Emperor of the North (1973)

Simply A Masterpiece

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

In the description of the technical specs IMDb lists it as being in 1:85. That is incorrect it is In 2:35 Panavision. I own the DVD and it is Anamorphic widescreen. I also recently saw it on the Fox Movie Channel and it was presented in 2:35 widescreen. Great Oregon locations and Acting especially by Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine and a very young Keith Carradine.

A film that alternates between comedy and social statement and brutal actioner. In 1933, Lee Marvin is a hobo riding the rails in the Pacific northwest. When he attempts to ride the train of psychotic conductor Ernest Borgnine, an all-out battle ensues. Marvin is excellent in a role that features, at least at first, very little dialog. Borgnine, who never shuts up, is every inch his equal. The film is full of colorful characters, breathtaking scenery and a final quarter that is extremely exciting. Director Robert Aldrich, aided by some excellent Joseph Biroc cinematography and a rip roaring score (by Fank De Vol), creates a minor classic. The supporting cast includes Aldrich regulars Dave Willock & Harry Caesar, as well as Keith Carradine as a young loose cannon who Marvin reluctantly agrees to mentor.

Having been a supporting actor for years in pictures such as Marlon Brando's 'The Wild One' ( 1953 ), tough guy Lee Marvin unexpectedly acquired leading man status as the '60's drew to a close. His Oscar-winning turn as the drunken cowboy 'Kid Shelleen' in 'Cat Ballou' ( 1965 ) helped, of course, but the role that really turned round his fortunes was that of 'Major Reisman' in Robert Aldrich's 'The Dirty Dozen' ( 1967 ). 'Point Blank!' and 'Paint Your Wagon' ( 1969 ) followed in due course. He was an unlikely star; for one thing, he was not young, and his distinctive deep voice and white hair precluded him from doing too many roles that did not cast him as some grizzled, hard bitten adventurer. In 1973, he was reunited with Aldrich, producer Kenneth Hyman, and actor Ernest Borgnine for this splendid adventure film, scripted by Christopher Knopf. Set in Depression era America, unemployed men - nicknamed 'hobos' by the railroad companies - travel across the country in search of work by stowing away whenever they can on passing trains. The companies fight back by hiring guards to ensure their trains stay hobo-free. One such guard is Shack ( Borgnine ), a sadistic monster who apparently regards the train as his personal property, and any tramp who tries to get on can expect to be either maimed or killed. One poor soul who does this at the start of the film receives a hammer blow to the skull, followed by the removal of his legs as he tumbles onto the track.But a threat to Shack's kingdom appears in the unlikely form of an unnamed drifter ( Marvin ) calling himself 'A No.1'. He decides to take Shack on. Spotting A No.1 climbing into a train compartment, Shack bolts the roof hatch, trapping him. He starts a fire, and when the wooden walls have burnt sufficiently crashes through them to freedom. A younger man, Cigaret ( Keith Carradine ) is impressed. A No.1 becomes a folk hero to other hobos, earning himself the title 'Emperor Of The North Pole', setting the scene for an epic confrontation between the tramp and the railroad man...As was the case with 'Dirty Dozen', the cast is mostly all male ( there are a couple of amusing moments which feature women - Cigaret spies a lady shaving her armpits, and a baptist pushes a woman into a river to cleanse her of sin and when she emerges her white gown has become transparent and her breasts can be seen ), and Marvin dominates the film. Watching the quick thinking A No.1 outwit Shack at every turn is a joy. Imagine a Charlie Chaplin picture with blood and you have 'Emperor Of The North Pole'. The film was criticised on its release for its violence, but I think it was necessary to show the audience what sort of a vile creature Shack was. It makes his final defeat all the more satisfying. Borgnine is terrific, throwing hammers round, a grin on his face, like an insane version of the Marvel Comics' super-hero 'Thor'. Another I.M.D.B. reviewer has made comparisons with John Frankenheimer's 'The Train' ( 1965 ) and I think its a realistic one. In the pre-C.G.I. age, action scenes on moving trains such as the ones seen here had to be done for real, making the film all the more exciting and believable.If you like outdoor adventure films and don't give a fig if the leading man looks old enough to be your grandfather, give this a go. In the U.K., the title was shortened to 'Emperor Of The North' so as not to give the misleading impression it was set in the North Pole.

I have to say, this film is one of the hidden gems of the '70s. The only reason I found it was because it was recommended on Amazon after I ordered "The Dirty Dozen". It is definitely an exciting film, even if a little slow at times. The scene where Shack's train is attempting to avoid a collision with a fast mail train still resides in my memory as one of the more exciting action scenes I have ever viewed.Ernest Borgnine is excellent as the sadistic conductor, and Lee Marvin is as well in his role as a veteran freight-hopper. Keith Carradine plays his role as an arrogant, whiny youth quite well, to the point where I was genuinely disgusted with his character. Malcolm Atterbury is perfectly cast in his final film role, playing the memorable bit part of the Hogger. Oregon Pacific and Eastern #19 is also captured beautifully among the lush foliage of the Pacific Northwest. Almost all of the filming looks like it was done on location, and Borgnine and Marvin are quite convincing as "real men" who don't need stunt doubles to be impressive.The soundtrack is the only part I genuinely did not like about this movie. The tune and lyrics are both very, very '70s, and I think that some music from the period that the film is set in would be much more effective. The timing of the already flinch-worthy music is occasionally quite bad, such as in the pre-credit sequence in the very beginning of the film. In this case, Shack finishes off an unlucky hobo with a hammer, and upbeat folk music begins to play as we see his bisected body on the tracks behind the train. Really? The music was bad, but not enough to bring it down one star in my book. The film's amazing cinematography more than makes up for this shortcoming, and the performances of both the main and supporting actors further boosts my opinion of it.I would highly recommend this film for any railroad buff or action movie lover. This is truly a forgotten masterpiece that deserves a spot in any collection!