Northwest Passage

[MacRob46]

I used to watch the Spencer Tracy movie, "Northwest Passage", all the time. For those who are not familiar with it, the story was taken from Kenneth Roberts' book by the same name. The movie only covers the Rogers' Rangers raid on St. Francis, which was part of a much larger story. It is a good movie although the costuming and equipment are iffy at best (it was made in 1940). I have often wondered why nobody has re-made it with more authenticity. There was a TV show in the late 50s but I only saw one episode of it and do not recall it being very good. Anybody have any thoughts on it or would you like to write a screen play and try to sell it to Hollywood? Maybe Michael Mann could direct it.

 

The scene where a trapdoor Springfield/flintlock fires without a trace of smoke is one of my all-time favorites.

I had seen the movie several times before I ever read the book. When I read the book I was surprised at how little of it was in the movie. If it ever is remade hopefully it will include a lot more. I think Kenneth Roberts deserves a little more exposure than he gets these days. Before Allen Eckert, there was Kenneth Roberts.

 

[palladius]

I think the St. Francis raid might make another good movie but it wouldn't necessarily have to be based on Roberts' book. Maybe Brumwell's "White Devil" and that would be a great movie title. The Spencer Tracy movie name was always confusing because as you noted, finding the Northwest Passage was only a portion of the book and not part of the movie at all yet they kept the name because of the novel.

I'm mulling over writing a French and Indian War novel but that's a year or two away before I even write the first sentence, I'm still doing background research and I have at least one Napoleonic novel to finish in the meanwhile. I was likely going to do something from the French side of the conflict anyway. I've only published one novel so far, I've never done a screenplay, wouldn't know where to begin.

I didn't know about the 50s "Northwest Passage" series. I just put it in my queue in Netflixs out of curiosity. (As an aside, the BBC production of "Last of the Mohicans" was surprisingly good, got that from Netflix last year)

 

[palladius]

That's similar to the BBC "Last of the Mohicans" when they used their "flintlock" percussion cap muskets! On the few that vaguely looked like flintlocks they didn't even prime or close the pans yet somehow they fired. The production values weren't great but the acting was good.

 

[blackdog of vt]

I would like to see that too, the previous has more green tights than robin hood and more than I can stand.
The bbc lotm surprised me to but apparently they didn't have a research department. The 1920 is still very good even by todays standards and one if not the best silent made. I watch it on you tube on occasion. Boris Karloff as an indian is definatly interesting.

 

Haven't seen the version you are talking about but I've Karloff as a Seneca chief in Unconquered with Gary Cooper

 

[palladius]

There's a LOTM movie from the 30s that wasn't bad and was the inspiration for the modern movie. If it wasn't the exact same screenplay it was pretty close.

 

[blackdog of vt]

I think Karloff is the one that tosses
the baby in the air during the massacre. Here's the youtube link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCc2M-SqQdg . Its really worth the few minutes

 

[palladius]

Well, I finally got around to getting the "Northwest Passage" TV series from the 50s on Netflix. Not great but watchable and each episode is about 30 minutes, though the transfer to DVD was rough. At least the flintlocks look like flintlocks but the Eastern Indians live in teepees and all the settlers, especially the French, all have hats that look like cowboy hats rather than something that would have been worn in New England, New York or Quebec at the time. Still, the 4 or 5 episodes I've seen so far were entertaining enough.

 

[vthunter52]

I would truly love to see the remake of Roger's St. Francis 's raid, but agree with it based on,"White Devil" When they headed out on their trip, they travelled right past my house on L. Champlain, and it's rumoured that they may have pulled to shore and camped close to here......Gary

 

[spudnut]

Mel Gibson would have been perfect for the role but a bit redundant after "The Patriot"

 

[Archie]

Somehow I can't grasp the native Americans of the 1700's using the word "yonder". But what do I know?... nothing.