' Rangers as they wipe out an Indian village. They set out for Fort Wentworth, but when they arrive they find no soldiers and none of the supplies they expected.

Director:

King Vidor

Writers:

Laurence Stallings (screenplay), Talbot Jennings (screenplay),

Stars:

Spencer Tracy, Robert Young, Walter Brennan

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Spencer Tracy	...	Maj. Robert Rogers
Robert Young	...	Langdon Towne
Walter Brennan	...	'Hunk' Marriner
Ruth Hussey	...	Elizabeth Browne
Nat Pendleton	...	'Cap' Huff
Louis Hector	...	Rev. Browne
Robert Barrat	...	Humphrey Towne
Lumsden Hare	...	Lord Amherst
Donald MacBride	...	Sgt. McNott
Isabel Jewell	...	Jennie Coit
Douglas Walton	...	Lt. Avery
Addison Richards	...	Lt. Crofton
Hugh Sothern	...	Jesse Beacham
Regis Toomey	...	Webster
Montagu Love	...	Wiseman Clagett

Storyline

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. The film focuses on their famous raid at Fort St. Francis and their marches before and after the battle.

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Plot Keywords:

ranger | fort | military | soldier | new england | 

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Taglines:

The Big Picture that was made in our own Pacific Northwest

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | History | Romance | War | Western

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 February 1940 (USA)

Also Known As:

Northwest Passage

Filming Locations:

Cascade Mountains, Oregon, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,677,762 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Loew's, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

126 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The part of "Langdon Towne" was originally offered to Robert Taylor, who refused it. It was then given to Robert Young.

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Goofs

In the speech that Rogers gives to his men to explain where they are going, near the beginning of the film; he is holding a staff that is above his head by almost two feet. When the scene changes to a close up the staff is now held differently and is well below the height of his shoulders.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Title Card: This is a story of our early America... of the century of conflict with the French and Indians... when necessity made simple men, unknown to history, into giants in daring and endurance. It begins in Portsmouth New Hampshire, in 1759...

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Connections

Remade as Frontier Rangers (1959)

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Soundtracks

"The British Grenadiers"
(uncredited)
Traditional 17th century March
Sung a cappella by Andrew Pena

User Reviews

An exciting movie ..... holds up well.

Northwest Passage was produced in one of the golden years of the golden era of Hollywood....1939-1940., and contains all of the best of what MGM had to offer. Based on the Kenneth Roberts novel of the same name, Northwest Passage covers "Part I - Roger's Rangers" of that epic work. Set in Colonial American during the French and Indian Wars, it recalls the true exploits of a group of Rangers sent up into the French-Canadian woods to wipe-out a village of enemy-aiding warriors..... and especially the agonizing hardships on the trip home as they are pursued by the French. The scope of this movie has always impressed me, from the coziness of the firelight of a Studley's Tavern, the richness of The Reverend Brown's palor, the solid construction of Crown Point, and the beauty of the forest.

The Cast is top-notch headed by Spencer Tracy as Major Rogers. Robert Young, Walter Brennen, Ruth Hussey, and others help to make this a real treat to watch. The technicolor is of the fine old process, and we see hues and tones that are not visible in today's movies. Also, the musical score is compelling. This movie is absorbing, and when watched without interruption, the viewer gets swept along as though part of the story.