I just watched a train movie on FX. Emperor of the North with Ernest Borgnine, Lee Marvin & Keith Carradine. What did you think of it?
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Best railroading movie ever filmed.
My favorite railroad movie!
I think much of the hobo character in Polar Express is a rip off of Lee Marvin's role in Emperor of the North, which was originally to be called Emperor of the North Pole.
Love the movie. The locomotive, McCloud River No. 19, now resides at the Age of Steam Roundhouse in Ohio where it is being restored to operational condition (supposedly). I saw it in a somewhat disassembled state there a couple of years ago. If it does run again, and they do some rides with it, they need to sell T-shirts that read "I rode Shack's train." 
Andy
@MichRR714 posted:My favorite railroad movie!
I think much of the hobo character in Polar Express is rip off of Lee Marvin's role in Emperor of the North, which was originally to be called Emperor of the North Pole.
He does yell at the end "you coulda been emperor of the north pole kid..." They probably renamed it so parents could bring their kids to see a Christmas movie LOL. It is by far the best railroad movie out there.
Saw it when it first came out in 1973 and have the DVD.
One of the best railroad movies ever made. 👍
Loved it.
In the minority on this movie, evidently, yet I found the story very weak. Great actors in Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine, and some great RR scenes and action makes me tune into it every and again just for that.
I can remember many years ago (early 90s) when Starz/Encore was launched, this was one of the films that would air repeatedly late at night. I was a young teenager at the time, but I would stay up and watch it on weekends because… well, trains.
It’s an interesting film that documents a difficult time for many in American history, and bases the characters and settings on significant literary works of the late 19th century.
I always knew it as “Emperor of the North” because that’s what it was billed as on home media and TV at the time. It was indeed renamed from “Emperor of the North Pole” upon re-release so that it wasn’t mistaken for a holiday film.
It’s one of my favorites, and I think it should be part of our National Film history if it isn’t already.
"That's not a chicken! It's a dog."
Never seen it.
@Andy Hummell posted:Love the movie. The locomotive, McCloud River No. 19, now resides at the Age of Steam Roundhouse in Ohio where it is being restored to operational condition (supposedly). I saw it in a somewhat disassembled state there a couple of years ago. If it does run again, and they do some rides with it, they need to sell T-shirts that read "I rode Shack's train."
Andy
I might travel there just to earn that tee-shirt!
My personal favorite railroad movie. Not much in the way of plot, but the railroading action and period of Americana is great, anchored by two fantastic actors in Borgnine and Marvin.
It would be better with a different Director and blood that doesn't look like Rustoleom Fire Engine Red.
Jon 
@jhz563 posted:I might travel there just to earn that tee-shirt!
If you are ever in the area and can make one of their tours, the AOS Roundhouse is an awesome place to visit.
Back to the movie, I agree that the directing and production values are a little dated or primitive by today's standards, but I don't judge anything from the past based on today's standards -- everything must be looked at in context. The plot is the most simple, and probably the oldest plot in human history -- the conflict/competition between two strong-willed individuals with opposing goals. That being said, I enjoy it at least once a year for Borgnine, Marvin, Carradine, the train action and the scenery.
Andy
@KOOLjock1 posted:It would be better with a different Director ...
One and the same with the guy who directed The Flight of the Phoenix, The Dirty Dozen, and The Longest Yard?
I really enjoy movies, books, etc. when I can relate to at least one of the main characters or identify some aspect of humanity in them. However, the only characters I could relate too were the engineer and fireman, and their roles were very limited. With that said, Ernest Borgnine's excellent portrayal as the malicious conductor was spot-on.
What ultimately sunk this movie (for me as a steam-era movie critic 
) was excessive violence and Keith Carradine's character - "kid" and the story's attempt to make him an antagonist of Bull played by veteran actor (and WWII veteran of the USMC) Lee Marvin. That relationship came across as contrived or simply phony-baloney.
Here is the trailer from 1973.
I saw this movie and if you like action movies, this is for you!
Hope to see you out rail-fanning: Gary 🚂
If it's on FX I'll have to set my DVR. Thanks @eddie g
@MichRR714 posted:My favorite railroad movie!
I think much of the hobo character in Polar Express is a rip off of Lee Marvin's role in Emperor of the North, which was originally to be called Emperor of the North Pole.
I went to see the movie at the theater when it first came out, I have seen the movie on TV (years ago), I have the DVD and I have only known the movie to be called "The Emperor of the North". Where this naming "...North Pole" stuff comes from I don't know. I have only seen you folks here on the OGR Forums refer to it that way!
I like the movie.
I purposely called it a "railroading" movie, and not a "train" movie. Simply because when we get into these discussions, folks bring up their favorite "train" movie that might have a train scene or two.
This movie captures "railroading." Working in the pit in the roundhouse, sitting in the cupola having a sandwich, pulling the throttle, running through switches. It's the grittiest, most realistic depiction of "railroading" I have seen. The scene of the trains just barely missing each other at the passing siding seems to have been filmed in real time--amazing.
I especially love the costuming--everything is simply spot-on, especially Hogger and Coalie's gear.
Interesting comments. Yes, this movie does have a weak plot and is mostly about the competition between an idiot greenhorn hobo and a seasoned, experienced hobo.
But being familiar with the western Oregon landscape, I enjoyed the movie for its scenic photography and all of the railroad stuff set in the 1930s. This includes railroad personnel and their jobs, the locomotives, freight cars, and even a passenger train in action.
