North West Mounted Police

Plot synopsis:
Texas Ranger Dusty Rivers (Gary Cooper) is sent to Canada during the 1880s in pursuit of outlaw Jacques Corbeau (George Bancroft), arriving in the midst of the Riel Rebellion. Dusty meets nurse April Logan (Madeleine Carroll) and quickly falls in love with her. However, she is already involved with Canadian Mountie Sergeant Jim Britt (Preston Foster). Dusty and April have become involved with one another, which becomes evident to Jim, to whom April wishes to remain loyal.
Meanwhile, April's brother, Ronnie Logan (Robert Preston), who also is a Mountie, is in love with Corbeau's daughter, Louvette (Paulette Goddard). Louvette loves Ronnie intensely and is determined to protect Ronnie in the coming fight at all costs, using Ronnie's feelings for her father's benefit at times.
Corbeau is eventually tracked down to his hideout. When the showdown between Dusty, the Mounties, and the supporters of Corbeau finally arrives, Louvette tricks Ronnie, and ties him to a chair to keep him safe, after he had given her information vital to the Mounties' planned attack on the outlaws. Ronnie is unable to warn his fellow Mounties and Rivers that they are riding into a trap. The lawmen are ambushed and think Ronnie is a deserter. Dusty Rivers helps to turn the tide of the battle and Sergeant Jim arrests Corbeau. Rivers tracks down Ronnie at Louvette's hideout and convinces him to turn himself in, however, he is killed in a case of mistaken identity.
Afterwards, Dusty Rivers is set to return to Texas, but first gives April and Jim his blessing.

Tags: romantic, avant garde, murder

Review:
It is understandable that the Medveds included "Northwest Mounted Police" among the 50 worst movies ever made.
It was the second of four films with Gary Cooper, one of four made Goddard and one of three made with Robert Preston.
Preston made good action films in this period but was always in support.
Still, for some good straight performances as doomed weaklings, Preston did well in this film,"Union Pacific", and "Reap the Wild Wind".The film's historic content is interesting.
DeMille's earlier historic films ("Cleopatra", "Sign of the Cross", "The Crusades") dealt with old world history.
Because of his American History period "Northwest Mounted Police" is an odd film.
Cooper's character is the only link in it to American history in the 1880s, as a Texas Ranger after George Bancroft (Le Corbeau) for murder.
The film is set firmly in Canada which was the scene of two revolts of the Metis people under Louis Riel in 1870 and 1885.
As such this becomes somewhat unique among the historic films of Hollywood.Canada does poorly regarding it's history in Hollywood.
This movie actually covers one of the most troubling moments of modern Canadian history: the fate of Louis Riel.
The backbone of Liberal Party strength (to the current day) is French Canadien Quebec - they have never forgiven the Tories for not acting humanely to Louis (and putting him in a Canadian asylum for life).DeMille is not totally anti-Riel.
Riel is not unlike the American John Brown (inthe contemporary film "Santa Fe Trail"), who is murderous and possibly insane but fighting for certain principles that actually get the audience's sympathy.
In this film, Riel is committed to a Metis revolt and state and he will stop at nothing to prevent it's success.
You first have to understand that DeMille has taken considerable poetic licence, while using the story of the return of Louis Riel to Canada, and the subsequent Duck Lake massacre of a large unit of Mounties.
Even the pronunciation by DeMille of the word "Metis" at the introduction to the movie is quite incorrect.Fun to watch the fictional introduction of Gary Cooper as a Texas marshal travelling into Canada in pursuit of a Metis criminal.Some good aspects of the film include the historical accuracy of the uniforms at that time...
They did wear fur hats during the winter with their Buffalo hide coats, but DeMille did not like the design of any of the head wear that was part of the actual uniform, so he had this design made for the picture.The two key bad guys are historical fact, although whether they acted as they are shown in the movie is another question.
This time it concerns the Royal Canadian Mounties (Red Coats) a Texas Ranger, in search of a criminal dealing with the Indians in frontier Canada, during the eighteen-eighties, by selling them guns, and the half-breeds that are being controlled by the Mounties.Along the way the Texas Ranger(Gary Cooper)falls for a pretty Army nurse (Madelaine Carroll) who is also courted by a Mountie Officer (Preston Foster).
