Adventure,Drama,Action,Thriller
United States of America
Emperor of the North is a 1973 American action film directed by Robert Aldrich. The movie takes place during the Great Depression in America when millions of homeless people, known as "hobos," traveled the country by hitching rides on trains. The film follows two hobos, played by Lee Marvin and Keith Carradine, as they try to ride the train known as "Number 19" to Portland, Oregon.
Their journey is obstructed by a sadistic railway conductor, A-No. 1, played by Ernest Borgnine. A-No. 1 is a proud and ruthless man who takes pleasure in his work and will do anything to prevent anyone from riding the train for free. He has developed a reputation among hobos as "the emperor of the north" because of his ruthless behavior.
A-No. 1 sees the two hobos as a challenge and vows to catch them. Marvin’s character, “The Shack,” is a tough and experienced hobo who takes on the challenge and constantly evades A-No. 1’s attempts to catch him. Carradine’s character, “Cigaret,” is a younger and naive hobo who struggles to keep up with Shack but learns valuable lessons about life on the road.
Throughout the film, we see the brutal conditions of life on the rails, from makeshift hovels to violent encounters with other hobos. We also see the clashes between the hobos and the railway cops who are tasked with keeping them off the trains.
In the final act, A-No. 1 and Shack have a violent confrontation on the moving train, which leads to a thrilling finale. The movie ends ambiguously, leaving the viewer to ponder the fate of the two hobos.
Emperor of the North was a critical and commercial success and is considered a classic of the action-adventure genre.
