The Trail of '98 (1928)

Director:

Clarence Brown

Writers:

Robert W. Service (novel)
Benjamin Glazer (adaptation)
(more)

Release Date:

20 March 1928 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Western | Romance

Plot:

Fortune hunters from all over the country rush to the Klondike in 1897 to seek their fortunes in the gold are tested by hardships of the journey.

Plot Keywords:

Gold | Klondike | Dawson City | Melting Ice | Fire

Cast

Dolores del Rio	...	Berna (as Dolores Del Rio)
Ralph Forbes	...	Larry
Karl Dane	...	Lars Petersen
Harry Carey	...	Jack Locasto
Tully Marshall	...	Salvation Jim
George Cooper	...	Samuel Foote - The Worm
Russell Simpson	...	Old Swede
Emily Fitzroy	...	Mrs. Bulkey
Tenen Holtz	...	Mr. Bulkey
Cesare Gravina	...	Henry Kelland - Berna's Grandfather
Doris Lloyd	...	Locasto's Procurer
E. Alyn Warren	...	Engineer
Johnny Downs	...	Mother's Boy (as John Down)
Ray Hallor	...	Brother Jim
Ray Gallagher	...	Brother Joe
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Josephine Adair	...	Young Girl (uncredited)
Francis Ford	...	Gold Commissioner's Assistant (uncredited)
Carmencita Johnson	...	Little Girl (uncredited)
Cullen Johnson	...	Little Boy (uncredited)
Roscoe Karns	...	Man on Ship (uncredited)
Jacques Tourneur	...	Extra (uncredited)

Directed by
Clarence Brown

Writing credits
Robert W. Service		(novel "The Trail of '98)
Benjamin Glazer		(adaptation)
Benjamin Glazer		(continuity) and
Waldemar Young		(continuity)
Joseph Farnham		(titles) (as Joe Farnham)

Produced by
Clarence Brown	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
William Axt		(uncredited)
David Mendoza		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
John F. Seitz		(photographed by) (as John Seitz)

Film Editing by
George Hively		(film editor)

Set Decoration by
Cedric Gibbons		(settings)
Merrill Pye		(settings)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles Dorian	....	assistant director

Stunts
Lou Costello	....	stunt double: Dolores del Rio, window-jumping scene
Joe Bonomo	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gordon Carveth	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paul Malvern	....	stunts (uncredited)
Harvey Parry	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Rose	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Red Thompson	....	stunt double (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lucia Coulter	....	wardrobe

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (presents: Clarence Brown's Production) (controlled by Loew's Incorporated)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1928) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2009) (USA) (DVD) (DVD-R) (for Turner Entertainment)

Other Companies

• Turner Entertainment  DVD package design
• Warner Bros. Entertainment  DVD package design

Also Known As:

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System) (musical score and sound effects) | Silent

Certification:

USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Alaska, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Lou Costello was 'Dolores Del Rio''s stunt double in the window scene.

Quotes:

Berna:[to Larry] So, you've found gold! There's not enough gold in the world to make things right again.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Hollywood: Hazard of the Game (#1.5)" (1980)

Soundtrack:

I Found Gold When I Found You

The Gold Slush

After gold is discovered in Alaska, some lower 48 United States residents decide to go there, and become millionaires. The journey proves arduous, and several die. Attractive Dolores Del Rio (as Berna) and Ralph Forbes (as Larry) are two who hope for riches - they meet aboard ship (the first leg of the journey), and fall in love. Out to stake a claim, Mr. Forbes teams up with "dumb Swede" Karl Dane (as Lars Petersen), grizzled Tully Marshall (as Salvation Jim), and sneaky George Cooper (as Samuel "The Worm" Foote). But, while Forbes is out of the picture, wicked Harry Carey (as Jack Locasto) tries to steals Ms. Del Rio's virtue...

"The Trail of '98" is a top MGM silent, nicely directed by Clarence Brown. The synchronized sound effects are great, especially during the grand fire sequence occurring near the end of the picture. Most of the first hour consists of grueling location scenes (four stuntmen were reportedly killed during the making of the picture). They are definitely worth seeing. The characters are introduced, but left too long with only sketchy story lines - and, what's plotted is woefully ordinary, considering the production values.

****** The Trail of '98 (3/20/28) Clarence Brown ~ Dolores del Rio, Ralph Forbes, Karl Dane, Harry Carey