[Movie] The Golden Compass

As on IMDB,

Quote:

According to Philip Pullman, the title "The Golden Compass" came about when he was deciding what to name the trilogy that the book this film was based on was to be the first part of. He came across a passage by John Milton referring to "golden compasses" as in instruments used to draw perfect circles. Ultimately, he ended up calling the trilogy "His Dark Materials" based on another passage by Milton, and named the first part "The Northern Lights." However, the American publishers heard about the term "golden compass", mistaking it for a reference to the alethiometer, and insisted on using it as the title of the first book.

An even longer quote from the author can be found on a fan site The Golden Compass | The HDM FAQ | His Dark Materials | BridgeToTheStars.Net

"Meanwhile, back in the USA, the publishers had become so attached to THE GOLDEN COMPASS that nothing I could say could persuade them to call the book NORTHERN LIGHTS. Their obduracy in this matter was accompanied by such generosity in the matter of royalty advances, flattery, promises of publicity, etc, that I thought it would be churlish to deny them this small pleasure."

Jam it back in, in the dark.