The following information has been obtained from news items, production charts and the films pressbook, unless otherwise noted. Road now the lincoln highway, us route 30 which ran from near. Chris gudgeon is a celebrated author from victoria, british columbia. Chorus ah, for just one time i would take the northwest passage to find the hand of franklin reaching for the beaufort sea. The picture is based on a novel by kenneth roberts titled northwest passage. Northwest passage is the type of adventure yarn that brought out the 12yearold in me. Northwest passage book irogers rangers kenneth robertss novel northwest passage chronicles the exploits of major robert rogers 17311795, who during the french and indian war raised and commanded an independent unit of lightinfantry soldiers attached to the british army known as rogers rangers. It was the basis for the 1940 movie northwest passage, starring spencer tracy. Northwest passage book irogers rangers at the american film institute. Robert rogers 7 november 1731 18 may 1795 was an american colonial frontiersman.
It is said that rangers skills were invaluable in protecting their country. It was based on the first part of kenneth robertss 1937 novel of the same name. The plot is wellconstructed, and i like the fact that the hero of the book, robert rogers, is painted as alltoohuman despite his heroic exploits. Em ii 2 3 em iii 2 4 1 em vii 3 4 2 1 em ii 1 3 4 2 em iii 3 2 4 1 em iv 4 3 1 2 em xii 3 4 1 all content on this page is the property of the owner of the original composition.
The search for an inland waterway that would enable boat traffic to cross the breadth of america was the focal point of northwest passage, which was set during the french and indian war of 1754. Drafted into rogers elite force, often compared to the modern green berets, langdon and hunk overcome impossible odds, defeat the french, and return safely home, imbued with patriotism. Dilley the military exploits of major robert rogers during the french and indian war are well known. Northwest passage by kenneth roberts, first edition abebooks. Often employing techniques eschewed by the british regulars, the unit was. Other high points not that there are low points are the edgy night guard as i understand it, a true story and canal road. Tracing one warm line through a land so wild and savage and make a. Rogers rangers were an independent company within the british army during the seven years war in north. When the movie project was green lighted, this was supposed to be the first of possibly several movies.
It was during that war that rogers raised, trained, and led the unit that bears his name, rogers rangers. American author who wrote about the american revolutionary era. Matt james, illustrator, creates a unique vision to the lyrics of northwest passage, written by stan rogers, which tells of sir john franklins disastrous expedition 18451847 to discover a shorter route from the atlantic to the pacific and asia. Westward from the davis strait tis there twas said to lie. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. The song appears on an album of the same name released by rogers in 1981, and is considered one of the classic songs in canadian music history. Author kenneth rogers wrote a monumental novel with remarkable attention to detail. Robert rogers was famous for his companies of rangers during the french and indian war. Northwest passage takes place pre revolution and helps readers understand the mindset of colonials at the time as well as understanding the nature of major rogers. Rogers served in the british army during both the french and indian war and the american revolution. Call it a historical pastiche of life prior to the american revolution.
Northwest passage recounts the adventures of rogers rangers, an 18thcentury expeditionary force charged with wiping out an indian tribe on the. Kenneth roberts most famous novel is northwest passage 1937. He was made famous in the 1940 film northwest passage. Ah, for just one time i would take the northwest passage to find the hand of franklin reaching for the beaufort sea. Northwest passage was the second book by roberts i read and this as well as all other works in roberts chronicles of arundel series sold me on the us. Beautifully illustrated, and paired with the words from the song, this book also includes a timeline of northern exploration, a minibiography of important explorers, and the music and verses for the song northwest passage. Based on the first part of a novel by kenneth roberts, major rogers leads his rangers on a retaliatory raid against indians, and they return starving.
