Northwest Outpost (1947)

User Rating:

5.5/10   

Director:

Allan Dwan

Writers:

Laird Doyle (adaptation)
Elizabeth Meehan (writer)

Release Date:

25 June 1947 (USA)

Genre:

Musical | Western

Plot Keywords:

Beautiful Woman

Cast

Nelson Eddy	...	Capt. Jim Laurence
Ilona Massey	...	Natalia Alanova
Joseph Schildkraut	...	Count Igor Savin
Hugo Haas	...	Prince Nickolai Balinin
Elsa Lanchester	...	Princess 'Tanya' Tatiana
Lenore Ulric	...	Baroness Kruposny
Peter Whitney	...	Volkoff Overseer
Tamara Shayne	...	Olga Natalia's Maid
Ernö Verebes	...	Kyril Balinin's Aide
George Sorel	...	Baron Kruposny
Rick Vallin	...	Dovkin
Henry Brandon	...	Chinese Junk Captain
Michael Visaroff	...	Captain Tikhonoff
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Max Willenz	...	Peasant

Also Known As:

End of the Rainbow (UK)

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:S

Company:

Republic Pictures (I)

Trivia:

Jeanette MacDonald was originally cast as the female lead, but due to health problems, was replaced by Ilona Massey.

Somewhat a re-working of the lovers with antagonistic goals

Nelson Eddy's last feature (or penultimate).Still in very good voice as a 46 y.o. baritone whose renderings of "Raindrops on a Drum"," Nearer and Dearer",written by Rudolf Friml ("Rose Marie"),back from retirement for this work,are still a delight. Very much a repeat of the theme of "Rose Marie" i.e. Mountie,policeman,ranger,guard,soldier pursues beautiful suspect who has assignment to rescue fugitive lover,brother etc. The music by Friml rescues the story from the formula and there is some historic merit in the the settings in Fort Ross in California;the earlier scenes have incidental music evocative of P.Tchaikowski and reminiscent of "Balalaika" in which the two juvenile leads also starred.(They are also on opposite sides ). Ilona Massey (from Hungary)has a pleasant contralto voice and the film has a number of practiced or well known supporters:Joseph Shildkraut,Elsa Lanchester,Hugo Haas plus the talented director, Alan Dwan. Despite the fact that the two stars have aged by this time, this is pleasant entertainment with empathic background orchestral music.Forget the story,listen to the singing and also the newly formed "G.I.Chorus". The final scene,both on horseback is just like the last in "Naughty Marietta". Although done on the Republic lot, certainly not the "horse-opera" described by some critics.