The nurse's brother, also a Mountie (Robert Preston) is under the spell of a beautiful half-breed (Paulette Goddard) who's father is the criminal (George Bancroft) that is being sought.As in DeMille plots, the hero saves the day, but not without a sacrifice of some of the supporting players.
Playing the tempestuous half-breed, Paulette Goddard got a big break in her career with this role.
It is said she wanted the part so bad, she donned herself in dark skin make-up, put on an Indian get-up with feathers and walked into DeMille's office saying, "You teenk you wan beeg director, hah?
Goddard went on to play in two more DeMille pictures, REAP THE WILD WIND and UNCONQUERED, this time performing leading roles.There is an excellent supporting cast of character actors, namely; Lynne Overman, Akim Tamiroff, Walter Hampden, Lon Chaney, Jr, Robert Ryan and Rod Cameron who went on to star in Republic Pictures westerns.POLICE is not yet on video, although most other DeMille films are, but it can be seen once in a while on AMC Classic Movies on TV.Great DeMille entertainment..
DeMille started filming Northwest Mounted Police, Joel McCrea was Texas Ranger Dusty Rivers (a cowboy name if there ever was one), but after a few scenes McCrea dropped out and Gary Cooper got to do his second of four DeMille features.It was both DeMille and Cooper's first film in technicolor and when DeMille went in for technicolor we mean bright hues of every part of the rainbow.
Taking home the prize was Anne Bauchens who edited every single DeMille film from back into the middle silent era.
He had many of the same folks on his various films, but only Ms. Bauchens rated that kind of treatment.Michael Medved has Northwest Mounted Police listed among the fifty worst films of all time.
The Victorian DeMille type dialog is the main reason, but it is no more present here than in any of his other sound films.Northwest Mounted Police takes place in the mid 1880s and concerns the famous 2nd Louis Riel Rebellion and the Duck Lake massacre of Royal Canadian Mounted Police in that conflict.
Grafted on to that is the story of a Texas Ranger played by Gary Cooper who comes up to Canada with a warrant for one of Riel's confederates who killed a man in his state.
Of course Cooper gets himself mixed up in the politics of the area and also considerably mixed up with Maddeleine Carroll, much to the displeasure of her sweetheart Preston Foster, as stalwart a Mountie as you'll ever find this side of Nelson Eddy.
That's a standard DeMille plot device, two men in heat over the heroine.In some considerable heat himself is Robert Preston who is Carroll's brother also a Mountie.
He's got it bad for Paulette Goddard a Meti who's got it real bad for Preston.
In fact her little scheme concerning Preston is what drives the action of the film in the second half.DeMille was never an actor's director or a writer's director.
Gary Cooper and Madeleine Carroll look embarrassed throughout speaking those silly lines.Preston Foster as the third party of the love triangle has one of his more substantial parts in his career.But it is fun to watch Paulette Goddard's hilarious overacting.As her villainous father George Bancroft isn't far behind in that department.The best acting are provided by the two veterans Akim Tamiroff and Lynne Overman who provide some comic relief.The movie is beautiful to look at in bright colors and passes the afternoon quite painlessly..
A good old-fashioned, entertaining film..
At first the film looked dated but the costumes and general appearance of the people in it convincingly portrayed people of that era (something that doesn't happen as often as it should in "Westerns"); it soon became apparent that things were being done rather well and by the time the credits came along and I saw the name of Cecil B DeMille I knew why.This is an entertaining, undemanding film.
Gary Cooper's Texas Ranger helped to highlight the qualities of the Mounties and provided interest and excitement.Crowd scenes and action scenes are well done.
The stunt towards the end involving Gary Cooper's character tumbling from his falling horse is breathtaking and the quick cut to a back projection immediately after is very effective; it is a scene that can match anything in today's films.
The film has all the signs of a good director.I didn't expect to enjoy this film, but I did and I look forward to finding more from the same period..
It's totally amazing that he is still the champ of all time.A lot of all star casts flounder with weaker directors and scripts, but de Mille is epic.This is story telling.
The story here is based around Riel and the Mounted Police of Canada.
We even begin with Riel, but soon the wing of the film takes the turn towards the big name stars.The scenes with the two minor love interest characters are the most stunning.
