Where the North Begins
Where the North Begins | |
---|---|
Chester M. Franklin | |
Written by | Fred Myton Chester M. Franklin |
Story by | Fred Myton Millard Webb |
Produced by | Harry Rapf |
Starring | Claire Adams Rin Tin Tin Walter McGrail |
Edited by | Lewis Milestone |
Production company | |
Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
Release date |
|
Running time | 60 minutes (6 reels) |
Country | United States |
Language | Silent (English intertitles) |
Budget | $73,000[1] |
Box office | $441,000[1] |
Where the North Begins is a 1923 American
Plot
A German Shepherd puppy ('the Wolf-Dog') is adopted by a wolf pack in northern Canada. Several years later he becomes good friends with a French fur-trapper called Gabriel Dupre. Meanwhile, a corrupt trading post manager plots to get rid of Dupre and steal Dupre's sweetheart. The Wolf-Dog runs away after being falsely accused of attacking a baby, but his name is ultimately cleared and Dupre brings him back. Ultimately, the Wolf-Dog kills the villainous manager.
Cast
- Claire Adams as Felice McTavish
- Rin Tin Tin as The Wolf-Dog
- Walter McGrail as Gabriel Dupre
- Pat Hartigan as Shad Galloway
- Myrtle Owen as Marie
- Charles Stevens as 'The Fox'
- Fred Huntley as Scotty McTavish
Production
Warner Brothers decided to invest $100,000 in producing the screenplay as written by Rin Tin Tin's owner and trainer, Lee Duncan. Director
Warner executives previewed the finished film but indicated sweeping changes before it was to be released. Milestone resisted this; he felt it worked well as it was. Milestone suggested to Rapf that the film be previewed locally with a test audience. Accordingly, the film was shown while the Warner executives waited outside; the response was very positive. Duncan and Rin Tin Tin were present at the theater's entrance greeting theatergoers as they left. The Warner executives asked Duncan if he knew the audience members and he said yes, he lived in the neighborhood. The test screening was thus considered flawed because of the likelihood of a sympathetic audience. Another screening was arranged in another location, without Duncan and the dog. This second test was a great success and the film was put in distribution exactly as Milestone and Josephson had reworked it.[5]
Box office
According to Warner Bros records the film earned $396,000 domestically and $45,000 foreign.[1]
References
- ^ a b c Warner Bros financial information in The William Shaefer Ledger. See Appendix 1, Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, (1995) 15:sup1, 1-31 p 2 DOI: 10.1080/01439689508604551
- ^ Progressive Silent Film List: Where the North Begins at silentera.com
- ^ The American Film Institute Catalog Feature Films: 1921-30 by The American Film Institute, c.1971
- ^ Public Domain Day Duke University Center for the Study of the Public Domain
- ^ JSTOR 3815265.
External links
- Where the North Begins at IMDb
- Synopsis at AllMovie
- Film still, The Telegraph
- Full video of Where the North Begins on YouTube