Emperor of the North (1973)

Directed by Robert Aldrich. Starring Ernest Borgnine, Lee Marvin, Keith Carradine, Matt Clark, Charles Tyner, Malcolm Atterbury, Harry Caesar, Liam Dunn, Elisha Cook Jr., Simon Oakland, Vic Tayback. [PG]

A heavily-symbolic Depression-era action-drama: sadistic train conductor Borgnine will kill any hobo who tries to hitch a ride on his watch, but celebrated freighthopper Marvin announces to his fellow Runyon-esque vagrants he’ll be the first to do so successfully. Can’t decide whether it wants to be a gritty yet wistful fable of hope among the vagabond class during a time of crippling poverty or a brawny battle of wills (and blunt instruments) between two fiercely stubborn foes, which results in a movie containing campfire bums crudely waxing poetic about the mystique of their “A-Number-One” hero and bloody skirmishes aboard a moving train accompanied by cracked skulls, broken necks, and axe wounds. Works better as the latter, so be ready to perk up whenever you see Borgnine’s scowling, soiled mug or a train barreling down the tracks across the Pacific Northwest countryside. Well-directed and acted (even though Borgnine’s baddie is one-dimensional and given little in the way of motivational basis, his determination and malevolence burns hot), yet while the clash between the leads is singlemindedly ferocious and satisfying, the relationship between the old-timer and Carradine’s young punk (of course, it’s a “kid” character) is more confused, to the point where they could be allies or rivals in any given scene without context, and it’s a wonder why Marvin keeps grudgingly allowing him to tag along. Originally released as Emperor of the North Pole.

71/100