The mixture of spectacle, action, comic relief, characters, suspense, romance, adventure, and perfect cinematography is the sought after recipe that wise directors will copy and jealous directors will foolishly ignore.And the moron who put this on the 50 worst films of all time list, we have to wonder what hallucinogens he was on.
This is one of the 50 best films of all time.
"Oh Dusty, you're an angel in leather!"  "I love you so terrible bad I feel good!"  "You're the sweetest poison that ever got into a man's blood!"Campy and implausible enough to be written up in "The Fifty Worst Films of All Time", yet too slow to be as amusing as "The Conqueror".
It takes forever and drags a lot, but it looks nice for something shot on a soundstage, and there are some decent actors like Gary Cooper and Madeline Carroll in it, even if they look kind of embarrassed.What keeps this from being other boring costume melodramas like "Unconquered" is the usually wooden Paulette Goddard as a half-breed temptress.
It's worth tuning it to see her sashay around in her leather-and-feather costumes, chewing the scenery while doing stuff like public spankings and tormenting a bound Robert Preston..
Where can i obtain a copy of this Movie(North West Mounted Police) with Gary Coopr in it or at least Rent it??
I have always thought Garry Cooper as one of the BEST leading Men and all time best actors,it will be,in my Mind, a long time before the Movies will see his equal, I believe that Grapes of Wrath runs a close second to North Weast Mounted Police..
"North West Mounted Police" is the 48th film that I have watched that was featured in Harry Medved's brilliant book "The Fifty Worst Movies of All Time"--and I just recently bought the last two, so I soon will have reviews for all of them.
While I must admit that his list of 50 is flawed (a small number actually are not that bad), considering he wrote this book when he was 17 and it came out BEFORE he age of VCRs it is amazing--and an exceptionally good read--one of the best non-fiction books I have ever read.
After all, they often have HUGE scope, sets, lovely Technicolor (when most films of the day are black & white) and it's obvious his budgets were astronomical.
However, I also think that a movie really doesn't need any of these things to be a good film.
What is most important is what De Mille's films usually lacked--good dialog, realistic characters and good acting.
Sure, it gets a few points for the sets and lovely look of the film but the rest....yuck!
If I had to put my finger on what is worst about this particular film, I'd bluntly say Paulette Goddard.
And the writing they gave her (and the others to a lesser extent) was just dumb and almost comic book-like (not a GOOD comic book but a bad one, by the way).It's also odd how with a magnetic personality like Gary Cooper that he's practically lost in the film.
Again, I blame De Mille for this.The bottom line is that although Harry Medved was mistaken, in my opinion, for including the film, I could see exactly why he did and don't think his selection was that far off-base.
And, I know this will ruffle a few feathers, but I also don't think this is De Mille's worst film.
Robinson bellowing "...he took us into the desert to die like dogs!!!!" for the 48th time in the film!
Or how about the Claudette Colbert version of "Cleopatra" where you get to see Ms. Colbert's breasts--not exactly stuff to show your Sunday school class (and yes, I know "Cleopatra" is not a Biblical epic).Watch at your own risk....Oh, and De Mille DID do a few very good films...and many bad ones..
DeMille and is called " North West Mounted Police ".
It tells the story of a courageous and determined Texas Ranger named Dusty Rivers (Gary Cooper) who's task is to ride to Canada and bring back Jacques Corbeau (George Bancroft) a murderous outlaw to stand trial for murder in Texas, U.S.A. Complications arise when he arrives in Canada he learns, the Mounted Police also want the outlaw to stand trial there.
The film is colorful, interesting, well structured, and sure to entertain audiences.
Although not the director's first choice, Cooper holds his own and with the other exciting cast members like Madeleine Carroll, Paulette Goddard, Akim Tamiroff, Lon Chaney Jr, and Regis Toomey, allows the movie to become a major Classic on it's own.
this first demille color epic was a sensation in 1940, deep in the era of fitzpatrick traveltalks ("so as the sun sinks slowly  behind the rugged rockies we bid a reluctant adieu to the friendly metis people of canada.") it surely has many fine moments.
demille isn't the best director for gary cooper, who was allowed to brandish his bizarre mannerisms in a duel to the finish with paulette goddard.
the cool blonde madeleine carroll and stout fella preston foster were pleasant to see, but best acting was done by george bancroft as the heartless whiskey runner, jacques corbeau.
