There appears to be a misunderstanding concerning this film. It is the Paramount film of 1921 (directed by Joseph Henabery) whose survival-status is uncertain and which is probably lost. This film is certainly not lost, there being a copy at Eastman House although I must say that the copy I have seen was extremely poor and far from complete (it ends just before Ned is due to embark on la traversée de la mort). The continuity is poorer than in the other DeMille films of the year and the "location-shooting" is rather limited (mostly shot close, suggesting mostly studio work). It does not compare in this respect with the later fine "Candaian westerns" of Nell Shipman.
The first part of the story is essentially a reworking of Shakespeare's Othello in a Canadian setting with a different ending (the supposed lover not the wife is punished), the second part being a revenge/reconciliation tale twenty years later in the next generation.
It is pretty standard melodramatic fare but set against the attempt by the Hudson Bay company to ruthlessly enforce its monopoly (rather similar to the Rex Beach stories set in Alaska, The Spoilers, which was filmed this same year by Frederick Thompson and The Silver Horde which was first filmed by Frank Lloyd in 1921). The distinctive element is the Journey of Death (la traversée de la mort) used by the Hudson Bay factor as a punishment for rogue traders (and here also for supposed adulterers), which involved crossing the harsh terrain unarmed and which meant almost certain death. The father (accused of adultery) does die but the son Ned (an independent trader as well as seeking to avenge his father) survives the ordeal (twice!). Which should be thrilling but is actually all a bit scrappily done.
The film has one other point of interest in its innovatory opening credits. The main characters are introduced visually one by one right at the beginning of the film, which is not in itself so unusual in silent films but the images are superimposed, one after, on a screen showing DeMille himself seated at a table with White, the author of the book on which the film is based, with DeMille holding out tags with the name of each character and actor, as though he were introducing the cast to White for his approval.
The first part of the story is essentially a reworking of Shakespeare's Othello in a Canadian setting with a different ending (the supposed lover not the wife is punished), the second part being a revenge/reconciliation tale twenty years later in the next generation.
It is pretty standard melodramatic fare but set against the attempt by the Hudson Bay company to ruthlessly enforce its monopoly (rather similar to the Rex Beach stories set in Alaska, The Spoilers, which was filmed this same year by Frederick Thompson and The Silver Horde which was first filmed by Frank Lloyd in 1921). The distinctive element is the Journey of Death (la traversée de la mort) used by the Hudson Bay factor as a punishment for rogue traders (and here also for supposed adulterers), which involved crossing the harsh terrain unarmed and which meant almost certain death. The father (accused of adultery) does die but the son Ned (an independent trader as well as seeking to avenge his father) survives the ordeal (twice!). Which should be thrilling but is actually all a bit scrappily done.
The film has one other point of interest in its innovatory opening credits. The main characters are introduced visually one by one right at the beginning of the film, which is not in itself so unusual in silent films but the images are superimposed, one after, on a screen showing DeMille himself seated at a table with White, the author of the book on which the film is based, with DeMille holding out tags with the name of each character and actor, as though he were introducing the cast to White for his approval.
