This film is based on a novel written by Rex Beach. Jonathan Clark is a clipper captain and he poaches seal pelts from Russian Alaska. At this period in time, Alaska is not part of America. He meets Russian countess Mariana Selanova in San Francisco of 1850. Mariana is pretending not to be the countess and she wants Clark to take her to Sitka on his boat. Her uncle Governor Ivan Vorashilov will be able to protect her and she is fleeing from an arranged marriage to Price Semyon. Sitka is a unified city-borough in the southeast portion of Alaska. Jonathan and Mariana are separated for a time but they meet again after an exciting sea race to the Pribilof Islands. Both Jonathan and Mariana are now in danger from Prince Semyon.
Ann Blyth is very beautiful in this film. It seems like Jonathan Clark must know that she is actually the Russian countess? This type of film genre would be known as a swashbuckling classic. A heroic archetype in European adventure literature typified by the use of a sword, acrobatics and the ideals of chivalry. There are a LOT of funny scenes in his film along with the drama!! 3 1/2* (I liked this movie)
104 min, Action directed by Raoul Walsh and written by Borden Chase, Horace McCoy with Gregory Peck, Ann Blyth, Anthony Quinn, John McIntire, Carl Esmond, Andrea King, Eugenie Leontovich, Hans Conried, Ray Williams, Sig Ruman, Gregory Gaye, Bill Radovich, Bryan Forbes, Henry Kulky.
Note: Imdb 6.9 out of 10, 100% with 6 critics 53% audience with 105 ratings, Letterboxd 3.5* out of 5*, Amazon 4.4* out of 5* with 89 ratings.
Special Note: Filmed in Nova Scotia, Canada and Universal Studios, Universal City, California. Originally John Wayne was set to have the role of Jonathan Clark. Extensive rewrites were done to adapt the lead role for Gregory Peck. The flogging of Captain Clark ranks 96th in the book, “Lash” The 100 Great Scenes of Men Being Whipped in the Movies. In the novel, there isn’t a flogging?
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