Hard to believe any Director would put his name on this insufferable work (let alone De Mille) But then, he was a Hollywood consumer product (a bit like Hitchcock became)This director put 'Action' ahead of Story, People, or Animals.
It looked (and sounded) like he saw how bad the content was, took the money and ran.
NWMP has just had a rare outing on British TV and it's a Gary Cooper film I hadn't seen before.
early, albeit minor, appearances of Robert Ryan and Rod Cameron.The police head-gear apart, some effort had been made to make the uniforms and civilian clothes look authentic.The tragi-comic "duel" that the Scotsman involved himself did jar a little.I'm not perceptive enough to read much "sub-text" in films, but I did wonder about the date of issue (1940) and the gallant, laid-back US coming to the aid of the stuffy but devoted-to-duty Brits.Not for the first time, I had a slight difficulty in distinguishing at first between the two Prestons on the small screen.I would be happy to watch NWMP again, recording it if necessary, if it's screened again in a year or so..
Of course, it doesn't have any real entertainment value; the story and the characters are impossible to care about, and most of the scenes are dragged out beyond all reason.
Gary Cooper (white), George Bancroft (black), and Akim Tamiroff (brown) characters are id'd as good, bad, and well-intentioned by the colors of the hats they wear.Paulette Goddard's scene hiring the Indian Hit Man is straight from the silents.Lynne Overman's burr is the lineal ancestor of James Doohan's.People still revere De Mille?.
1940's "North West Mounted Police" may have been Paramount's biggest box office success that year, but considering it as the first color film for director Cecil B.
The chief villain is Jacques Corbeau (George Bancroft), whose wildcat half breed daughter (Paulette Goddard) is in love with Mountie Ronnie Logan (Robert Preston).
Gary Cooper toplines as the Texas Ranger sent north to bring Corbeau to justice, sparring with dedicated Sergeant Jim Brett (Preston Foster) over the lovely April Logan (Madeleine Carroll), sister of Ronnie.
This makes it sound like a real snoozefest, and while it's not quite that bad it certainly isn't very captivating.
Stone are on and off in a flash, while poor Lon Chaney (previously seen in a silent role in De Mille's "Union Pacific") doesn't fare much better as Shorty, one of the trappers involved with Riel, who at least has a chance to exult in becoming a father.
Color was something recent in 1940 and this film made quite good use of it.
As the film goes on it becomes more interesting, it was also inspired by a real fact,the Riel Indian Rebellion.
The Métis were part Indian and part French or British Canadian, but in this rebellion only the French Métis took part.There is a tragic love story between Paulette Godard and Robert Preston and a rivalry between Cooper and Preston Foster for the love of Madeleine Carrol.
There are several stories blended together around the idea of Cooper, a Texas Ranger, come to the Canadian north woods to capture a miscreant murderer, the half breed Corbeau.This Corbeau is a nasty guy.
He and the other half breeds are trying to stir up the Blackfeet and the Cree against the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, intending to declare independence and kill everybody who doesn't like their new country.
Robert Preston is a Mountie who falls for the devoted but treacherous half breed woman, Louvette, played by Paulette Goddard in the go-anywhere accent she used when she played foreign spitfires.
She was such an attractive and sexy young woman, it's a shame she didn't get better parts.There is a dull romantic triangle involving Sergeant Preston Foster and another woman he worships, Madeleine Carroll, and there are several shoot outs between half breeds and the RCMP.
I didn't like the fact that there were two actors in supporting roles whose names I always mix up -- Robert Preston and Preston Foster.
But I was on the side of the Northwest Mounted Police at every moment.
I also was enthralled by the titles -- Inspector, Constable, Chief of Inspectors, Chief of Constables, Constable Inspector-in-Chief, and Queen of England.Gary Cooper is young and handsome and looks like he belongs on a horse.
Clutzy De Mille Needed To Rewrite Entire Film as Setup For Coop.
I just watched this movie for the first time.
They let him come west in 1913 and make the first film in Hollywood: The Squaw Man. De Mille was pretty much incompetent, but his films were nevertheless, often successful.
De Mille tried to cut Northwest Mounted's script for Cooper, but Coop's lines didn't always fit in the square peg mounted police spectacle.