Trailer
Plot summary
In 1900, Sam McCord, George Pratt and George's younger brother Billy have struck gold on their claim near Nome, Alaska, and the three are rich. Frankie Canon, a confidence man who has just arrived in town, tries to swindle Sam. Sam plans a voyage to Seattle to buy mining equipment, and George asks him to bring back Jenny Lamont, the Frenchwoman he has written to for three years without ever meeting her. Sam considers marriage a form of slavery but agrees. In Seattle he learns that Jenny has married someone else, so he sails home with Angel, a dancer, and gives her the presents meant for Jenny.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about North to Alaska (1960)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Fleischer was enthusiastic about making a John Wayne film but did not like the story. A prime force behind it was the agent Charles Feldman, whose girlfriend Capucine was to play the female lead; Adler insisted Fleischer make it because Wayne had committed without reading a script. Fleischer got out by saying he would not work with Capucine.
- Gary Crosby was reportedly cast as Granger's brother until he was replaced by Fabian, a pop singer whom 20th Century Fox had just tried to turn into a film star with Hound-Dog Man; that film was not a success, but the studio felt Fabian might attract younger movie goers.
- John Wayne complained during the shoot that he had told Fox studio head Buddy Adler and president Spyros Skouras that there was not even a finished script: Adler said he would whip it into shape personally in a few days, then took off for London while Skouras headed for New York.
- Capucine filmed a realistic no-foam bath while being serenaded by Fabian, a scene that was sneaking through nearly three years before Jayne Mansfield officially broke the mainstream nudity ban.
- The song Johnny Horton recorded topped the Billboard country charts for five weeks in January and February 1961 and reached number four on the pop charts, but he did not live to see its success: he died in a traffic collision on November 5, 1960, five days before the film release.
- Henry Hathaway felt the title North to Alaska was misleading, making the film sound like an adventure tale when it was more of a comedy, and wanted The Blonde Rush. Fox refused, as it had already arranged Horton's song and claimed his theme from Sink the Bismarck! added half a million dollars to that film's gross.
