North To Alaska
While channel surfing, I stopped at the Western channel and caught the last 5 minutes of NtA and laughed a couple of times, so I pulled out my $5.00 copy of it from Walmart which surprisingly is in letterbox and HD. This one was directed by Henry Hathaway and starred John Wayne, Stewart Granger, Capucine, and Fabian. Although it's a different setting geographically, and none of the stars are drunks, it's very much like El Dorado, and Rio Bravo. In this one Ernie Kovacs is the slimeball who tries to overtake their gold claim by kidnapping the drunken former owner and using him as a facade while going about illegal ways using the government. I've noticed in his movies, Kovacs played either comedy or the slimeball. Sometimes they were joined together, but it was always one or the other. He rarely played just a nice neighbor or friend.
One scene really caught my eye this time. There was a fight and the Duke was blind-punched and he went flying - I'm sure it wasn't him, but whoever it was might well have been badly hurt - he flew under a pack-mule who was startled and kicked and stepped on the actor at least once, maybe twice. I've seen other close calls with animals during fights, but this is the first that I thought the actor could have been hurt.
Also, this is a movie made about Alaska made in the springtime where you can really appreciate the beauty of the mountains and ranges. The mountains are only snow capped half way down so you can see the green valleys, and scenery in general.
Anne
North to Alaska
North to Alaska
Anne
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Re: North to Alaska
I have always enjoyed this movie VERY much. It is one of my fave Duke comedies. Very funny. (and you are right.... the scenery is TERRIFIC)
Re: North to Alaska
Any chance to see Capucine...is a good movie. (Oooh, and wasn't Fabian in it as well. What a cute pup he was).
Re: North to Alaska
Hi Ms. Maven....
Re: Fabian.... cute pup indeed!! The moutains and trees were NOT the only terrific scenery in the movie... ha.
Re: Fabian.... cute pup indeed!! The moutains and trees were NOT the only terrific scenery in the movie... ha.
-
klondike
Re: North to Alaska
Though I've seen this film many times, and usually find lots of little ways to enjoy it, watching it always makes me feel a little sad, in a wistful kind of way.
I can't help noticing that this was the year that the toll of Wayne's linear age, and his accumulative consequences of hard living & blind indulgences, first started showing up in his eyes, and the contours of his face, and the locomotion of his gate.
Undeniably, still, a big, arresting man of formidable bearing and intrusive presence . . but never again to be leather-tough Ethan Edwards, dismounting at a canter, or Ringo of the lightnin' lever-action . . no more the desert-lurking Hondo with death in his eyes, or a lonely, valiant Marine commander, bleeding his sacrifice into the sands of Iwo Jima . . gone, too, the steel-hearted Capt. York, not daring to spare his own son the mortalities of war . .
Thank Providence for the immortality of Movies . .
You know, as the cursed legacy of Howard Hughes' cinemania continued eating him alive from the inside, I'm pretty sure the Duke was grateful for celluloid eternity, too.
I can't help noticing that this was the year that the toll of Wayne's linear age, and his accumulative consequences of hard living & blind indulgences, first started showing up in his eyes, and the contours of his face, and the locomotion of his gate.
Undeniably, still, a big, arresting man of formidable bearing and intrusive presence . . but never again to be leather-tough Ethan Edwards, dismounting at a canter, or Ringo of the lightnin' lever-action . . no more the desert-lurking Hondo with death in his eyes, or a lonely, valiant Marine commander, bleeding his sacrifice into the sands of Iwo Jima . . gone, too, the steel-hearted Capt. York, not daring to spare his own son the mortalities of war . .
Thank Providence for the immortality of Movies . .
You know, as the cursed legacy of Howard Hughes' cinemania continued eating him alive from the inside, I'm pretty sure the Duke was grateful for celluloid eternity, too.
