Pugni, pupe e pepite

"North To Alaska" is a rollicking action filled comedy western from Director Henry Hathaway and a departure by star John Wayne from his usual westerns.

Sam McCord (Wayne), George Pratt (Stewart Granger) and Billy Pratt (Fabian) are partners in a rich Alaskan gold mine in 1900. They have just struck it rich and go to the local saloon to celebrate. There, a raucous saloon brawl breaks out, played more for its comedy aspects than for real. Now that he has struck it rich, George can finally send for his long suffering fiancé Jenny who lives in Seattle. Before he leaves he meets scheming gambler Frankie Cannon (Ernie Kovacs) with whom he will tangle at a later date.

Since Sam has to go to Seattle to buy new mining machinery anyway, George charges him with the task of fetching Jenny back to him. In Seattle, Sam finds that Jenny has, much to her regret, since married. Sam goes to a local brothel called "The Hen House" where he happens to meet Angel (Capucine) who is French like Jenny. Sam decides to substitute Angel for Jenny and asks her to accompany him to Alaska. Angel as luck would have it, falls in love with Sam.

Before leaving for Alaska, Sam goes to a logger's picnic at the request of his old friends Lars and Lena Nordqvist (Karl Swenson and Kathleen Freeman). There he protects Angel's honor to the point that she believes he is taking her back to Alaska as his girl.

Back in Alaska, Sam brings her to his camp to find that George is away fighting claim jumpers at another camp. Sam leaves Angel in the "care" of George's young brother Billy who tries to woo her for himself with comedic results.

When George and Sam return, George is presented with Angel as a replacement for his beloved Jenny. Reluctant at first, he becomes attracted to her until he realizes that she is in love with Sam. The two then plot to make Sam jealous and well you know.

Meanwhile Cannon has cross-filed on Sam and George's claim under the name of town drunk Boggs (Mickey Shaughnessy), and then the fun begins.

Director Hathaway keeps the story moving and entertaining. Wayne proves to be quite adept at light comedy in his role. Fabian surprises as the horny kid brother in perhaps the best role of his movie career. Granger, long an action star in his own right, is equal to the task as George. Ernie Kovacs who was an innovative TV comedian at this time, is wasted as the the slimy chief villain. He hardly has a chance to display his comedic talents. Capucine is lovely and captivating as Angel. Her scenes with Fabian are hilarious.

There is plenty of action from the opening saloon brawl to the logger's picnic to the fight with the claim jumpers to the final street fight. And who can ever forget the great Johnny Horton's singing of the title song over the opening credits.

One of Wayne's most entertaining pictures.

A recent issue of Vanity Fair magazine contained a lengthy article (riddled with some annoying errors, by the way) about the exploits of legendary Hollywood agent (and producer, on occasion), Charles K. Feldman. For John Wayne he at one time obtained a three-picture deal at 20th-Century Fox that included this one, as well as "The Comancheros" and "The Barbarian and the Geisha." This comedy, set in Gold Rush Alaska, is the best of that trio, thanks to Henry Hathaway's hand at the helm, and some extremely astute casting. Stewart Granger, presumably a free agent after fulfilling his MGM contract, is credible as Wayne's partner; Ernie Kovacs, in one of his few film roles, before his untimely death, makes a thoroughly convincing cad; and Fabian, shoehorned in to lure the teenage females, is refreshingly funny in probably his best film performance. Capucine, one of Feldman's conquests, according to that same Vanity Fair article, was given the role of Michelle/'Angel' and she gave a preview of her ability to play a glamour role with an emphasis on comedy that came to full flower in 1964's "The Pink Panther," in which she skillfully matched pratfalls with Peter Sellers in his first incarnation as the immortal Inspector Clouseau.

With the great Kathleen Freeman, the always funny Mickey Shaugnessy, and Karl Swenson rounding out a cast giving full play to the script's comic aspects; Leon Shamroy lensing the proceedings with his usual professionalism; and Lionel Newman contributing an apposite score; this one, with a title song that managed a place on the Hit Parade back then, is lots of not-too-taxing fun. It's soon to be available on DVD, I notice, so its CinemaScope ratio will no doubt be restored, the only way to revisit a film made when widescreens were really wide.

This movie is too funny! And too heartwarming! I can watch this movie over and over and still laugh! And it is not slapstick! Just good ole wholesome American comedy! My favorite! Three men, (well, two men and a teen) and a French woman! What a combo!! John Wayne is his usual macho self. That is always fun to watch. And Stewart Granger is soooo good here! I have seen him in many things, but I think he out-did himself here! He's too funny! And poor Fabian. He breaks my heart with his love-sick adoration of Michelle! If you haven't seen this, you must rent it. You will be glad you did. And you WILL end up watching it again. It's that type of movie.

The story is rather minimal, also there is little substance to the characters. However, I can overlook these in a way, but this was entertaining and was never meant to be complex and all that. It has beautiful cinematography and scenery. It has great music and a truly terrific title song. It has a sparkling script. It has skilled direction. It goes along at a decent pace. It has two fun performances from John Wayne and underrated Stewart Granger. And North to Alaska has one of the wildest and wackiest bar-room brawls I have seen in any movie. Overall, I liked North to Alaska, it was entertaining. 8/10 Bethany Cox

This movie is too funny! And too heartwarming! I can watch this movie over and over and still laugh! And it is not slapstick! Just good ole wholesome American comedy! My favorite! Three men, (well, two men and a teen) and a French woman! What a combo!! John Wayne is his usual macho self. That is always fun to watch. And Stewart Granger is soooo good here! I have seen him in many things, but I think he out-did himself here! He's too funny! And poor Fabian. He breaks my heart with his love-sick adoration of Michelle! If you haven't seen this, you must rent it. You will be glad you did. And you WILL end up watching it again. It's that type of movie.