Pirates in Alaska

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Movie
German title Pirates in Alaska
Original title Spawn of the North
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1938
length 112 minutes
Rod
Director Henry Hathaway
script Jules Furthman
Talbot Jennings
production Albert Lewin
Paramount Pictures
music Boris Morros
Dimitri Tiomkin
Frank Loesser
Burton Lane
camera Charles Lang
cut Ellsworth Hoagland
occupation
synchronization

Pirates in Alaska (original title Spawn of the North ) is an American film from 1938, directed by Henry Hathaway . It deals with the fishermen Tyler Dawson ( George Raft ) and Jim Kimmerlee ( Henry Fonda ) in Alaska to catch salmon pursue. A serious break in their friendly relationship occurs when Dawson admits with Russian fish pirates while Kimmerlee the local vigilantes followed. In addition to Raft and Fonda, Dorothy Lamour and Akim Tamiroff play other leading roles.

The story is based on Florence Barrett Willoughby's 1932 Boston novel Spawn of the North . The film won an honorary Oscar in 1939 , which went to eleven technicians.

action

After years of absence, salmon fisherman Tyler Dawson returns to his home village in Alaska, where he finds shelter with his friend Nicky Duval, the owner of the local hotel. There he meets his old friend Jim Kimmerlee again. Dawson wants to make a lot of money quickly to buy their own schooner . When the Russian predatory fisherman Red Skain suggested a deal with which he could achieve his goal in a relatively short time, Dawson agreed. Kimmerlee, who knows nothing about his fish piracy, protects him against attacks by third parties. Windy Turlon of the local newspaper reports that local fishermen, including Jim Kimmerlee, Lefty Jones and more men, have teamed up to put an end to the fish pirates who raid their traps.

When Diane Turlon also returns to the small town of her childhood after an eight-year absence, the old rivalry for her favor breaks out again between the friends. However, Dawson has to come to terms with Diane choosing Kimmerlee. When he tries to persuade the friend to join him shortly afterwards, the latter refuses resolutely. When the Russian Dimitri's ship is destroyed by an iceberg some time later , Kimmerlee saves his life. When Kimmerlee notices that his friend Dawson is plundering the nets laid by the fishermen, he warns him urgently, but is ridiculed by Dawson for his warning. When an incident occurs in the aftermath that kills the fisherman Lefty Jones, Kimmerlee is horrified to see that his friend Tyler is working together with Red Skain, the leader of the predatory fishermen.

Just as Jim Kimberlee's birthday is celebrated, the celebration is interrupted by arriving fishermen who, while watching their traps, have found out where Lefty Jones was murdered. Diane, who overheard the fishermen's conversations, sabotaged Tyler's boat to protect him. However, he takes another boat and goes out anyway. At sea there is fighting and a subsequent shooting between fishermen and predatory fishermen, in which the Russian fishermen Boris and Serge are killed and Tyler is injured by a shot by Jim. Plagued by guilt, Jim takes his friend to a doctor. From Nicky, Jim learns that Tyler is not mad at him, but that he even wants to stand up against the predatory fishermen.

Though not well yet, Tyler goes on one last ride with Red, whom he pretends to want revenge on Jim. He deceives Red and steers the boat into the cliffs , where it is doomed. The other day, Windy Turlon's newspaper reports that Taylor sacrificed himself to end the predatory fishery, which ennobled his life.

Production and Background

The film was shot between March 21 and June 18, 1938. The film opened in the USA on August 26, 1938. The German premiere took place in the German Reich in February 1939. The film was first broadcast on German television on February 27, 1978 by Bayerischer Rundfunk . There he received the new title Predator Fisherman in Alaska .

Florence Barrett Willoughby's novel was previously under discussion for a film adaptation, but was rejected by RKO Pictures because it looked too similar to the 1909 film The Silver Horde . According to a message in the film industry magazine The Hollywood Reporter , the first scheduled actor George Rigaud was replaced by Henry Fonda after filming had already started because Rigaud's French accent was too strong for the role, and Fred MacMurray was for the role of Jim and Frances Farmer for the role of Diane in conversation. Furthermore, Randolph Scott was scheduled for a leading role, but canceled due to the obligation for another film. Even should Beulah Bondi and Polly Moran roles have had in the film, were not identified in the final product. As early as 1936, Henry Hathaway began with the preparations for the film originally planned in color, a camera team led by Richard Talmadge was ordered from Paramount to Ketchikan in Alaska to shoot the first scenes of the salmon fish catch. This expedition to Alaska is said to have lasted fourteen weeks and yielded 80,000 ft. Of footage.

Paramount constructed a steel and concrete tank on the studio grounds that could hold 375,000 gallons of water, which was needed for close-up shots of the boats. In addition, individual scenes were filmed on location at Lake Arrowhead, Lake Tahoe , Balboa Island and the coast of Southern California, where a fishing village was built. The film was then also awarded an Oscar for its outstanding performance in the field of special photo and sound effects . Gordon Jennings , who was responsible for the special effects, was assisted by Jan Domela, Devereaux Jennings, Irmin Roberts and Art Smith as well as by Farciot Edouart and Loyal Griggs . Loren L. Ryder , Harry D. Mills, Louis Mesenkop and Walter Oberst were responsible for the sound effects .

In 1954, Paramount released a remake of Spawn of the North entitled Alaska Seas, starring Robert Ryan , January Sterling and Brian Keith .

criticism

Kino.de spoke of a “solid action adventure” and praised the “scenery of Alaska and ships of crushing icebergs that were shot on the spot by Paramount cameramen.” The “documentary recordings of salmon migrations and the landscape” are “clever the studio recordings have been inserted ”.

The Lexicon of International Films spoke of “tangible adventure cinema ; Excitingly staged, attractively photographed and excellently played. "

Variety commented at the time that the film was "convincing" and an "authentic record of life and customs in Alaska", which is what he "deserves".

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops was of the opinion that the director Henry Hathaway portrayed the working world of fishermen well, but found the "melodramatic plot" to be "far less convincing, despite well-staged naval battles against the poachers." The cast of the Role of journalist with John Barrymore.

synchronization

In 1977 there was a new synchronization by ARD :

role actor Voice actor
Jim Kimmerlee Henry Fonda Joachim Ansorge
Nicky Duval Dorothy Lamour Hallgard Bruckhaus
Red Skain Akim Tamiroff Manfred Krug

Awards

At the Oscars in 1939 , Pirates in Alaska ( Spawn of the North ) received an honorary Oscar for special sound effects and film recordings. The award went to:

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Spawn of the North (1938) screenplay info at TCM - Turner Classic Movies (English)
  2. ↑ Spawn of the North (1938) Original Print Info at TCM - Turner Classic Movies (English)
  3. ↑ Pirates in Alaska at ofdb.de. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  4. ↑ a b c d Spawn of the North (1938) Notes at TCM - Turner Classic Movies (English)
  5. ^ Predator fishermen in Alaska ( Spawn of the North ), USA 1938 at kino.de. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  6. ^ Predator fishermen in Alaska ( Spawn of the North ) at zweiausendeins.de. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  7. ^ Spawn of the North ( Memento of January 3, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) at old.usccb.org. (English) Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  8. ↑ Raubfischer in Alaska (1938) OT: Spawn of the North at synchrondatenbank.de. Retrieved January 2, 2014.