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The Age of Commercialism

A Masterpiece!

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Not copyrighted. A Paramount picture. New York opening at the Paramount 7 September 1938. U.S. release: 26 August 1938. Sydney opening at the Prince Edward, 19 November 1938 (ran 4 weeks). 110 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Russian salmon fisheries are on the agenda!NOTES: Special Academy Award "for outstanding achievement in creating Special Photographic and Sound Effects in the Paramount production, Spawn of the North. Special Effects by Gordon Jennings, assisted by Jan Domela, Dev Jennings, Irmin Roberts and Art Smith. Transparencies by Farciot Edouart, assisted by Loyal Griggs. Sound effects by Loren Ryder, assisted by Harry Mills, Louis H. Mesenkop and Walter Oberst".Re-made in 1954 as "Alaska Seas".COMMENT: A typically vigorous Henry Hathaway actioner, "Spawn of the North" is a powerful drama with some terrific action scenes and awesome location material brilliantly blended into the studio footage. Mind you, this studio footage isn't to be put down either, as all the players contribute excellent portrayals, particularly John Barrymore as a loquacious newspaper editor (well-named "Windy") and Lynne Overman as his "translater". Lamour is quite fetching, while Fonda, Raft, Tamiroff and Sokoloff also provide most agreeable character sketches. My only complaint is that the movie is a trifle over-long. The big fight scene occurs almost 30 minutes from the actual end of the picture. Slight trimming of this excess anti-climax would be helpful. The hero's dilemma is real and believable, even though the basic plot is one of the most commonly used in Hollywood movies. The characters also are thoroughly convincing, even though on paper they might be criticized as stereotypes. It's the way they are so skilfully and dramatically brought to life on the screen that counts. Hathaway's solid, punchy direction could not be bettered. Other technical credits are likewise first-rate. All told, this movie certainly comes across as gripping entertainment.

Henry Fonda doesn't contribute much to this film, although Dorothy Lamour does put in a good performance. This is really a George Raft film who puts in a strong performance, and there is a lot that you can learn from his acting. Fonda seems to be trying too hard to act. You just don't believe him, and you feel that he was very lucky to get a break in films in the 1930s. Even Akim Tamaroff puts in a better performance than Fonda standing shoulder to shoulder with Raft as an equal. I can see what Cecil B. DeMille saw in Tamaroff to cast him in 'The Buccaneer', although that was not a good film.Despite all this, I fell asleep during the film because it bored me to tears.

None of the other reviews have mentioned that SPAWN OF THE NORTH is in fact a remake of THE VIRGINIAN, with a change in locale from Wyoming to Alaska. There is also one other notable change. While Akim Tamiroff is Trampas and Henry Fonda steps into Gary Cooper's boots as The Virginian, the emphasis has been shifted to the likable but shady Steve character (Richard Arlen in the '29 talkie, George Raft here). SPAWN OF THE NORTH would itself be remade in 1954 as ALASKA SEAS, with a nice cast including Robert Ryan, Brian Keith, and Gene Barry in the roles played by Raft, Fonda, and Tamiroff respectively. On its own terms SPAWN OF THE NORTH is very effective entertainment, thanks to the guiding hand of director Henry Hathaway as well as its cast, not only the aforementioned stars but also experienced scene-stealers John Barrymore and Lynne Overman in support.

This has been called a western at sea and deservedly, considering the shootouts and roughhousing and a plot line of conflicted loyalties. There is great wildlife and glacier footage and tasty atmosphere. George Raft and Henry Fonda are an odd-couple match, but the chemistry works for the worldly-innocent contrast. In the "egg" incident, notice how both of them seem genuinely tickled. Fonda, of course, is the do-gooder and has little to do here until emotions build toward the climax. Raft has the more interesting role, and a salmon fisherman is a part definitely out of the norm for him. He gets an opportunity to lightly display a variety of talents (singing, swimming, stuntwork). But best of all, this is an example of the kind of performance that thoughtful direction like Hathaway's could bring from him. A vital sequence is emotionally honest without being hysterical or histrionic, and it's perfectly toned to the point of being wrenching. Also having good turns out of the usual are Dorothy Lamour and Akim Tamiroff, though John Barrymore seems a bit wasted - no pun intended.