The Viking (1931 film)
Encyclopedia
The Viking is a Newfoundland
and American
adventure film
directed by George Melford
. It is best known for the disaster during filming in which many members of the crew were killed in an explosion.
. Worried that the jinx may attempt to steal his girlfriend, the seal-hunter forces the alleged coward to accompany him on an Arctic expedition. They both end up in a hunting party on the ice floes and eventually find themselves stranded. The hunter tries to kill the jinx, but the snow blinds him and he misses. Despite the murder attempt, the jinx helps the hunter back to the safety of their ship called The Viking. On recovering his sight, the hunter gains new respect for the jinx and vows that he will beat senseless any man who derides the character of his new friend.
's previous short films The Lure of Labrador and The Swilin' Racket gave him interest to make a full-length feature entitled Vikings of the Ice Field. Paramount Pictures
put up $100,000 to finance the production while insisting that Hollywood personnel be used. Frissell hired director George Melford
who went to McGill University
in Montreal
and had experience in filming Canadian subjects previously.. On a second voyage to obtain more footage for the film, Frissell, Alexander Penrod, and 26 other film crew members were killed in an explosion while trying to film an iceberg.
referred to the film's story as "sketchy" while the Theater Guild Magazine found the story "melodramatic" finding the screenplay uninteresting in comparison to the cinematography. The Film Daily gave a negative review noting the "weakness" of the story.
Dominion of Newfoundland
The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British Dominion from 1907 to 1949 . The Dominion of Newfoundland was situated in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast and comprised the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the continental mainland...
and American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
adventure film
Adventure film
Adventure films are a genre of film.Unlike pure, low-budget action films they often use their action scenes preferably to display and explore exotic locations in an energetic way....
directed by George Melford
George Melford
George H. Melford was an American stage and film actor, director, producer, and screenwriter.-Career:...
. It is best known for the disaster during filming in which many members of the crew were killed in an explosion.
Plot
The film is set on the coasts of Newfoundland and focuses on the rivalry between a seal hunter and a local jinxJinx
A jinx, in popular superstition and folklore, is:* A type of curse placed on a person that makes them prey to many minor misfortunes and other forms of bad luck;...
. Worried that the jinx may attempt to steal his girlfriend, the seal-hunter forces the alleged coward to accompany him on an Arctic expedition. They both end up in a hunting party on the ice floes and eventually find themselves stranded. The hunter tries to kill the jinx, but the snow blinds him and he misses. Despite the murder attempt, the jinx helps the hunter back to the safety of their ship called The Viking. On recovering his sight, the hunter gains new respect for the jinx and vows that he will beat senseless any man who derides the character of his new friend.
Production
American born producer Varick FrissellVarick Frissell
Varick Frissell was a documentary filmmaker.Frissell came from a well-to-do family, studied at Yale, and took a keen interest in film at an early age. He was mentored by renowned documentarian Robert Flaherty...
's previous short films The Lure of Labrador and The Swilin' Racket gave him interest to make a full-length feature entitled Vikings of the Ice Field. Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
put up $100,000 to finance the production while insisting that Hollywood personnel be used. Frissell hired director George Melford
George Melford
George H. Melford was an American stage and film actor, director, producer, and screenwriter.-Career:...
who went to McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and had experience in filming Canadian subjects previously.. On a second voyage to obtain more footage for the film, Frissell, Alexander Penrod, and 26 other film crew members were killed in an explosion while trying to film an iceberg.
Reception
Despite the tragedy on set, the film was completed and released in 1931. Reviews for the film varied while the story was generally berated. The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
referred to the film's story as "sketchy" while the Theater Guild Magazine found the story "melodramatic" finding the screenplay uninteresting in comparison to the cinematography. The Film Daily gave a negative review noting the "weakness" of the story.