THE HARD ROAD TO KLONDIKE

Based on the autobiography of Donegal-born Michael MacGowan, ( 1865-1948), this video is a stirring account of his life as a migrant worker and exile in America at the turn of the century. His story mirrors the lives of millions of Irish emigrants who crossed the Atlantic in search of a new start. On the American frontier displaced native confronted disinherited Native American and, in a clash of cultures, the colonized became the colonizer. MacGowan's story is interwoven with archival footage and photos, clips from Hollywood silent films, plus interviews with Sean O hEochaidh, who collaborated with MacGowan's children to transcribe his narrative, with Native American folklorist Gary White Deer, and historians David Emmons and Kerby Miller, whose comments enhance our understanding of the era and MacGowan's classic quest for the American Dream.

Directed by Desmond Bell
Narrated by Stephen Rea
1999, 52 minutes
Purchase: $310 Classroom Rental: $125

"...fascinating...The editing of this film is masterful, eloquently blending narration, musical background, and a wide variety of haunting images...Secondary teachers will find this video a useful point of departure for thoughtful discussions on immigration and western expansion." - School Library Journal

"...a riveting account...Director Bell seamlessly edits scenes from the early years of silent cinema to give MacGowan's story the visual scale it deserves, and narrator Stephen Rea delivers a colorful account of the emigrant's life, translated from the original book." - The Irish Echo

"...starkly beautiful…compelling…the archival footage provides fascinating windows into the territory of the past." - The Irish Times

"...a classic tale...offers a raw account of the life of an original frontiersman." - The Sunday Times

"This story is an epic, Homeric tale and the fascinating incidental detail opens windows into another world. The narration by Stephen Rea, speaking the words of Michael is unfussy and often the turns of phrase are strikingly memorable. The images back up the detail without swamping the story, the antique images are often quite haunting. Interviews with living people are mixed in sparingly and usually to good effect." - Film Ireland

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