Spoiler Alert
When I saw this film first I thought it was a true story, them I thought it was a fictional story building up to a sequel where Major Robert Rogers discovers The Northwest Passage. Only in the last few yrs I've discovered the events that occurred in the film are for the most part factual, but while Roger's planned to explore the idea of a NP it never got of the ground.
Spencer Tracy is truly magnificent as Rogers, yet his performance doesn't seem to get the same rocognition as his Oscar winning roles in Boys Town and Captain's Courages. It was widely noted that Spence hated being on location and refused to work with director King Vidor again and the planned NP Book Two was never made. However, while his attitude toward Vidor was the same, In the documentary The Spencer Tracy Legacy, presented by Katharine Hepburn, Kate said he was happy on location, but was unhappy he was forced to do the dangerous stunt where he and other actors joined hands, creating a chain, in a rapid river so the others could safely get across.
The story revolved around Rogers and his Rangers expedition to the St. Francis River, to destroy most of a tribe of Indians, who had been brutally murdering settlers. This epic journey involved dragging rowing boats over a steep hill and the human chain already mentioned in a rapid river.
The journey back after a successful mission was frought with Dangers. Many of the command were wiped out when The Rangers split up into groups to hunt for food, ambushed by French soldiers and Indian's (In the film Rogers didn't want to split into groups, but it's been suggested in reality it was the Major's blunder) Only a few survived when the Rangers arrived at Fort Wentworth and food.
Many of the Rangers were factual characters like Sargeant Ogden and I think Lt Croften. However, I could be wrong, but I believe Robert Young's Langdon Town and Walter Brennan's Hunk Mariner were fictional. Young was outstanding as the disgraced Harvord student, who finds himself as a map maker, who also keeps a log of events.
One of the highlights of the film was when Town, badly wounded, lies in agony after the battle at the St Francis River. Rogers doesn't carry passengers and it looks like he'll be left to die. However, Rogers inspires him to his feet and with the help of a white Indian captive girl and a small boy Langdon begins his long trek to Wentworth.
Northwest Passage
Hi Stuart!
I have to admit I often forget this movie when discussing westerns, I guess I think of it more as a historical adventure, like the Mayflower crossing, or the trials of the settlers in Drums Along the Mohawk. Even though they're dressed in western clothes, ride horses, and Indians attack, there are so many true facts entangled in the story line, those movies seem more like docu-dramas than western fare.
That makes me sad to hear that Spence might have been such a pain. You would think a star of his magnitude could arrange to have it in his contract that he would not have to do any stunt work, because it's a shame we never got to see that part 2. This was a good outing for Robert Young. Up to this I only knew him as Father Knows Best. I hadn't liked him in many of his films because he usually was not bad, but not very likable. However, I believe his role was a fictional name for a real person. That's how maps were made, and he supposedly went on to become a true artist, so he would probably be a fictional rep of that guy who made all those photographs of western events (senior moment - can't recall his name). Of course, the wonder Walter Brennan give another great performance.
Anne
I have to admit I often forget this movie when discussing westerns, I guess I think of it more as a historical adventure, like the Mayflower crossing, or the trials of the settlers in Drums Along the Mohawk. Even though they're dressed in western clothes, ride horses, and Indians attack, there are so many true facts entangled in the story line, those movies seem more like docu-dramas than western fare.
That makes me sad to hear that Spence might have been such a pain. You would think a star of his magnitude could arrange to have it in his contract that he would not have to do any stunt work, because it's a shame we never got to see that part 2. This was a good outing for Robert Young. Up to this I only knew him as Father Knows Best. I hadn't liked him in many of his films because he usually was not bad, but not very likable. However, I believe his role was a fictional name for a real person. That's how maps were made, and he supposedly went on to become a true artist, so he would probably be a fictional rep of that guy who made all those photographs of western events (senior moment - can't recall his name). Of course, the wonder Walter Brennan give another great performance.
Anne
Anne
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Anne
When I saw this film first, I didn't even know who Spencer Tracy was. I was only a kid at the time, but I recognized the young Robert Young, as Marcus Welby M.D was on UK tv
I think Spence's stunt at the water rapids was very impressive to watch.
I don't know how Book 2 would work. For yrs I believed Roger's Rangers discovered a Northwest Passage. It was only yrs later that I discovered that about 50 yrs after NP was set that two American's Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were under orders from The President set about blazing the trail
When I saw this film first, I didn't even know who Spencer Tracy was. I was only a kid at the time, but I recognized the young Robert Young, as Marcus Welby M.D was on UK tv
I think Spence's stunt at the water rapids was very impressive to watch.
I don't know how Book 2 would work. For yrs I believed Roger's Rangers discovered a Northwest Passage. It was only yrs later that I discovered that about 50 yrs after NP was set that two American's Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were under orders from The President set about blazing the trail
-
klondike
Boy, whatever you do, remember to avoid mentioning this movie anywhere in Northern Vermont, or in any rural communities in southern Quebec! 
Despite what the movie might present as the details of history, or what is suggested in the novel by Kenneth Roberts, or in most pre-90's American History textbooks, there really was no hard evidence that the St. Francis Abenakis were specifically, or even by majority, responsible for most of the frequent Native American raids on the pioneer farms of New England.
In many French Canadian/Indian communties along the Vermont/Canada/New Hampshire border, the name "Robert Rogers" is greeted with a similar pariah status as Kit Carson is to the Navajoes, or Oliver Cromwell to most Celts.
Despite what the movie might present as the details of history, or what is suggested in the novel by Kenneth Roberts, or in most pre-90's American History textbooks, there really was no hard evidence that the St. Francis Abenakis were specifically, or even by majority, responsible for most of the frequent Native American raids on the pioneer farms of New England.
In many French Canadian/Indian communties along the Vermont/Canada/New Hampshire border, the name "Robert Rogers" is greeted with a similar pariah status as Kit Carson is to the Navajoes, or Oliver Cromwell to most Celts.
I remember liking "Northwest Passage" when I saw it on TV decades ago.
As I understand it, the second part of the novel was never filmed (although MGM thought about it) largely because Rogers ended up siding with the British in the American Revolution, and MGM was leery of filming a "pro-British" movie that might be seen as advocating American involvement in WWII on the British side in those pre-Pearl Harbor days.
Anyway, while King Vidor was waiting for the front office to say "yea or nay" on "Northwest Passage Book Two," he was assigned to "Wizard of Oz" to direct the black-and-white footage, including "Over the Rainbow."
As I understand it, the second part of the novel was never filmed (although MGM thought about it) largely because Rogers ended up siding with the British in the American Revolution, and MGM was leery of filming a "pro-British" movie that might be seen as advocating American involvement in WWII on the British side in those pre-Pearl Harbor days.
Anyway, while King Vidor was waiting for the front office to say "yea or nay" on "Northwest Passage Book Two," he was assigned to "Wizard of Oz" to direct the black-and-white footage, including "Over the Rainbow."
One scene I remember in the film was when Rogers says to Brennan's Hunk he's not just a man, but a leader of men and goes on to add 'If you meet me when I'm Just a man, you may have to spare a little charity.
I think I'm right in saying Rogers died in poverty, his reputation in tatters in England.
I thought he supported the Americans during The War Of Independance, but was refused from taking part because of his British Nationality. Again I could be wrong about that.
I think I'm right in saying Rogers died in poverty, his reputation in tatters in England.
I thought he supported the Americans during The War Of Independance, but was refused from taking part because of his British Nationality. Again I could be wrong about that.