Reviewed by Colin Jacobson (August 15, 2024)
Not known as an actor in action-adventure films, Spencer Tracy nonetheless took on this sort of part for 1940’s Northwest Passage. The film delivers a look at the pioneer days of the 18th century.
In New England circa 1759, college dropout Langdon Towne (Robert Young) drunkenly offends the wrong people. This sends him and his pal “Hunk” Marriner (Walter Brennan) on the run.
Eventually they meet up with “Rogers’ Rangers”, a team of explorers runs by Major Robert Rogers (Tracy). This sends them on a dangerous journey into the wilderness.
On the film’s poster art, Passage features the subtitle “Book 1: Rogers’ Rangers”. Obviously that implies that filmmakers hoped the flick would spawn at least one more cinematic chapter.
No sequel ever got the greenlight. A TV series called Northwest Passage ran for a single season across 1958-59, but the Tracy-helmed version ended with this flick.
It appears we never got “Book 2” because Passage failed to turn a profit. While it sold a good number of tickets, it came with such a high budget that it lost money.
I won’t claim to feel distraught that we never got a second Rogers’ Rangers tale on the big screen. Although Passage brings a decent adventure, I don’t think it ever hits a higher gear.
Of course, as often impacts movies that feature white characters who slaughter those of other ethnicities, the basic racism involved becomes an issue. Although I attempt to watch movies through the perspective of their eras, it can become tough, and that turns into an issue with Passage.
Granted, Passage depicts the Rangers’ native opponents as pretty vicious. We see indications that they kidnapped women and brutally scalped victims.
Still, there’s that unpleasant sense of natives as less than human that infuses the movie. Not that Passage sits alone in these attitudes, but it can feel racist even by the standards of its era.
Beyond these concerns, Rangers turns into a spy action tale, one abetted by good location photography. While parts of the film use obvious soundstages, plenty of the movie went out into natural settings.
These choices give the flick an appealing vibe. When it indulges in some actual action, it becomes reasonably compelling.
However, a huge chunk of Passage devotes its narrative to the hardships faced by the Rangers on their journey. While this might depict the reality of the situation, it doesn’t make for involving drama.
Mainly because watching some guys starve to death fails to seem particularly cinematic. Also, we don’t invest much in Rogers or the others, so their fates never become especially important to us.
Passage enjoys a reputation as a strong adventure film, but I don’t think it lives up to that hype. Although the end product kicks to life at times, it drags too much across its 127 minutes.
Footnote: oddly, the movie never sends Rogers and/or his Rangers to seek the actual Northwest Passage. The film’s ending implies that “Book 2” would depict that expedition but this flick doesn’t follow that tale.