Martin Bradley Ernest Borgnine is the meanest sonofabitch on the railroad and Lee Marvin is the hobo who gives him a hard time riding the rails. The period is the Depression when hobos rode the rails with impunity and it was up to hard-as-nails guys like Ernest to stop them. Robert Aldrich's "Emperor of the North" is one of his male-orientated pictures, displaying a good deal of his signature brutality and while it's a minor work in the Aldrich canon it has much to recommend it; here it's the duel to the death between Marvin and Borgnine who makes for a truly nasty villain and is just one of the reasons why this is such a ridiculously entertaining picture. Nice work too from a young Keith Carradine as a fellow hobo with aspirations to take Marvin's crown as 'Emperor of the North'.

JasparLamarCrabb A film that alternates between comedy and social statement and brutal actioner. In 1933, Lee Marvin is a hobo riding the rails in the Pacific northwest. When he attempts to ride the train of psychotic conductor Ernest Borgnine, an all-out battle ensues. Marvin is excellent in a role that features, at least at first, very little dialog. Borgnine, who never shuts up, is every inch his equal. The film is full of colorful characters, breathtaking scenery and a final quarter that is extremely exciting. Director Robert Aldrich, aided by some excellent Joseph Biroc cinematography and a rip roaring score (by Fank De Vol), creates a minor classic. The supporting cast includes Aldrich regulars Dave Willock & Harry Caesar, as well as Keith Carradine as a young loose cannon who Marvin reluctantly agrees to mentor.

ShadeGrenade Having been a supporting actor for years in pictures such as Marlon Brando's 'The Wild One' ( 1953 ), tough guy Lee Marvin unexpectedly acquired leading man status as the '60's drew to a close. His Oscar-winning turn as the drunken cowboy 'Kid Shelleen' in 'Cat Ballou' ( 1965 ) helped, of course, but the role that really turned round his fortunes was that of 'Major Reisman' in Robert Aldrich's 'The Dirty Dozen' ( 1967 ). 'Point Blank!' and 'Paint Your Wagon' ( 1969 ) followed in due course. He was an unlikely star; for one thing, he was not young, and his distinctive deep voice and white hair precluded him from doing too many roles that did not cast him as some grizzled, hard bitten adventurer. In 1973, he was reunited with Aldrich, producer Kenneth Hyman, and actor Ernest Borgnine for this splendid adventure film, scripted by Christopher Knopf. Set in Depression era America, unemployed men - nicknamed 'hobos' by the railroad companies - travel across the country in search of work by stowing away whenever they can on passing trains. The companies fight back by hiring guards to ensure their trains stay hobo-free. One such guard is Shack ( Borgnine ), a sadistic monster who apparently regards the train as his personal property, and any tramp who tries to get on can expect to be either maimed or killed. One poor soul who does this at the start of the film receives a hammer blow to the skull, followed by the removal of his legs as he tumbles onto the track.But a threat to Shack's kingdom appears in the unlikely form of an unnamed drifter ( Marvin ) calling himself 'A No.1'. He decides to take Shack on. Spotting A No.1 climbing into a train compartment, Shack bolts the roof hatch, trapping him. He starts a fire, and when the wooden walls have burnt sufficiently crashes through them to freedom. A younger man, Cigaret ( Keith Carradine ) is impressed. A No.1 becomes a folk hero to other hobos, earning himself the title 'Emperor Of The North Pole', setting the scene for an epic confrontation between the tramp and the railroad man...As was the case with 'Dirty Dozen', the cast is mostly all male ( there are a couple of amusing moments which feature women - Cigaret spies a lady shaving her armpits, and a baptist pushes a woman into a river to cleanse her of sin and when she emerges her white gown has become transparent and her breasts can be seen ), and Marvin dominates the film. Watching the quick thinking A No.1 outwit Shack at every turn is a joy. Imagine a Charlie Chaplin picture with blood and you have 'Emperor Of The North Pole'. The film was criticised on its release for its violence, but I think it was necessary to show the audience what sort of a vile creature Shack was. It makes his final defeat all the more satisfying. Borgnine is terrific, throwing hammers round, a grin on his face, like an insane version of the Marvel Comics' super-hero 'Thor'. Another I.M.D.B. reviewer has made comparisons with John Frankenheimer's 'The Train' ( 1965 ) and I think its a realistic one. In the pre-C.G.I. age, action scenes on moving trains such as the ones seen here had to be done for real, making the film all the more exciting and believable.If you like outdoor adventure films and don't give a fig if the leading man looks old enough to be your grandfather, give this a go. In the U.K., the title was shortened to 'Emperor Of The North' so as not to give the misleading impression it was set in the North Pole.

Gloede_The_Saint Action-packed suspense film that you just have to see. This has everything, suspense, humor, good characters, cool acting, great dialogue, sweet ass directing and a touch of emotion and realism, while it is also somewhat "over-the-top". A really rough and cool movie that can be seen with the gang.USA 1930's, the depression is roaming the country. Bums however get by just fine. They hang around the railroad were they take the train they want, when and where they want. But nobody rides on the 19.. Shack(Ernest Borgnine) is the boss there and he has decided never to let anyone bum a ride from him. Those who try are usually not seen alive again. He can basically be compared with the devil. Everyone are afraid of him and everyone hates him, no matter what side they are on.A No. 1(Lee Marvin) is the legendary bum who will challenge him, but he is not alone. An amoral brat of adult age who likes to call himself "Old Cigar"(Keith Carradine) wants to be bum no. 1, "The Emperor of the North Pole." So they have thrown together three damn cool actors and one of the toughest direction of the time, Robert Aldrich (The Dirty Dozen, What Ever Happened Baby Jane two?, The Longest Yard, etc.). That this is two friggin' entertaining hours is obvious.More than any other quality this film possess is that it's just so bleeding cool. There are so many scenes that made me laugh out so loud that I was afraid that the neighbors would come knocking on my door. The atmosphere is just so bloody sweet. The only weaknesses would be that it doesn't go too deep nor take the time to slow down for finer details. But hell, why should every film do that? I recommend this on the highest!