Northwest Passage (1940) | |
| Director(s) | King Vidor, Jack Conway (uncredited), W.S. Van Dyke (uncredited) |
| Producer(s) | Hunt Stromberg |
| Top Genres | Adventure, Drama, Historical, Romance, War, Western |
| Top Topics | |
Featured Cast:
Northwest Passage Overview:
Northwest Passage (1940) was a Adventure - Drama Film directed by W.S. Van Dyke and Jack Conway and produced by Hunt Stromberg.
Academy Awards 1940 --- Ceremony Number 13 (source: AMPAS)
| Award | Recipient | Result |
| Best Cinematography | Sidney Wagner, William V. Skall | Nominated |
BlogHub Articles:
NORTHWEST PASSAGE On Blu-ray From Warner Archive
By Dan Day, Jr. on Mar 29, 2025 From The Hitless Wonder Movie BlogWarner Archive once again presents a magnificent restoration of a classic Technicolor Hollywood film with their Blu-ray release of MGM's NORTHWEST PASSAGE (1940). NORTHWEST PASSAGE is one of the great historical epics of the pre-World War II sound era, and it is one of the very few films concerning ... Read full article
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Quotes from
Langdon Towne:
[Slapping at mosquitoes as they walk through wetlands] Mosquitoes don't bite you, do they?
Hunk Marriner: Nope.
Langdon Towne: You put something on that keeps them off?
Hunk Marriner: Rancid bear grease. They hate the stink worse than I do.
Langdon Towne: [Smelling some of the bear grease that Hunk offers him] thanks. I'll take the mosquitoes.
[last lines]
Elizabeth Browne: [standing alongside Langdon Towne as Major Robert Rogers and his rangers march into the distance] Is there, Langdon? Is there a Northwest Passage?
Langdon Towne: Who knows.
[pause]
Langdon Towne: It's every man's dream to find a short route to his heart's desire. If the major dreams long enough, he'll find it.
Elizabeth Browne: Will we hear from him?
Langdon Towne: Hear from him?
[pause]
Langdon Towne: Every time we look across the river we'll hear his voice calling us through the wind. He'll be within us, Elizabeth - wherever we are or he may be - for that man will never die.
Cap Huff: [to Langton] If you're tryin' to drink yourself outta lovesickness, why don't you switch to rum? We've got some rum that'll burn the knots out of a pine plank.
Langdon Towne: [Drunkenly] Bring 'em me.
read more quotes from Northwest Passage...
Hunk Marriner: Nope.
Langdon Towne: You put something on that keeps them off?
Hunk Marriner: Rancid bear grease. They hate the stink worse than I do.
Langdon Towne: [Smelling some of the bear grease that Hunk offers him] thanks. I'll take the mosquitoes.
[last lines]
Elizabeth Browne: [standing alongside Langdon Towne as Major Robert Rogers and his rangers march into the distance] Is there, Langdon? Is there a Northwest Passage?
Langdon Towne: Who knows.
[pause]
Langdon Towne: It's every man's dream to find a short route to his heart's desire. If the major dreams long enough, he'll find it.
Elizabeth Browne: Will we hear from him?
Langdon Towne: Hear from him?
[pause]
Langdon Towne: Every time we look across the river we'll hear his voice calling us through the wind. He'll be within us, Elizabeth - wherever we are or he may be - for that man will never die.
Cap Huff: [to Langton] If you're tryin' to drink yourself outta lovesickness, why don't you switch to rum? We've got some rum that'll burn the knots out of a pine plank.
Langdon Towne: [Drunkenly] Bring 'em me.
read more quotes from Northwest Passage...
Facts about
According to historical accounts, 204 Roger's Rangers left for St. Francis and 100 survived to return home.
The Bible passage that Rogers quotes "The voice of him who crieth in the wilderness... " is from Isaiah 40:3.
This movie is a pretty faithful telling of Roger's Rangers' raid on the Abenaki town of St. Francis, except for the end. When the Rangers arrived at Fort No. 4 they had missed their resupply by only two hours. Lt. Stephens heard them coming and retreated, thinking the Rangers were French troops. Rogers and a couple of men built a raft and pursued Stephens downriver. They caught up with him and sent the supplies back to No. 4 within 10 days, as Rogers promised. Lt. Stephens was later court-martialed for cowardice and cashiered out of the Rangers.
read more facts about Northwest Passage...
The Bible passage that Rogers quotes "The voice of him who crieth in the wilderness... " is from Isaiah 40:3.
This movie is a pretty faithful telling of Roger's Rangers' raid on the Abenaki town of St. Francis, except for the end. When the Rangers arrived at Fort No. 4 they had missed their resupply by only two hours. Lt. Stephens heard them coming and retreated, thinking the Rangers were French troops. Rogers and a couple of men built a raft and pursued Stephens downriver. They caught up with him and sent the supplies back to No. 4 within 10 days, as Rogers promised. Lt. Stephens was later court-martialed for cowardice and cashiered out of the Rangers.
read more facts about Northwest Passage...
