Movie Night: Back to God's Country.

Review #607: Back to God's Country.

Cast
Nell Shipman (Dolores LeBeau), Charles Arling ('Sealskin' Blake), Wheeler Oakman (Peter Burke), Wellington A. Playter (Captain Rydal), and Roy Laidlaw (Baptiste LeBeau) Directed by David Hartford.

Review
There are many notable people from Canada I didn't cover last year, such as Norma Shearer, Donald Sutherland, Seth Rogen, Dan Aykroyd (whose birthday is today), Michael J. Fox and even William Shatner, and so in honor of our neighbor from the north, I'm reviewing two movies having to do with Canada. 

The first is this film, the second oldest movie ever reviewed on this show, released nearly 95 years ago, and one of the earliest Canadian features, and the most successful silent film in Canada's history. Shipman helped to write the film (which was already adapted from a short story by James Oliver Curwood), and she stars in it as well. The movie lasts about 72 minutes, so it's a breeze to get through, and though the plot may be somewhat paper thin, it at least is enjoyable to watch, though a little music would have helped. The blue tint for night is good looking, and the scenery is nice, the cold near wasteland is fine for a film like this. Shipman is a fine hero to watch, and the rest of the cast is decent, this is overall a decent movie that while starting slow, does manage to entertain, and on Canada Day, I guess that's all that matters. 

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

The next film will be Tomorrow Never Comes, stay tuned, as it will be posted in a few hours. Go...Blue Jays?

original image:

Movie Night: Mickey.

Review #435: Mickey.

Cast
Mabel Normand (Mickey), George Nichols (Joe Meadows), Wheeler Oakman (Herbert Thornhill), Minta Durfee (Elsie Drake), Laura La Varnie (Mrs. Geoffrey Drake), Lew Cody (Reggie Drake), and Tom Kennedy (Tom Rawlings) Directed by F. Richard Jones and James Young.

Review
Mickey is the earliest point of time in the 20th century to be reviewed here, over 90 years old, making it even older than say, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. This silent film was produced by Mabel Normand Feature Film Company, which would only make one film, and this is a rare case of a film company bearing the name of the person involved and then starring in the film (unless you count "Wiseau Films" in the discussion) as well. The actors try to convey emotions, but only Normand seems to the most convincing at that, and she does a fine job overall. The film itself is not really that much to it, and why it can give a chuckle, the story doesn't have that much meat to it, and this is more of a curiosity piece that a good film, but I'm sure silent film lovers will get a treat out of this.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.