Iron Will

1994
U
1h 48m

IMDb RATING

6.6/10

9.6K

YOUR RATING

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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.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.6/10

9.6K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
The 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.

Goofs
The "x-back" style of harness that Will's dogs wear was not invented until the 1970s.

Quotes
Harry Kingsley: Holy Chicago!

Crazy credits
The first name of the reporter Harry Kingsley (played by Kevin Spacey) appears in the end credits as "Kermit".

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: Intersection/The Air Up There/Body Snatchers/Iron Will/Hoop Dreams (1994)

User reviews42

Review

Featured review

Awesome, Great, Inspirational, Heroic etc etc.

Awesome movie, In the same league as Rocky. Just too good. A must watch.

After his dad "buys the farm" in a tragic dogsledding accident, it's up to young Will Stoneman (Mackenzie Astin) to pay off the mortgage. And there's only one way to do it: Win a $10,000 prize in a 500-mile dogsled race. David Ogden Stiers is the railroad magnate who puts up the prize money, and August Schellenberg is the sage Indian who helps the plucky lad develop an iron will to win.

There was one more hero in this movie apart from Mackenzie Astin, the Dog "Gus" which in the movie was his father's favourite dog. The dog was really terrific.