IMDb RATING
6.6/10
9.6K
YOUR RATING
A brave young man is thrust into adulthood as he and his courageous team of sled dogs embark on a grueling and treacherous cross-country marathon.A brave young man is thrust into adulthood as he and his courageous team of sled dogs embark on a grueling and treacherous cross-country marathon.A brave young man is thrust into adulthood as he and his courageous team of sled dogs embark on a grueling and treacherous cross-country marathon.
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Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe movie is a fictionalized account of the 1917 Winnipeg-to-St. Paul dog-sled race, sponsored by the Great Northern Railway. The main character in the movie, Will Stoneman, is based on two real-life participants in the 1917 race: Albert Campbell, the eventual winner, a mixed-blood Cree trapper from Manitoba who endured harassment from his racist competitors throughout the race; Fred Hartman, one of only two U.S participants, touted as a hero during the race by U.S newspapers. His sled dogs fought among themselves and his lead dog was killed. The other U.S racer dropped out two days before the finish but Fred continued, coming in last and then collapsed. J.W. Harper, the president of the St. Paul Winter Carnival in the movie, is based on Louis W. Hill, son of railroad magnate James J. Hill, president of the Great Northern Railroad.
- GoofsThe "x-back" style of harness that Will's dogs wear was not invented until the 1970s.
- Quotes
Harry Kingsley: Holy Chicago!
- Crazy creditsThe first name of the reporter Harry Kingsley (played by Kevin Spacey) appears in the end credits as "Kermit".
Featured review
Growing up on a farm in South Dakota "Will Stoneman" (Mackenzie Astin) is worried about the financial impact of his going to college will have for his family. Then one day his father "Jack Stoneman" (John Terry) is killed in an accident and needing money to prevent his mother "Maggie Stoneman" (Penelope Windust) from having to sell everything, he decides to enter a dog race in Canada which offers $10,000 to the winner-which is a hefty sum in 1917. Yet, even though he is quite familiar with dog sleds , the brutal nature of this race is like nothing he could have imagined and it will take everything he has just to survive. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that there was indeed a dog race held that year which started in Winnipeg and finished in St. Paul, Minnesota. But that's about all this story gets right. So to suggest that the story was embellished is an understatement in and of itself. Regardless, this film does have a "feel good" quality about it and for that reason I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.
Details
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $21,006,361
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $5,313,406
- Jan 17, 1994
- Gross worldwide
- $21,006,361
- Runtime1 hour 48 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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