During the french and indian war, rogers raised and commanded the famous rogers rangers, trained for raiding and close combat behind enemy lines. His pursuit of the legendary northwest passage will become a consuming passion, again narrated by langdon towne. List of books and articles about northwest passage. The military history of the rogers family dates to the battle of hastings in 1066. I would take the north west passage 5 6 6 6 6 5 6 6 to find the hand of franklin 7 7 7 6 6 6 5 4 reaching for the beaufort sea 4 5 4 5 4 3 3 tracing one more line 5 5 4 4 5. Ranger reenactors fire on the british during revolutionary war reenactment in. Told through the eyes of primary character langdon towne, much of the novel follows the exploits and character of robert rogers, the leader of rogers rangers, who were a colonial force fighting with the british during the french and indian war structurally, northwest passage is divided into halves. Discover the northwest passage with this illustrated book inspired by the song northwest passage by canadian folk musician stan rogers. Northwest passage originally titled an unfinished conversation. Discover more music, concerts, videos, and pictures with the largest catalogue online at. If you like early gordon lightfoot, or just real folk music in general, you will not go wrong with northwest passage.
Northwest passage chords by stan rogers songsterr tabs. Army was interested in the tactics of the british commando units. In 1759 hunk marriner walter brennan is in the stocks for disloyal speech and is. Northwest passage book i rogers rangers original title. Both towne and hunk decide to join rogers rangers themselves.
Filmed just before america entered world war ii, northwest passage is a thinly disguised recruitment poster. Tracing one warm line through a land so wide and savage and make a northwest passage to the sea. Northwest passage is the opening song off of the 1981 album of the same name. Open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit, building a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. Stan rogers northwest passage lyrics genius lyrics. Robert rogers, the brilliant if flawed first american special operator. Its a stirring song to say the least, especially with stan rogers. I would take the north west passage 5 6 6 6 6 5 6 6 to find the hand of franklin 7 7 7 6 6 6 5 4 reaching for the beaufort sea 4 5 4 5 4 3 3 tracing one more line 5 5 4 4 5 4 through a land so wide and savage. Northwest passage 1940yes, its the wrong war and the wrong enemy. Northwest passage is a picture book that brings a folk song to life with paintings for a vibrant history lesson. Proof of the existence of the passage in the mid1800s only revealed how difficult its transit would be, and it was not until the early 20th cent. Westward from the davis strait tis there twas said to lie the sea route to the orient for which so many died.
It turned out he was an indian aficionado, too, with the french and indian war 17541763 being one of his specialties. Winner of the governor generals literary award for childrens illustration. But this account of major robert rogers and his rangers is one of. Stanley allison stan rogers november 29, 1949 june 2, 1983 was a canadian folk musician and songwriter. Stan rogers northwest passage chords learn the song with the online tablature player. But successful american films set in the revolutionary period are hard to find. Northwest passage 1940 movie clip rogers rangers airing. Langdon towne and hunk marriner join major rogers rangers. Book irogers rangers, american adventure film, released in 1940, that deals with events of the french and indian war, a theme rarely explored in film. Kenneth roberts historical novel northwest passage 1937 portrays the events of rogers rangers raid on the abenaki town of st.
In this exhaustive book, variously scholarly and whiteknuckle exciting, john. Rogers stan miscellaneous northwest passage northwest passage stan rogers cho. This is why the film northwest passage was subtitled book one. A conversation with anita rogers about her familys prolific history. Northwest passage containing the courtmartial of major robert rogers, the courtmartial of lt. Northwest passage, oysterband, runrig, bruce guthro, alan. I threw it all away to seek a northwest passage at the call of many men, to find there but the road back home again. The life and music of stan rogers is a wonderful collection of stories, memories, and facts on stans career and the people in his life. Director king vidor then attempted to make a sequel to the film in which rogers rangers find the northwest passage. The song compares the voyages of the first european explorers in canada to rogerss own touring as a musician.
It was based on the first part of kenneth robertss 1937 novel of the same name the story follows langdon towne played by robert young, a young man recently expelled from college who. Northwest passage is an historical novel by kenneth roberts, published in 1937. Screenplay by laurence stallings, talbot jennings, based on the novel by kenneth roberts. Tracing one warm line through a land so wild and savage and make a northwest passage to the sea. Northwest passage kindle edition by roberts, kenneth. Major rogers spencer tracy takes out a dog with a tomahawk and some distance, as his crew moves in for just a portion of the slaughter of abenakis, as orchestrated by king vidor in northwest passage, 1940. Into the northwest passage frontiers north adventures.