@Big Jim posted:I went to see the movie at the theater when it first came out, I have seen the movie on TV (years ago), I have the DVD and I have only known the movie to be called "The Emperor of the North". Where this naming "...North Pole" stuff comes from I don't know. I have only seen you folks here on the OGR Forums refer to it that way!
I like the movie.
Jim, Apparently the movie went as far as the original release with North Pole in the title. I even have movie posters with the full title.
It was changed to avoid the movie being mistaken for a nice holiday movie or something about the arctic. 
My dad took my brother and I to see it at the drive-in, AKA “the motor movies,” when it came out… still one of my favorites.
A buddy of mine has a prop from the movie--a green lantern with "19" painted on the top!
Not to derail the subject...but I love the 1930's era in so many respects...neat trains and great-looking automobiles . Seriously, perhaps it's because my parents grew up during that decade, changing socioeconomic and cultural times, etc. Does anyone know of any other period films that capture the essence of American railroading action during the '30s? I can only think of two films: "Fools Parade" with Jimmy Stewart; and "The Sting" with Newman and Redford (excellent ambience and scene of an EL train), both made in the early 1970s - as was "Emperor of the North."
@Big Jim posted:I went to see the movie at the theater when it first came out, I have seen the movie on TV (years ago), I have the DVD and I have only known the movie to be called "The Emperor of the North". Where this naming "...North Pole" stuff comes from I don't know. I have only seen you folks here on the OGR Forums refer to it that way!
I like the movie.
@MichRR714 posted:Jim, Apparently the movie went as far as the original release with North Pole in the title. I even have movie posters with the full title.
It was changed to avoid the movie being mistaken for a nice holiday movie or something about the arctic.
Additionally the term "Emperor of the North Pole" is a saying from hobo lore that being the "best hobo" gets you nothing essentially. You are king of a vast wasteland.
@Yellowstone Special posted:Saw it when it first came out in 1973 and have the DVD.
One of the best railroad movies ever made. 👍
Excellent movie. No CGI in those days!
Another interesting railroad movie is “Danger Lights”, made in 1930 on the Milwaukee Road. Typical melodramatic acting of the 30’s, but great railroad scenes…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danger_Lights
Tom
@Krieglok posted:Excellent movie. No CGI in those days!
Another interesting railroad movie is “Danger Lights”, made in 1930 on the Milwaukee Road. Typical melodramatic acting of the 30’s, but great railroad scenes…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danger_Lights
Tom
Hey, I'm with you Tom. I also have Danger Lights on DVD and pull it out a couple of times a year for viewing.
Caught another one not long ago on TCM called "The Silver Streak," made in the mid 1930s and featuring the original Burlington Zephyr. Interesting yarn.
The movie is (at least loosely) based on a book called "From Coast to Coast with Jack London" by Leon Ray Livingston, who was a real hobo who used the moniker "A-Number-1" and wrote a number of stories and books about his journeys. The book was set in the 1890s, not 1930s like the movie. "Cigarette" is based on the teenaged Jack London.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Ray_Livingston
BTW, did you notice none of the characters have actual names? The hoboes all have their 'monikers' ("A-No.1", "Cigarette") and the railroaders all are referred to by their job ("Hogger" for the engineer, "Black" for the fireman, "Shack" for the conductor, "Yardlet" for the yard switchman, etc.)
@wjstix posted:The movie is (at least loosely) based on a book called "From Coast to Coast with Jack London" by Leon Ray Livingston, who was a real hobo who used the moniker "A-Number-1" and wrote a number of stories and books about his journeys. The book was set in the 1890s, not 1930s like the movie. "Cigarette" is based on the teenaged Jack London.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Ray_Livingston
BTW, did you notice none of the characters have actual names? The hoboes all have their 'monikers' ("A-No.1", "Cigarette") and the railroaders all are referred to by their job ("Hogger" for the engineer, "Black" for the fireman, "Shack" for the conductor, "Yardlet" for the yard switchman, etc.)
@wjstix
Thank you for this reference. I found it very interesting. 👍
Saw this when it first came out in 1973 at the Dive-in.
Now wouldn’t it be cool to have Lionel do a Premium Train Set to mark the 50th anniversary of this movie. I’d get one.
@laz1957 posted:Saw this when it first came out in 1973 at the Dive-in.
Now wouldn’t it be cool to have Lionel do a Premium Train Set to mark the 50th anniversary of this movie. I’d get one.
Me too! 👍
@Yellowstone Special posted:Me too! 👍
Hope Lionel reads this thread.
Love this movie, have the DVD.
And, yes, going to paint "A- No.1" on my yard's watertower !
Rich in sunny SD
@Yellowstone Special posted:Interesting comments. Yes, this movie does have a weak plot and is mostly about the competition between an idiot greenhorn hobo and a seasoned, experienced hobo.
But being familiar with the western Oregon landscape, I enjoyed the movie for its scenic photography and all of the railroad stuff set in the 1930s. This includes railroad personnel and their jobs, the locomotives, freight cars, and even a passenger train in action.
Have not seen this movie in years but I did see it in a theater when it first came out. I kind of remember a train scene which included a Penn Central boxcar in the consist. Can anyone verify?
Another cool movie is “The Great Train Robbery” with Sean Connery and Donald Sutherland.
It is old British steam related with lots of rail action. I always enjoy it when I catch it on TV.
Tom
@trestleking posted:Love this movie, have the DVD.
And, yes, going to paint "A- No.1" on my yard's watertower !
Rich in sunny SD
I was thinking of writing that on our sand tower at work. Most of the other rail employees probably wouldn’t know what it meant though…lol
A-No. 1 to Portland on “19”. 10-24-33…
Tom
