Nanook of the North **** (1922, Allakariallak, Nyla, Cunayou, Allegoo) – Classic Movie Review 7017

Director Robert J Flaherty’s famous 1922 black and white silent film documentary about the hardships experienced by an Eskimo (Inuit) family living in the Arctic Circle is an admirable, enduring achievement, especially given the obvious problems of filming. It is noted as the first full-length, anthropological documentary in film history as the precursor to the modern documentary.

Recording one year in the life of the Eskimo family, with their trading, hunting and fishing, Flaherty turns his documentary into a drama to throw light on a subject he shows that he is clearly passionate about. He filmed at Hudson Bay and Ungava Peninsula, Québec, Canada. However, it has been alleged that the film was entirely staged, and also that Nyla was not Nanook’s real wife.

Allakariallak plays Nanook, Nyla plays Nanook’s wife, the Smiling One, Cunayou plays Nanook’s daughter and Allegoo plays Nanook’s son, the four members of a real Eskimo family, with Camock as their cat.

Nanook of the North was restored in 1947 (Film Editing by Herbert Edwards) with a vibrant new score by by Rudolf Schramm.

It originally ran 78 minutes but the current available print is 65 minutes. It was released on DVD in The Criterion Collection in 1999 (US).

Nanook of the North is directed by Robert J Flaherty runs 65 minutes, is produced by Les Frères Revillon and Pathé Exchange, is distributed by Pathé Exchange, is written by Robert J Flaherty and Carl Steams Clancy, is produced by Robert J Flaherty and John Révillon (executive producer), is shot in black and white by Robert J Flaherty and is scored by Rudolf Schramm (1947) and Stanley Silverman (1976).

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7017

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