Northwest Frontier (1947) - Once Upon a Time in a Western

Ilona Massey is Natalia Alanova, daughter of a Russian general, arriving by ship at Fort Ross, a Russian outpost in 1837 California.

She’s young and she’s beautiful, which means she’s greeted with open arms by philandering Prince Nickolai Balinin, governor of that outpost.

Though smitten by her beauty, Captain Jim Laurence (Nelson Eddy), the governor’s right-hand man, is more than a little suspicious.

Natalia says the trip was recommended by her physician. But her passport bears the signature of a Russian official who died six months before it was issued.

In truth, Natalia has sailed to California because Russia sends convicts there. She’s awaiting the arrival on one convict in particular, Count Igor Savin.

Back in Russian, Igor was involved in a plot to kill a governor. He avoided a death penalty by naming six co-conspirators.

Natalia’s father was also involved; she married Igor to keep him silent. Now he’s threatening Natalia again, promising to reveal her father’s role in the plot is she doesn’t help him escape.

But Laurence makes sure no convicts escape Fort Ross.

Natalia is tempted to use her feminine charms to convince the captain to make an exception. Even Princess Tatiana urges her to do so.

There’s just one problem: Natalia has fallen for the American captain, partly because he’s such an honorable man.

Nelson Eddy as Capt. Jim Laurence, learning Igor Savin has escaped Fort Ross in Northwest Outpost (1947)

Ilona Massey as Natalia Alanova, arriving at Fort Ross with a mission only her maid is aware of in Northwest Outpost (1947)

Review:

Strip away the operatic musical numbers, and this makes for an entertaining little film.

Just know it’s more romance and palace intrigue in a fort setting than Western. And until the final 20 minutes, it’s pretty short on action.

Nelson Eddy and Ilona Massey get top billing, of course. And provide the musical highlights.

But the film wouldn’t be nearly as entertaining without fine performances from Hugo Hass and Elsa Lanchester as the prince and princess.

He’s the husband of 20 years with a wandering eye, especially for a baroness. She’s wise to his ways, not to mention wiser overall.

This marked the final film for Nelson Eddy. He’d already starred in two other Western musicals, “Rose Marie” (1936) and “Girl of the Golden West” (1938).

Hugo Hass as Prince Nickolai Balinin, enchanted by Natalia’s beauty and voice in Northwest Outpost (1947)

Elsa Lanchester as Princess Tatiana, trying to convince Natalia Alanova to share her secret in Northwest Outpost (1947)

Directed by:
Allan Dwan

Cast:
Nelson Eddy … Capt. Jim Laurence
Ilona Massey … Natalia Alanova
Joseph Schildkraut … Count Igor Savin
Elsa Lanchester … Princess ‘Tanya’ Tatiana
Hugo Haas … Prince Nickolai Balinin
Lenore Ulric … Baroness Kruposny
Peter Whitney …. Volkoff, overseer
Tamara Shayne … Olga, Natalia’s maid
Erno Verebes … Kyril, Balinin’s aide
George Sorel … Baron Kruposny
Rick Vallin … Dovkin

Runtime: 91 min.

Joseph Schildkraut as Count Igor Savin, demanding that Natalia help him escape to spare her father’s life in Northwest Outpost (1947)

Tamara Shayne as Olga, Natalia’s maid, seeing what she can learn by eavesdropping in Northwest Outpost (1947)

Memorable lines:

Princess Nickolai, of Capt. Laurence: “Attractive, yes. But he’s very hard to attract. You wouldn’t believe it, but he could decorate all the walls of his quarters with frustrated and furious female hearts.”
Natalia Alanova: “You know, a man who collects hearts usually hasn’t got a heart of his own.”
Princess Nickolai: “Oh, yes, he has. For his horse. His gun. Fighting Indians.”
Natalia Alanova: “He sounds terrible.” A little laugh and smile. “Terrible.”

Natalia Alanova: “What a wonderful voice he has.”
Princess Nickolai: “The captain has one weakness. He loves to sing.”

Natalia Alanova, of the convicts: “Do many of them escape?”
Capt. Laurence: “None. A few try. But if the Indians don’t get them, wild animals do. If the animals don’t, then the sea does. And if the sea doesn’t, we bring them back, wiser, tamer and much more philosophical.”

Elsa Lanchester as Princess Tatiana and Hugo Hass as Prince Nickolai Balinin, waiting for their new guest to arrive in Northwest Outpost (1947)

Joseph Schildkraut as Count Igor Savin and Peter Whitney as Fort Ross guard Volkoff, watching to see if they’re being trailed in Northwest Outpost (1947)

Natalia Alanova: “I thought you were immune to attractive women.”
Capt. Laurence: “Not immune. Just cautious.”
Natalia: “Too much caution can make you a lonely man.”

Natalia Alanova: “If you had any feeling for me, you wouldn’t ask me to buy your freedom by throwing myself at another man.”
Igor Savin: “My dear child, a man sentenced to slow death is far above your petty, middle class moralities.”

Princess ‘Tanya’ Tatiana, trying to convince a crying Natalia to share her problems: “I’m a woman, my dear, before I’m a princess. And Nicky has so many secrets from me, it would be rather charming if I had just one from him.”

Princess ‘Tanya’ Tatiana, suggesting Natalia seduce Capt. Laurence: “There are ways an attractive woman like you can make a man forget his honor. Or at least mislay it for a few moments.”