Debt problems, including his claim against the crown, led him to london. Rogers heroics in the french and indian war, including the search for the northwest passage, and his later life are depicted in the novel northwest passage 1936 by kenneth roberts. During the french and indian war, rogers raised and commanded the famous rogers rangers. With spencer tracy, robert young, walter brennan, ruth hussey. Westward from the davis strait tis there twas said to. At the beginning of the revolutionary war, george washington refused rogers request. Langdon towne and hunk marriner join major rogers rangers as they wipe out an. He even tried to build a road using a lottery to finance it.
Seeking gold and glory, leaving weathered, broken bones and a. Further, while the middle part of the book deals with major rogers obsession with discovering this road, it is not the. Jan 01, 2001 this first half of the book is easily the most interesting, rich in fairly accurate detail about rogers leadership and the audacious heroism of his rangers. Ah, for just one time i would take the northwest passage to find the hand of franklin reaching for the beauford sea. Laurence stallings screenplay, talbot jennings screenplay 1 more credit. An eastern western set in the 18th century dramatizes the exploits of major robert rogers tracy, whose fighters worked to create safe lands for white settlers, i. Stan rogers was noted for his rich, baritone voice and his finelycrafted, traditionalsounding songs which were frequently inspired by canadian history and the daily lives of working people, especially those from the fishing villages of the maritime provinces and, later, the farms. Into the northwest passage takes place aboard the ocean endeavour. I was very surprised to learn that the author had been one of the best journalists in. A unique corps of 600 frontiersmen who successfully adapted indian techniques to their.
The northwest passage, however, remained the most important goal, and the search for the passage continued even though at that time such a route had no commercial value. Northwest passage book irogers rangers is the 1940 adventure score by herbert stothart, mgms premier composer in the 1930s and 40s, presented in nearly complete form from the monaural optical film masters, with a few otherwise lost cues added from the films musicandeffects track. The fictional portsmouth natives quickly head west to the new york territory and join the rangers, run by a nonfiction new hampshire man named robert rogers played by spencer tracy. Told through the eyes of primary character langdon towne, much of the novel follows the exploits and character of robert rogers, the leader of rogers rangers, who were a colonial force fighting with the british during the french and indian war.
This first half of the book is easily the most interesting, rich in fairly accurate detail about rogers leadership and the audacious heroism of his rangers. Awardwinning artist matt james takes the iconic song northwest passage by legendary canadian songwriter and singer stan rogers and tells the dramatic story of the search for the elusive route through the arctic ocean to the pacific, which for hundreds of years and once again today, nations, explorers and commercial. Northwest passage was one of my favorites as a teen, but i hadnt give it a thought in more than twoscore. Told through the eyes of primary character langdon towne, much of this novel centers around the exploits and character of robert rogers, the leader of rogers rangers, who were a colonial force fighting with the british during the french and indian war. Part of kenneth roberts novel was serialized in the saturday evening post, under the title rogers rangers 26 dec 19366 feb 1937.
The second half of the book follows major rogers further career in england and on the northwest frontier. Methuen high school, in the town in which rogers was born, uses the rangers as their mascot. The narrator becomes involved in the french and indian war after meeting colonel robert rogers. The life and music of stan rogers is a wonderful collection of stories, memories, and. One of the first american heroes in our nations history was a man who had two. Stan rogers text and topos rusty baillie photography, and rigging richard lefrancis computer layout design maxine whiteside.
Northwest passage book i rogers rangers 1940 february 27, 2012 7. Travel with scientists, artists, musicians, local culturalists, and historiansall of whom are drawn magnetically north. They are as close to rock and roll as stan rogers ever got. Listen free to stan rogers northwest passage northwest passage, the field behind the plow and more. Samuel stephens and other new material by roberts, kenneth lewis and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. His pursuit of the legendary northwest passage will become. Merlin idla distribution on behalf of borealis records.
233 521 450 501 107 756 483 1492 552 1446 206 637 237 73 453 58 731 49 295 1551 1136 965 161 773 1076 301 92 898 625 667 1186 87