Movie time

Emperor of the North Pole
(a.k.a. Emperor of the North)

Now you might think this is some lame ass movie about Santa and his Reindeer (which are just caribou by the way) but it is something better. It is an epic tale that highlights the class struggle that still exists today and the bowels of depravity that some men sink to.

“Robert Aldrich set this epic duel between the king of the hoboes versus the most sadistic of Railroad Men during the height of the Great Depression in 1933. The simple story taps into the hatred the railroad people have for the tramps. It is about one bum's aim, Lee Marvin , who is known as A No. 1, king of the hoboes, to ride the previously unridden No. 19 freight train of the murderous Shack ( Ernest Borgnine ).”

Basically this is a kick ass movie that is a must see mainly for the ultra-grizzle of Lee Marvin’s character (‘A’ Number 1) and the vicious antics of Railroad Bull (Shack) played by Mr. Ernest Borgnine . To give you a better idea: ‘A’ hops the train via holding on to the bottom of the cars to avoid detection buy the Bulls. Once the train gets up to speed Shack uses a hunk of steel attached to a rope and lowers it between the train wheels where it bounces around and knocks off the hobos. I would think it would suck to fall off a moving train between the wheels. Certain death anyone?

It is not easy to find, especially on DVD, but worth it none the less.

3 and 1/2 stars.