Emperor of the North (1973)

[Neville]

What a great movie!

Lee Marvin stars as A Number 1 (really), a hobo in the years right after the Great Depression. He uses to board freight trains, and after one particular incident he gains a new enemy, a train guard (Ernest Borgnine) of brutal methods and fierce determination.

A Number 1 is real cocky, so he challenges the guard he will travel in his next asignment. It is a very dangerous journey, because apart from the guard A Number 1 has many things to consider, such as the regular dangers of trainhopping or the presence of a youngster (Keith Carradine) who wants to become hobo #1.

Rather than aiming for social commentary (noticeably absent most of the time) or a dramatic approach, director Robert Aldrich aims for a suspense film, and succeeds with ease, aided by a fantastic cast. Lee Marvin is as his usual grumpy cool, but it's Ernest Borgnine who has the most difficult role. Aldrich is clearly on the outsiders' side, but he allows Borgnine's character to be more than an empowered brute, and Borgnine is perfect. Then there's Keith Carradine. I never cared much for any of the Carradines, really, but he is great here, all full of air, as he explains he wants to become "Emperor of the North".

As the film progresses, there's space for humour (a baptising ceremony is lots of fun, specially when it comes Lee Marvin's turn) and violence, but mostly this is an adventure film, and there's plenty of well-staged, highly suspenseful situations.

[Ometiklan]

A no.1 to Ol' Cigarette: You Don't Got What It Takes To Be A Meateater Kid!
Love This Flick!

[Scott]

Neville, this is a film that I can watch over and over again. Every time it's on I find myself watching it.

[Neville]

I love it, I'm amazed I never stumbled over it before. Should be in the diccionary entry for "Guy's movie".

[trekgeezer]

Ernest Borgnine is one sadistic bastard in this film and not for the first time.  You need to check him out as Sgt. Fatso in "From Here to Eternity"  in which he harrasses and  finally beats Frank Sinatra to death.

Of course, I always liked his part in "Bad Day at Black Rock" especially the part where the one armed Spencer Tracy kicks his ass.

As far as Keith Carradine is concerned, I would've thrown him off the train a long time before Lee Marvin did.

[Neville]

True. There's nothing wrong with Keith's performance, but the character can be very annoting. I really felt in Lee Marvin's shoes when they're greasing the rails and he catches him greasing the same as he. His stare is priceless. And the whole "I'll have kings and queens" speech... he really had it coming.

[Yaddo 42]

Yep, a neglected manly-man movie. Kind of movie you drink beer and eat steak while watching. That ugly gritty fight at the end beats most of the kung fu and wire work stuff out there. That stuff is cool to watch for the spectacle, but this fight HURTS. You can feel the pain of these two old grizzled tough guys as they beat each other down.

Same for the scene where Shack lets the big pin bounce under the train car to rough up and punish any riders. The sadistic glee on Borgnine's face reminds you that he did actually "act" once upon a time. Shack may be a cold-hearted SOB, look how he treats his crew, but he's got a sense of pride about his job and being on time. Plus it's the Great Depression, he probably looked at it like he had to be tough and get the job done. He's an aging man, and there were hordes of poor starving bastards willing to do the job if he couldn't, his bosses wouldn't think twice about firing him if so inclined.

Cigaret was meant to be annoying, a nuisance to A Number 1. He gives him a shot but the kid comes up short.

Love the look on the woman's face when Cigaret sees her shaving her armpit. "Well?"
A movie full of jaded survivors.

"Your ass don't ride this train!" should be some kind of catchphrase, like "Go ahead. Make my day."

Besides how can you not love any film where Lee Marvin hits one of those thieving punks with the same chicken they were trying to steal?

[peter johnson]

People who haven't seen this one should see it for Borgnine's villian --
Yes, Marvin & the other cast members are good, too, and it's a pretty good movie, but Ernest Borgnine's Bad Guy here is one of the top-five Bad Guy roles in The History of Cinema That I've Seen --
Really, put this (censored) up against Freddie or Jason or even Mr. Potter and Ernie would laugh & just start feeding out that little weight at the end of the rope . . .
This guy still gets me p**sed off --
peter johnson/denny crane