''Harpoon'' is a 1948 American adventure film directed and produced by Ewing Scott, and starring

John Bromfield John Bromfield (born Farron Bromfield; June 11, 1922 – September 19, 2005) was an American actor and commercial fisherman. Early years Farron Bromfield was born in South Bend, Indiana. He played football and was a boxing champion at Saint Mar ...

in his first film role. Although described by some sources as a "documentary," it is a fictional

feature film A feature film or feature-length film is a narrative film (motion picture or "movie") with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole presentation in a commercial entertainment program. The term ''feature film'' originall ...

shot on location in

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...

Synopsis

Set in Alaska in the late 19th century, the film tells the story of a feud between two whalers, whose sons carry on the rivalry after the deaths of their fathers.

Cast

as Michael Shand *Alyce Louis as Kitty Canon * James Cardwell as Red Dorsett Jr. *Patricia Garrison as Christine McFee *Jack George as Rev. McFee * Edgar Hinton as Kurt Shand

Production

The Danches brothers, Abe, Ralph, and George, were Cleveland-based industrialists who made a fortune during World War II selling powdered eggs. After the war, the brothers set up Danches Bros. Productions to make movies and made ''

Untamed Fury ''Untamed Fury'' (also known as ''The Outlander'') is a 1947 American film. Production The film was financed by the Danches brothers, industrialists who had made a fortune during World War II and wanted to enter into filmmaking. The film's budget ...

'' in 1946 with Ewing Scott. Scott had made two films in Alaska in the 1920's and had an idea for a new one, which he convinced the Danches brothers to fund. In May 1947 Scott announced he would make the film on a three-month location trip. The Danches brothers purchased a military surplus patrol boat and converted it into a "floating studio" on which the entire production crew embarked from San Diego to Alaska on 20 May 1947 for the shoot. The boat, which had originally been built for $250,000, was purchased for $40,000 and was painted black on one side and white on the other so it could be used to depict two different boats in the movie. Scott wanted James Davis or

Robert Alda Robert Alda (born Alfonso Giuseppe Giovanni Roberto D'Abruzzo; February 26, 1914 – May 3, 1986) was an Italian-American theatrical and film actor, a singer, and a dancer. He was the father of actors Alan and Antony Alda. Alda was featured in a ...

for the lead and intended to release through Universal. John Bromfield was eventually cast after being discovered repairing nets on the Santa Monica pier. Although this film marked Bromfield's first credited role, he would make his debut screen appearance in ''

Sorry, Wrong Number ''Sorry, Wrong Number'' is a 1948 American thriller film noir directed by Anatole Litvak, from a screenplay by Lucille Fletcher, based on her 1943 radio play of the same name. The film stars Barbara Stanwyck and Burt Lancaster. It follows a bed ...

'' which premiered one month before ''Harpoon'' was released to theaters. The production proved problematic, with the original actor playing "Red" having to be replaced after suffering severe injuries on the set and extensive reshoots costing over $30,000 required after it was discovered some of the film was scratched. The production crew returned to California in September 1947. Following some additional studio work, filming was finished by October 1947.

Reception

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'' critic

Bosley Crowther Francis Bosley Crowther Jr. (July 13, 1905 – March 7, 1981) was an American journalist, writer, and film critic for ''The New York Times'' for 27 years. His work helped shape the careers of many actors, directors and screenwriters, though his ...

gave the film a "minor citation for effort", but dismissed its story as "hopelessly naive" and "childish", and the acting and direction as "painfully amateurish". The ship used during the production of ''Harpoon'', "The Flying Kate", is referenced in John S. Bohne's 2001 book ''The Sea Change'', which describes the film as "a rough sea adventure made from a rather bad script". The Danches wanted to make a follow up, ''The Vanishing Isle'' and ''The Kind of Kapu''. Neither appears to have been made. However Scott did make ''

Arctic Manhunt ''Arctic Manhunt'' is a 1949 American adventure film directed by Ewing Scott and starring Mikel Conrad, Carol Thurston and Wally Cassell. Plot Insurance agents head to the icy wilderness to collect an ex-con in possession of $250,000 in stolen f ...

'' (1948), shot mostly in Alaska.

References

External links

* * * * * * {{TV Guide movie, 2030010419 1948 films American adventure films Films about whaling Films set in Alaska Films shot in Alaska Lippert Pictures films 1948 adventure films American black-and-white films 1940s English-language films Films directed by Ewing Scott 1940s American films