I saw this as a kid and was thoroughly entertained. On re-viewing it 40+ years later I liked it even better.John Wayne plays his usual rollicking tough-guy-with-a-heart-of-gold role. The man may have not had much acting depth, but within his element he could project an image and deliver a line as well as anyone in the business. I'm sure purists roll their eyes at his lasting fame, but if you want movies that entertain adults as well as the kids you rarely find a dud in the John Wayne collection.One might presume that Stewart Granger was perhaps too good an actor for this film but he fits right in. He certainly played the part well as would be expected but he seemed to have a great time.Cappucine. Well, what can you say but hubba hubba. Well, you can also say the woman had some solid chops. She had legitimate comedic skills and though her roles were limited she made the best out of them. Her death by suicide, evidently related to some kind of depressive or bipolar disorder, was simply sad. One has to wonder if with the tools of today it might have been avoidable.Fabian? Wow, that guy could really grow hair. But in all fairness he wasn't bad at all. He knew his limits and kept well within them. As a result he could contribute meaningfully to a film and not just as eye candy for the teenyboppers.The film is dated of course. Comedy of this style hasn't sold well since the Newman-Redford productions of the 70s. But for those of us old enough to remember the era this is a worthwhile sit-down.

NORTH TO ALASKA is another comic western for star John Wayne and director Henry Hathaway, this time made with an even lighter touch than usual. An ageing Wayne is backed up by the double-whammy of Stewart Granger and pop singer Fabian, and the story is about gold claims in Alaska which makes this a 'northern' rather than the usual westerns the star was known for. The film peaks early on with a hilarious bar-room brawl which has some great sight gags and stunts and if there isn't much in the way of action after this point, the comedy makes it work. Wayne is the usual two-fisted hero and gently ribs himself while the supporting acts work hard to make their characters work. In the end, Hathaway comes out triumphant by delivering another light and breezy, seemingly effortless, piece of direction.

The story is rather minimal, also there is little substance to the characters. However, I can overlook these in a way, but this was entertaining and was never meant to be complex and all that. It has beautiful cinematography and scenery. It has great music and a truly terrific title song. It has a sparkling script. It has skilled direction. It goes along at a decent pace. It has two fun performances from John Wayne and underrated Stewart Granger. And North to Alaska has one of the wildest and wackiest bar-room brawls I have seen in any movie. Overall, I liked North to Alaska, it was entertaining. 8/10 Bethany Cox

John Wayne and Stewart Granger should have done more comedies. In NORTH TO ALASKA the two veterans play freewheeling partners in a gold mine in 1901 Alaska. The action shifts from Alaska to Seattle and back, although it is pretty apparent the whole thing was shot in California. Wayne goes to Seattle to take care of some business and looks up Granger's love, who has married someone else in Granger's absence. Wayne then meets Capucine, as a saloon gal (aka hooker) and decides she'll do just as well for his lovesick partner. Complications ensue when Capucine falls for Wayne instead. Beginning in the late 1940s, Wayne was often paired with a young actor, and in this case that role is filled by Fabian as Granger's kid brother. The lighthearted mood of the film is established within minutes of the opening, with a huge and lengthy barroom brawl replete with zany sound effects and outrageous mugging by all. I was never fond of Hollywood's decision in the 1950s and '60s to cast foreign actresses in leading lady roles. Sophia Loren could get away with it; Capucine (and many others like her) could not. I did not buy her for one minute as Wayne's love interest here. She's way too refined to be playing a prostitute, and her acting is stilted. Unfortunately, she was the producer's gal pal at the time. Anyhow, Wayne was in pretty good shape in 1960, and he and Granger (and to some lesser extent Fabian) keep things rocking and rolling. They are 1901's answer to The Three Stooges. Ernie Kovacs plays the film's nominal villain, a sleazy saloon owner and claim jumper. As always in a Wayne film, the cast is dotted with several old familiar aces, including John Qualen, Joe Sawyer and Kathleen Freeman.