Without any doubt one of the corniest, most idiotic dramas of all time. Based on a "novel" by one of those dim-witted and talentless 5-dime soap-opera female writers, it lives "up" to its expectations, and then some: this film is a laugh-a-minute drama which easily qualifies for a "Mystery Science Theater 3000" treatment. The dialog, the story, the characters, the plot-twists, the plot-devices, and the unintentionally comical dramatic soundtrack all combine to form a movie that has to be seen to be believed. The sheer imbecility of it all is a joy. Ed Wood would have been proud had he made it.Where should I even begin? Here goes, in no particular order: 1) Burton's and Ryan's granddaughter (how poetic) is quarter Eskimo, but what about those blond, Swedish looks? 2) Her Eskimo Daddy is basically a white college type with dark oil smeared onto his face, 3) His fight with the bear is a comedic highlight; watch how he goes at the bear (and why isn't it a white i.e. polar bear?) with just a knife, and how little he is hurt when the bear slaps him, 4) the moment Ryan's son was born it became so damn obvious that he would grow up and fall in love with Burton's daughter, and that way set the stage for a lame re-re-re-re-re-hash of "Romeo & Juliet", 5) the re-re-re-re-re-re-hash not only ends tragically - it ends so ULTRA-tragically that I had to laugh out loud! Romeo gets killed by a bear, while Juliet dies at the same time at childbirth, 6) By the way, Juliet is woman no.2 to die at childbirth in this movie; it seems that in the early Alaskan days babies tended to plop out of the womb at the most inconvenient times, and there was nobody in sight anywhere to help; plus it was a convenient way to get rid of two mothers so that Jones can be their reserve-mommy, 7) and as if the totally over-the-top deaths of Romeo and Juliet weren't enough, only (movie-)minutes before their doom Burton's wife dies of a heart-attack; them corpses, they just kept a-pilin' in the middle section (and them plot-devices, they started a-getting' dumber and dumber), 8) since Burton made it as a successful capitalist, it was only fair that his arch-enemy, Ryan the fisherman, makes it as a politician: this is rather hilarious, too, 9) Burton's rich daughter (Juliet) decides to run away from home to Romeo's Eskimo village and she is happy there! 10) Baccus's son is born BEFORE Juliet yet I had the strange impression that Juliet was a cool 5 years older, 11) one of the idiotic highlights is "Star Trek"'s Zulu (Takei; in a wonderfully bad performance) trying to find a doctor for Burton's expecting wife, but managing only to find Jones, whom the former can't stand - how poetic! 12) in the first scenes showing Romeo's and Juliet's daughter (let's just call her Lovechild) the movie almost becomes a sit-com, with Burton and Ryan being both Granddaddies to her but also arch-enemies, and Lovechild being in the middle, but 13) then suddenly the movie starts getting overly dramatic and soppy yet, yet, yet again! 14) Burton saves Ryan's life at the end - how CORNY! 15) a highlight in the last half-hour (which tends to get dull) is undoubtedly Burton losing his cool at a political hearing and wanting to have a punch-up with Ryan! It strikes me as the height of hypocrisy and irony that a movie which takes such a righteous stance against racism casts all-white actors to play half- or quarter- Eskimos. Were they afraid that we wouldn't like Eskimo-looking Eskimos as much as Eskimos who look like they graduated from Yale? Talk about left-wing Hollywood's double-standards. I can't imagine how the actors must have felt uttering so many idiotic lines. There are a number of moments of campy preaches and pathetic moralizing which are only good enough for 5-dime soap-operas and retards. The fact that this dumb tale is supposed to be an epic only makes it sillier. And how about Jones's bad looks: this bug-eyed actress, who looks at least ten years older than she really is, is the focal point of the two lead studs. But perhaps that was - as Takei found out one day (in one scene) - the result of her being the only woman in town.

This is one of the great movies ever made. I really would love to own it on DVD. I have it on VHS, but the color is fading. Do you know when it will come out on DVD. I recommend this movie to all ages.Anyone who is interested in the history and stories of Alaska will enjoy the story. The actors are Robert Ryan, who is great, Richard Burton, who is always very good, and Carolyn Jones and Marther Hyer who portray their parts perfectly. You are in for a real treat, so grab your popcorn, something to drink, set back and enjoy a great movie, full of entertainment and good acting. To bad that Hollywood does not put out this kind of movies anymore. An era has pasted and that is too bad.

This is a surprisingly little known generational saga based on a novel by Edna Ferber (who also penned "Cimarron".) It spans about 45 years in the lives of a trio of entrepreneurs in Alaska. Burton plays an ex-WWI soldier who isn't given his old job back as the war ends. He makes his way to Alaska where he (after some plot complications) meets up with fisherman Ryan and Ryan's fiancée Jones. From here, the story follows their many trials and tribulations leading up to the statehood of Alaska. There is a TON of story to be told in this film and, though it is long, most vignettes only get touched on and many characters come and go and age so quickly it's sometimes head-spinning. Burton is a thoroughly unsympathetic lead character. All he does is brood and bellow. Ryan is less grating at first, but soon joins in. Jones, though solid, seems to be channelling Bette Davis half the time and her long-suffering role is one like Ms. Davis might have essayed back in her prime at Warner Brothers. Hyer, in a thankless role, pretty much models some nice suits before her big (and hilarious) scene involving a heart attack. Backus does okay as Burton's sidekick. One shocker is witnessing the well-spoken Takei portraying a demeaning, pigeon-English, Chinese servant complete with all the stereotypical traits and insulting "comic relief". It is odd to see Burton sharing screen time with "Mr. Howell" and "Mr. Sulu"! Knight barely appears at all. McBain comes along toward the end to provide a welcome dose of spark and sex appeal. The film is not exactly good, but it is watchable. Several scenes are marred by tacky effects like plastic snow and rear-projection (and in one howler of a scene, an attack by a man in a bear suit!) Also, Burton, who was twelve years YOUNGER than Backus, ages and ages while Backus just goes a little gray. He passes Backus up! Max Steiner provides some nice music. One scene, which seems daring for the time, involves two Eskimo women getting naked under some furs to thaw out a frozen traveller.

The growing tension between Richard Burton and Robert Ryan is amazing. Both actors were as serious, driven, righteous (in their own minds), and caring as the other. All performances were believable and interesting. The change from generations to generation was seamless. And character change melded nicely with Ryan and Burton. Carolyn Jones however did not impress me as much as she did in the beginning. She somehow lost her luster as the film seemed to continue without her. Strangely this also was her role through the duration of the film. And I felt she seemed to be going through the motions towards the end. Just my opinion. I also found the characters of Christopher and Grace charming at first and utterly brainless towards the end. You have to see it and the circumstances to believe it. The innocent bliss that leads them throughout the film culminates. To mention Jim Buckus, his performance was quite an agitation to most every event in the film due to his characters business interests. Believable even if you still see him as Mr Howell! LOL! Four years later, character development, who can say, Recommended if you looking for a (mini) epic that might just keep your interest.I'm keeping my copy!Otherwise outstanding performances