The Viking (1928)

Vikings compete for power and the love of a woman.

Director:

Roy William Neill (as R. William Neill)

Writers:

Jack Cunningham (screen play), Ottilie A. Liljencrantz (based on the novel by: "The Thrall of Leif the Lucky")

Stars:

Donald Crisp, Pauline Starke, LeRoy Mason

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Donald Crisp	...	Leif Ericsson
Pauline Starke	...	Helga Nilsson
LeRoy Mason	...	Alwin
Anders Randolf	...	Eric the Red (as Anders Randolph)
Richard Alexander	...	Sigurd
Harry Woods	...	Egil (as Harry Lewis Woods)
Albert MacQuarrie	...	Kark
Roy Stewart	...	King Olaf
Torben Meyer	...	Odd
Claire McDowell	...	Lady Editha (as Claire MacDowell)
Julia Swayne Gordon	...	Thorhild

Storyline

Yes, it's true, an all color silent movie! The title refers to Leif Ericsson, who leaves Norway to search for new lands west of Greenland. On the way he vies for the love of Helga with his companion Egil and Alwin, an English slave. More conflict arises when he stops at the colony of his father (Eric the Red) in Greenland, for Leif has converted to Christianity, which his father hates. He also has to deal with the unrest of his crew, who fear falling off the edge of the Earth.

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Plot Keywords:

reference to thor | crucifix | reference to eric the red | reference to leif ericson | slave | 

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Taglines:

A marvel to behold-the most beautiful picture ever brought to the screen- a thousand thrills entirely in living color and sound (Print Ad- Granby Leader-Mail, ((Granby PQ)) 13 December 1929)

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | History

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 November 1928 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Viking

Filming Locations:

Newport Tower, Newport, Rhode Island, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$325,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Technicolor

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Silent (music score and sound effects)

Color:

Color (2-strip Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When the film opened at the Embassy Theatre in New York City 28 November 1928 it was still silent and was accompanied by a live orchestral accompaniment. In December 1928 a musical score was recorded, sound-on-disc, and this was the version distributed by MGM in 1929.

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Goofs

Helga's name would be "Helga Nilsdatter,", not " Helga Nilsson".

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Quotes

Kark: Fill Ragnar Oleson's drinking horn.

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Crazy Credits

The title card bills the three stars in the order Pauline Starke [top billing], Donald Crisp [second billing], and Le Roy Mason [third billing]. But the opening credits end with "The Players" listed in the order: first "Leif Erickson ... Donald Crisp," second "Helga . . . Pauline Starke, third "Alwin . . . Le Roy Mason," etc. The characters appear on screen in the order Alwin, Helga, and Leif Erickson.

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Soundtracks

Sigurd Jorsalfar (suite), Op.56
Written by Edvard Grieg (1892)
[Excerpts heard throughout score]

User Reviews

An unknown little gem

Donald Crisp was an extremely prolific actor in sound films. What many people don't know is that he made even more silent films (as actor and director) than sound films. In The Viking, he plays Leif Ericsson, who plans his greatest adventure, to go beyond Greenland and explore for new lands.

A strikingly handsome LeRoy Mason plays Lord Alwin, an English noble. His castle is attacked by the Vikings early in the film, his family scattered, and he is made a slave.

The lovely Pauline Starke plays Helga Nilsson, who is a spunky Nordic gal who is loved by Leif, Alwin, and... well let's not give away too much of the story here.

What makes this film charming and somewhat unique is that it came at the end of the silent era, when camera technique was at its height. It is also filmed in primitive technicolor. The early technicolor process did not render true color as we know it today. The muted shades of the film actually help to make the historic subject matter of the film more remote, as though one were actually watching something that happened long, long ago.

The version of this film that I saw had sound effects, and a symphonic musical score that mixed new music with lots of Richard Wagner at climactic moments. It all worked very well.

It's amazing to me that this very entertaining film is almost unknown today.