Men of the North
"A Thundering Romance of the Great White Silence!"
Plot
In the frozen Canadian Northwest, a charming French-Canadian trapper named Louis La Bey is falsely accused of stealing a gold shipment from a local mine. Sergeant Mooney of the North West Mounted Police pursues Louis after receiving a tip from Woolie-Woolie, a native woman who betrays Louis out of jealousy over his growing attraction to Nedra Ruskin, the mine owner's daughter. During the high-stakes chase through the wilderness, Louis proves his nobility by rescuing the Sergeant after a dog sled accident and later saving Nedra from a life-threatening avalanche. Despite his heroics, the Sergeant initially takes Louis prisoner upon their return to the settlement, leading to a tense climax where Louis must clear his name and win Nedra's hand.
About the Production
The film is historically significant as the only feature film Hal Roach directed as a 'director-for-hire' for MGM, rather than producing it through his own Hal Roach Studios. It was part of a major experimental production cycle where MGM filmed five different language versions (English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian) simultaneously to capture international markets during the early sound era. The production took over three months due to the complexity of rotating different casts onto the same sets.
Historical Background
1930 was a pivotal year in Hollywood known as the 'dawn of sound.' Studios were desperate to maintain their lucrative foreign markets, but audiences in non-English speaking countries could no longer understand the films. Before dubbing and subtitling became standardized and technically viable, the industry turned to 'Multiple-Language Versions.' 'Men of the North' represents the peak of this experimental phase. Additionally, the film was released during the early years of the Great Depression, which influenced the story's focus on gold and the struggle for survival in harsh conditions.
Why This Film Matters
The film is a primary case study for film historians researching the transition from silent to sound cinema. It highlights the industry's early struggle with linguistic barriers and the 'Tower of Babel' effect that sound introduced to the global film market. It also served as an early starring vehicle for Gilbert Roland, helping to solidify his image as a romantic lead and a rare Mexican-born star who successfully transitioned from silents to talkies.
Making Of
The production of 'Men of the North' was a logistical marathon. Hal Roach was chosen by MGM specifically for his experience in managing fast-paced, complex shoots. To save money, the studio used the same sets and costumes for all five language versions. As soon as the English-speaking actors finished a scene, they would step off the set and a cast of Spanish, French, or Italian actors would step in to film the exact same sequence. This 'Multiple-Language Version' (MLV) technique was a short-lived solution to the problem of sound films, which had ended the universal language of silent cinema. However, the process proved more confusing than efficient, leading to a production schedule that stretched far beyond the typical timeframe for a 1930s Western.
Visual Style
The film features impressive outdoor cinematography by Ray Binger. Unlike many early sound films that were confined to static, soundproof booths, 'Men of the North' utilized extensive location shooting in the High Sierra Mountains. This provided a sense of scale and realism that was rare for the period, capturing the harsh beauty of the Canadian wilderness with deep-focus shots of snow-covered ravines and mountain peaks.
Innovations
The film's primary technical achievement was the coordination of five simultaneous productions. It utilized a 'relay' system of filming that required precise set management and continuity across five different casts. It also successfully managed the technical challenge of recording clear audio in outdoor, high-altitude environments, which was a significant hurdle for early sound equipment.
Music
The soundtrack is primarily composed of synchronized dialogue and ambient sound effects, which were still a novelty in 1930. There is minimal background scoring, typical of the early sound era, though a 1937 re-release of the film added a new musical score to make it feel more modern for audiences of that time.
Famous Quotes
Louis La Bey: 'In the summer, this country she is like a man—a big strong man. But now, see how the snow covers the rough rocks.'
Sergeant Mooney: 'I don't know a thing about you, Louis, except that I'm going to get you.'
Woolie-Woolie: 'This girl, she is not for you. She is the pretty rich girl from the city, and you... you are just a poor trapper.'
Memorable Scenes
- The Avalanche Rescue: A high-tension sequence where Louis risks his life to dig Nedra out of a massive snow slide, showcasing early practical effects.
- The Dog Sled Pursuit: A visually striking chase across the frozen tundra where the Sergeant's sled crashes, forcing the pursued to become the rescuer.
- The Betrayal: Woolie-Woolie's emotional confrontation with Louis where her jealousy leads her to reveal his secret hiding place to the authorities.
Did You Know?
- This was the only film Hal Roach directed for MGM that he did not also produce.
- The film was shot simultaneously in five languages: English, Spanish (as 'Monsieur Le Fox'), French, German, and Italian.
- Gilbert Roland, who was bilingual, starred in both the English and Spanish versions of the film.
- Barbara Leonard appeared in the French, German, and Italian versions as well as the English original, thanks to her multi-lingual abilities.
- Hal Roach gave small bit parts to his regular contract players, including Charlie Hall and Our Gang member Dorothy DeBorba.
- The Spanish version features Rosita Ballesteros in the role played by Barbara Leonard in the English version.
- The Italian version was titled 'Luigi la volpe' (Luigi the Fox).
- The film's story was written by Willard Mack, a prolific playwright and actor of the era.
- It is considered one of the earliest examples of the 'Mountie' subgenre in talking pictures.
- The production was described by Variety at the time as an 'experiment' in economical international filmmaking.
What Critics Said
At the time of its release, 'Men of the North' received mixed reviews. Variety praised the technical effort of the multi-language production but found the plot somewhat conventional. Modern critics, such as those reviewing the Warner Archive release, often describe the film as a 'creaky' early sound curiosity. While the dialogue is noted for being stilted and the acting somewhat unnatural by modern standards, the cinematography and the location shooting in the snowy mountains are still praised for their visual impact.
What Audiences Thought
Contemporary audiences in 1930 were generally enthusiastic about the novelty of 'talkies,' and the film performed well in regions where the specific language versions were released. The Italian version, 'Luigi la volpe,' was reportedly a hit with Italian-American audiences in New York. However, as dubbing technology improved just a few years later, these multi-language versions quickly fell out of favor and were largely forgotten by the general public.
Film Connections
Influenced By
- The Call of the Wild (1903 novel)
- The Spoilers (1914 film)
- Early silent Westerns by William S. Hart
This Film Influenced
- Rose Marie (1936)
- Susannah of the Mounties (1939)
- The Wild North (1952)
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Film Restoration
The film is preserved and was released on DVD-R by the Warner Archive Collection in 2019. It is also available in the public domain, with digital copies residing in the Internet Archive and Wikimedia Commons.