Because we're so familiar with Hollywood's ability to use computer graphics imagery in today's top blockbusters, we can't fathom how movies before computers were made creating and showing breathtaking visuals. Many older films were produced ingeniously using effects that are now no longer practiced, such as seen in Paramount Pictures' August 1938 "Spawn of the North," the first movie to be given an Oscar, albeit honorary, for its special effects. The award opened the way for the Academy Awards to establish the "Best Special Effects" category the following year.
Before 1938's "Spawn of the North," cinema had a long history of producing special effects ever since France's George Melies took his journey into space in 1903's "A Trip to the Moon." The Academy was slow to recognize such achievements, restricting its 'Best Engineering Effects' to only the silent film 1929's "Wings" before eliminating the category. When 1933's "King Kong" mesmerized audiences, RKO producer David O. Selznick unsuccessfully lobbied the Academy to highlight the work of stop-motion wizard Willis O'Brien. Academy board members finally felt the need to honor the work of effects technicians in "Spawn of the North." The spectacular movie was the first to use a huge 36-foot rear projection screen to create realistic depth of field images, matte paintings and other tricks that brought the wilds of Alaska to the neighborhood screen.
Director Henry Hathaway assigned a film crew to the northern territory to capture Alaska's boundless, rugged country. Once he received over 75,000 feet of footage in the six months of shooting, Hathaway, through the magic of special effects, brilliantly used the clips to complement his Hollywood studio shooting for "Spawn of the North." Spectacular shots, including the salmon migration up the rivers seen in the beginning of the movie as well as the spell-bounding sequences with their glacier calving near our heroes' boats, added tremendously to the picture's excitement. Additional footage taken at Lake Tahoe, Lake Arrowhead, the coastal areas of California as well as the mock Indian villages gave viewers a sense that all the motion picture's action took place in Alaska. A massive 375,000 gallon tank complete with piers and fishing boats built inside the Paramount studio lot allowed Hathaway to direct his controlled shots.
Film reviewer Laura Boyes noticed, "Even with our modern, sophisticated eye, it's not always possible to decide how certain effects were obtained."
The story loosely follows the structure of 'The Virginian,' where two close friends, Jim (Henry Fonda) a salmon cannery owner, links up with buddy Tyler (George Raft), who has taken out a loan on a boat to hunt seals. After Jim rejects his offer to partner on his ship, Tyler seeks out Ruskie Red Skain (Akim Tamiroff), who's notorious for stealing fishing traps. Jim and Tyler eventually come to blows, but the ending is one that brings tears to even the most unsentimental muscle men. Lending the requisite romantic angle to "Spawn of the North" is Dorothy Lamour as Nicky Duval, girlfriend of Tyler's. Lamour replaced an ill Carole Lombard as the proprietor of the fishing community's hotel who goes around not wearing a bra. Louise Platt as 'Di' Turlon, an East Coast gal who's a little startled by the wildness of Alaska, is visiting her father Windy Turlon (John Barrymore), a newspaper editor.
"Spawn of the North" was a huge hit for Paramount, and produced a remake in 1954 called "Alaska Seas," starring Robert Ryan and Brian Keith.
