This is a mildly interesting documentary about MGM's decision to find locations for shooting NORTHWEST PASSAGE in Utah and Death Valley, with scenes of cast and crew at work filming scenes for the huge Technicolor camera in the wilds.
At the start, the MGM lot features a glimpse of star SPENCER TRACY with two of his co-stars from other films, MYRNA LOY and CLARK GABLE.
Then the narration begins with glimpses from a couple of other MGM films where great obstacles had to be mounted in order to film stories people thought would be impossible to put on screen--THE GOOD EARTH, A TALE OF TWO CITIES, etc.
The Utah location is then visited with tents set up to house the various departments. Although things may look a bit disorganized, we're told that the unit is run with efficiency and nothing has been overlooked to make sure filming can proceed whenever the weather dictates.
What's most impressive is seeing how the technicians and camera crew had to get down and dirty with the cast that was trudging through river waters, all the while handling heavy lights and equipment.
Summing up: A good introduction to watching NORTHWEST PASSAGE, but it would have been even more an even more effective short if photographed in Technicolor, as the feature film was.
At the start, the MGM lot features a glimpse of star SPENCER TRACY with two of his co-stars from other films, MYRNA LOY and CLARK GABLE.
Then the narration begins with glimpses from a couple of other MGM films where great obstacles had to be mounted in order to film stories people thought would be impossible to put on screen--THE GOOD EARTH, A TALE OF TWO CITIES, etc.
The Utah location is then visited with tents set up to house the various departments. Although things may look a bit disorganized, we're told that the unit is run with efficiency and nothing has been overlooked to make sure filming can proceed whenever the weather dictates.
What's most impressive is seeing how the technicians and camera crew had to get down and dirty with the cast that was trudging through river waters, all the while handling heavy lights and equipment.
Summing up: A good introduction to watching NORTHWEST PASSAGE, but it would have been even more an even more effective short if photographed in Technicolor, as the feature film was.