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IMDbPro

Emperor of the North

Original title: Emperor of the North Pole
  • 19731973
  • PGPG
  • 1h 58m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
6.3K
YOUR RATING
Emperor of the North (1973)
In 1933, during the Depression, Shack the brutal conductor of the number 19 train has a personal vendetta against the best train hopping hobo tramp in the Northwest, A No. 1.
Play trailer3:39
1 Video
86 Photos
  • Action
  • Adventure
  • Drama
In 1933, during the Depression, Shack the brutal conductor of the number 19 train has a personal vendetta against the best train hopping hobo tramp in the Northwest, A No. 1.In 1933, during the Depression, Shack the brutal conductor of the number 19 train has a personal vendetta against the best train hopping hobo tramp in the Northwest, A No. 1.In 1933, during the Depression, Shack the brutal conductor of the number 19 train has a personal vendetta against the best train hopping hobo tramp in the Northwest, A No. 1.
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
6.3K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Robert Aldrich
  • Writers
    • Christopher Knopf
    • Jack London(short story)
  • Stars
    • Lee Marvin
    • Ernest Borgnine
    • Keith Carradine
Top credits
  • Director
    • Robert Aldrich
  • Writers
    • Christopher Knopf
    • Jack London(short story)
  • Stars
    • Lee Marvin
    • Ernest Borgnine
    • Keith Carradine
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 80User reviews
    • 52Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 3:39
    Trailer

    Photos86

    Lee Marvin in Emperor of the North (1973)
    Keith Carradine and Lee Marvin in Emperor of the North (1973)
    Ernest Borgnine in Emperor of the North (1973)
    Keith Carradine in Emperor of the North (1973)
    Ernest Borgnine in Emperor of the North (1973)
    Lee Marvin in Emperor of the North (1973)
    Keith Carradine in Emperor of the North (1973)
    Lee Marvin in Emperor of the North (1973)
    Ernest Borgnine and Lee Marvin in Emperor of the North (1973)
    Lee Marvin in Emperor of the North (1973)
    Emperor of the North (1973)
    Emperor of the North (1973)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Lee Marvin
    Lee Marvin
    • A No. 1as A No. 1
    Ernest Borgnine
    Ernest Borgnine
    • Shackas Shack
    Keith Carradine
    Keith Carradine
    • Cigaretas Cigaret
    Charles Tyner
    Charles Tyner
    • Crackeras Cracker
    Malcolm Atterbury
    Malcolm Atterbury
    • Hoggeras Hogger
    Simon Oakland
    Simon Oakland
    • Policemanas Policeman
    Harry Caesar
    Harry Caesar
    • Coalyas Coaly
    Hal Baylor
    Hal Baylor
    • Yardman's Helperas Yardman's Helper
    Matt Clark
    Matt Clark
    • Yardletas Yardlet
    Elisha Cook Jr.
    Elisha Cook Jr.
    • Gray Catas Gray Cat
    • (as Elisha Cook)
    Joe Di Reda
    Joe Di Reda
    • Dingeras Dinger
    • (as Joe di Reda)
    Liam Dunn
    Liam Dunn
    • Smileas Smile
    Diane Dye
    • Girl in Wateras Girl in Water
    Robert Foulk
    Robert Foulk
    • Conductoras Conductor
    Jim Goodwin
    Jim Goodwin
    • Fakiras Fakir
    • (as James Goodwin)
    Raymond Guth
    • Preacheras Preacher
    • (as Ray Guth)
    Sid Haig
    Sid Haig
    • Grease Tailas Grease Tail
    Karl Lukas
    Karl Lukas
    • Pokey Stiffas Pokey Stiff
    • Director
      • Robert Aldrich
    • Writers
      • Christopher Knopf
      • Jack London(short story) (uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The title refers to a joke among hobos during the Great Depression that the world's best hobo was Emperor of the North Pole, a way of poking fun at their own desperate situation since somebody ruling over the North Pole would be ruling over a wasteland.
    • Goofs
      The fireside chat from President Franklin Roosevelt that can be heard playing on the radio is from 28 April 1935. The film is set in October 1933.
    • Quotes

      A no. 1: [At the end of the movie, A No. 1 throws Cigaret off of the train, into a pond, and shouts to him from the train] Hey kid you got no class. Hit the bums, kid. Run like the devil. Get a tin can and take up mooching. Knock on back doors for a nickel.

      A no. 1: Tell them your story. Make 'em weep. You could have been a meat-eater, kid. But you didn't listen to me when I laid it down.

      A no. 1: Stay off the tracks. Forget it. Its a bum's world for a bum. You'll never be Emperor of the North Pole, kid. You had the juice, kid, but not the heart and they go together. You're all gas and no feel, and nobody can teach you that, not even A-No.1. So stay off the train, she'll throw you under for sure. Remember me for that. So long, kid.

    • Alternate versions
      Originally premiered as "Emperor of the North Pole": the film was pulled from release because people thought the film was about the Arctic. It was re-released as "Emperor of the North" and given two different advertising campaigns: one with a poster playing up the comedy, another with a poster playing up the violence (The poster said "If you can ride Shack's train and live, you're...Emperor of the North!"). Neither new campaign clicked with audiences. The song "A Man and a Train" is sung in "Emperor of the North" by Marty Robbins. The poster for the original release says it is sung by Bill Medley. It is unknown what other changes, if any, were made between the two releases.
    • Connections
      Featured in Means of Survival: Christopher Knopf on Robert Aldrich's 'Emperor of the North' and Writing in Hollywood (2017)
    • Soundtracks
      A Man and a Train
      Lyrics by Hal David

      Music by Frank De Vol

      Sung by Marty Robbins

    User reviews80

    Review
    Top review
    This is a man's movie: ugly, violent, and pessimistic...it's great!
    This movie scared the hell out of me when I was little, mostly because I'd never seen an evil Ernest Borgnine. With his fierce eyes, maniacal laugh, and drop-forged fists, he commands every scene with a demonic self-assurance. You have to see this movie just to see Borgnine, he's perfect as the railway conductor. He's like a violent gorilla in a conductor suit. Lee Marvin as Number One mumbles his way through the movie with an impressive vocabulary and intelligence that belies his appearance. He wanders about waxing philosophical about the state of the world, the battle between good and evil, and his place in the grand scheme of things. Keith Carradine wouldn't have been my choice for the role of the young kid, he just wasn't very convincing and some of his lines come off a bit forced and awkward. One of the other reviewers mentioned the photography, and I'm left wondering how they got some of the shots, especially considering the movie was made thirty years ago with gigantic, bulky cameras. There are scenes where the train is way out in the middle of nowhere and the camera is actually pacing the train and the action that happens on it; great photography. This is a very good film and worthy of all the praise it gets from the other reviews.
    helpful•84
    6
    • bregund
    • Oct 21, 2004

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 24, 1973 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Jedan voz za dve bitange
    • Filming locations
      • Cottage Grove, Oregon, USA
    • Production companies
      • Inter-Hemisphere
      • Twentieth Century Fox
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $3,705,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 58 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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