North Star (1996)

Director:

Nils Gaup

Writers:

Heck Allen (novel)
Gilles Béhat (story) ...

Release Date:

25 October 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Western

Tagline:

Where land is power and revenge is obsession.

Plot:

Set during the Alaskan gold rush of the late 1800's. In his efforts to gain control of a small mining town...

Plot Keywords:

Wilderness | Revenge | Hunter | Gold Rush | Saloon

Cast

James Caan	...	Sean McLennon
Christopher Lambert	...	Hudson Saanteek (as Christophe Lambert)
Catherine McCormack	...	Sarah
Burt Young	...	Reno
Morten Faldaas
Jacques François	...	Colonel Henry Johnson
Mary M. Walker	...	Haina
Renny Hoalona Loren	...	Cheelik
Frank Salsedo	...	Nakki
Don Backhurst	...	Native American
Roddy 'Two Eagle' Randall	...	Native American
Reidar Sørensen	...	Bjorn Svenson (as Reidar Sorenson)
Pedea Torget	...	Jesper
Hilde Grythe	...	Hannah
John Cassady	...	Jim Hanson

Also Known As:

The North Star (France) (promotional title) (International: English title) (UK) (promotional title)
Duello tra i ghiacci (Italy)
Grand nord
Tashunga

MPAA:

Rated R for some violence and language.

Runtime:

90 min | Argentina:89 min | UK:88 min | USA:88 min

Country:

France | UK | Italy | Norway

Language:

English | Inuktitut

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Finland:K-16 | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:15 | Argentina:16 | Spain:13 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Maridalen, Oslo, Norway

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Goofs:

Factual errors: The Army Officer who comes to Nome to declare martial law is wearing the crossed sabers on his hat; those of a cavalry officer. The hat badge is upside down. The hilts of the sabers should be in the lower half, not the upper. The blade tips belong at the upper half.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Reno: Where is Hudson Saanteek?

Could have been much better

I spotted plot elements from at least three other movies in this film- 1)the ruthless landowner/businessman abusing the honest foreigners (Heaven's Gate) 2)the kidnapping of the said baddie's girlfriend (Valdez is Coming) 3)the pursuit of the noble hero through the Alaskan wilds (Death Hunt) James Caan played the heel well and Burt Young stole the show as his henchman. Christopher Lambert, however, looked like he was sleepwalking through his role, which ruined the pacing for me. He could have livened up the movie had he shown some interest in getting revenge on those who wronged him.I don't think Nordic Westerns are going to catch on.