Back to God's Country (1919 film)
| Back to God's Country | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | David Hartford |
| Written by | James Oliver Curwood (short story: Wapi, the Walrus) Nell Shipman |
| Produced by | James Oliver Curwood Ernest Shipman (uncredited) |
| Starring | Nell Shipman Charles Arling Wheeler Oakman Wellington A. Playter |
| Cinematography | Dal Clawson Joseph Walker |
| Edited by | Cyril Gardner |
| Distributed by | First National Exhibitor's Circuit (later to become First National Pictures) |
Release date | October 27, 1919 |
Running time | 73 min |
| Country | Canada |
| Languages | Silent film English intertitles |
Back to God's Country is a 1919 Canadian drama film directed by David Hartford. It is one of the earliest Canadian feature films. The film starred Canadian actress Nell Shipman. With an estimated budget of over $67,000, it became one of the first major Canadian pictures.
The film is noteworthy as it starred Nell Shipman and was produced by her husband, Ernest Shipman. It was the most successful silent film in Canadian history. Nell Shipman was one of the first women to do a nude scene on screen in the movie.[1]
In 1918, Nell Shipman created a production company called Shipman Curwood Producing Company to produce Back to God’s Country. The film was the only film the company would produce. This film was based on a short story written by Curwood.
Curwood's work was adapted to the screen by Nell herself. Nell also was the lead of the film, which featured her in a controversial nude scene. She adapted the protagonist of the film from the Great Dane, Wapi to the female lead, Delores. Shipman also shaped her character into a heroine, who saves the lead man. Curwood was infuriated with Nell because she changed the scenario of his short story. Commercially, the film was extremely successful, posting a 300% profit by grossing a million and a half dollars.
Plot
After her father is killed by an outlaw, Dolores (Nell Shipman) marries Peter. While they are at sea in the Arctic, Dolores meets the ship's captain, who is the man who killed her father. The captain causes an 'accident' to happen to Peter, so Dolores is all alone and defenceless as they drop anchor in a remote harbour.[2]
Cast
- Nell Shipman ... Dolores LeBeau
- Charles Arling ... 'Sealskin' Blake
- Wheeler Oakman ... Peter Burke
- Wellington A. Playter ... Captain Rydal (as Wellington Plater)
- Ronald Byram ... Peter Burke (original casting) (uncredited)
- William Colvin ... Mountie Shot by Rydal (uncredited)
- Roy Laidlaw ... Baptiste LeBeau, Dolores' Father (uncredited)
- Kewpie Morgan ... Bully in Bar Who Shoots Chinaman (uncredited)
- Charles B. Murphy ... The Half-Breed (uncredited)
Preservation status
The film has been re-made twice by Hollywood, but the original version was believed to have been lost. However, a print of the original film was recently found in Europe, restored, and re-released. A copy of the film is in the Library of Congress film archive,[3] and it has been released on dvd by Milestone Films.
See also
References
- ^ Dawn E. Monroe, On The Job: Canadian Women of Achievement
- ^ BackGodCountryPK.pdf
- ^ Progressive Silent Film List: Back to God's Country at silentera.com
External links
