Very Cool!!!

one of my absolute favorites!

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

In the description of the technical specs IMDb lists it as being in 1:85. That is incorrect it is In 2:35 Panavision. I own the DVD and it is Anamorphic widescreen. I also recently saw it on the Fox Movie Channel and it was presented in 2:35 widescreen. Great Oregon locations and Acting especially by Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine and a very young Keith Carradine.

The essence of drama is conflict. Conflict arises from actions or intentions that are at cross purposes. These actions may be classified as 'good' or 'evil' , but these labels depend on the observer identifying with one side or the other. Taoism does not adhere to these classifications; in its pure form, it is amoral.The roles of antagonist and protagonist are similarly dependent on a moral judgment. In "Emperor of the North", Lee Marvin's character A No. 1 is clearly meant to be the protagonist; Ernest Borgnine's Shack is portrayed as the antagonist. Shack is obsessed with keeping (ho)'boes from hitching free rides on his train. A No. 1 takes on the challenge of doing so, in defiance of Shack (and railway regulations). The two men play out their duel on a train that is moving through forests and mountains on its way north to Portland, Oregon. If Marvin is the 'hero', it is a hollow triumph he seeks. There is no promise of a job waiting for him in Portland - he simply wants to 'beat' Shack and remain the widely acknowledged greatest boe there is. His peers are other rootless men who have been driven by circumstance to find work and food wherever they can. Their loyalties are to their empty bellies and, usually, their fellow boes. Some work in the railroad yards for whatever pay they can scrounge. One fascinating aspect of Emperor is the gambling that is shown as widespread: will A No. 1 succeed, or will Shack remain the unconquered, feared, and despised 'champion' of the rails?The time is late October, 1933. There is no welfare state, no food stamp program, no Social Security yet for everyone. These things are a part of Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal, which is in its infancy during this movie. FDR's voice is heard on the radio early on. He urges the citizenry to be scrupulous about the programs he has pushed through Congress; to "cooperate with me, in making this the most efficient, and the cleanest, public enterprise that the world has ever seen". To the men who ride the rails, the prize is their next meal.Marvin is his usual laconic self. He does not attempt to turn A No. 1 into a heroic or noble figure. He is just a guy who is self-assured and fiercely protective of his independence. His underplaying is a thing of wonder. He conveys the decency and humanity of A No. 1 with the slightest of head shaking and almost imperceptible nods and winks.Borgnine is simply awesome as Shack. His sadistic glee at casually maiming and bullying hapless vagabonds is palpable. He keeps his eyes wide open like a giant piranha the whole time. His kind can also be found in other movies, guarding prisons housing felons and herding Jews into the ovens of Auschwitz. Shack gets off on power over others. He is doing his job - maintaining security on the train - but perhaps a little too well. An early incident shows how things can get out of control if the boes are allowed free rein. In a country paralyzed by economic disaster, he protects the interests of the Establishment. If cattle do not arrive at their markets, people, innocent people, may suffer. Again, the morality of the various characters is relative to one's point of view. Is Order Good? Is Chaos Evil? In terms of the physical universe, good and evil are essentially meaningless concepts. A hawk killing a rodent is not evil: it is feeding.Keith Carradine plays Cigaret, a young drifter who follows A No. 1 around, while boasting of his own boe prowess. The relationship between the two reminded me greatly of "The Film Flam Man", where grizzled grifter George C. Scott mentors Army deserter Michael Sarrazin. The dynamic between the two men is much different in "Emperor", but there is an echo of one to be found in the other. The locations and down-home soundtracks of both movies are also similar.The supporting cast is overflowing with familiar character actors. Elisha Cook Jr appears briefly, nearly unrecognizable in an eye patch. Other notables are Malcolm Atterbury as Hogger the engineer, Harry Caesar as Coaly the coal stoker, Charles Tyner as Cracker, the boe assistant to Shack, Matt Clark as railyard boe Yardlet , Liam Dunn as hobo jungle resident Smile, Robert Foulk as a passenger train conductor, and Simon Oakland playing a policeman (again!). The ensemble meshes wonderfully, dutifully providing texture and a backdrop to the central conflict.Robert Aldrich directs the film without gimmicks while creating an immersive experience. The shots of 56-year-old Borgnine and 48-year-old Tyner nimbly running along the top of an obviously real moving train are incredible. As the train continues north, the lush scenery of Northern California and Oregon displays the inherent beauty of indifferent Nature, and provides contrast to the personal drama played out in the foreground. This film is all about survival. If Shack allows boes to ride his train, the company will replace him with someone who will not. And he knows it, which makes him just as desperate as the men he brutalizes. There can be no quarter given in this world, where every loose chicken represents another day of Life. I highly recommend this film. It is not grim, but it is not a comedy, either, although there are numerous humorous moments. It is the stuff that great dramas are made of.

I have to say, this film is one of the hidden gems of the '70s. The only reason I found it was because it was recommended on Amazon after I ordered "The Dirty Dozen". It is definitely an exciting film, even if a little slow at times. The scene where Shack's train is attempting to avoid a collision with a fast mail train still resides in my memory as one of the more exciting action scenes I have ever viewed.Ernest Borgnine is excellent as the sadistic conductor, and Lee Marvin is as well in his role as a veteran freight-hopper. Keith Carradine plays his role as an arrogant, whiny youth quite well, to the point where I was genuinely disgusted with his character. Malcolm Atterbury is perfectly cast in his final film role, playing the memorable bit part of the Hogger. Oregon Pacific and Eastern #19 is also captured beautifully among the lush foliage of the Pacific Northwest. Almost all of the filming looks like it was done on location, and Borgnine and Marvin are quite convincing as "real men" who don't need stunt doubles to be impressive.The soundtrack is the only part I genuinely did not like about this movie. The tune and lyrics are both very, very '70s, and I think that some music from the period that the film is set in would be much more effective. The timing of the already flinch-worthy music is occasionally quite bad, such as in the pre-credit sequence in the very beginning of the film. In this case, Shack finishes off an unlucky hobo with a hammer, and upbeat folk music begins to play as we see his bisected body on the tracks behind the train. Really? The music was bad, but not enough to bring it down one star in my book. The film's amazing cinematography more than makes up for this shortcoming, and the performances of both the main and supporting actors further boosts my opinion of it.I would highly recommend this film for any railroad buff or action movie lover. This is truly a forgotten masterpiece that deserves a spot in any collection!

Action-packed suspense film that you just have to see. This has everything, suspense, humor, good characters, cool acting, great dialogue, sweet ass directing and a touch of emotion and realism, while it is also somewhat "over-the-top". A really rough and cool movie that can be seen with the gang.USA 1930's, the depression is roaming the country. Bums however get by just fine. They hang around the railroad were they take the train they want, when and where they want. But nobody rides on the 19.. Shack(Ernest Borgnine) is the boss there and he has decided never to let anyone bum a ride from him. Those who try are usually not seen alive again. He can basically be compared with the devil. Everyone are afraid of him and everyone hates him, no matter what side they are on.A No. 1(Lee Marvin) is the legendary bum who will challenge him, but he is not alone. An amoral brat of adult age who likes to call himself "Old Cigar"(Keith Carradine) wants to be bum no. 1, "The Emperor of the North Pole." So they have thrown together three damn cool actors and one of the toughest direction of the time, Robert Aldrich (The Dirty Dozen, What Ever Happened Baby Jane two?, The Longest Yard, etc.). That this is two friggin' entertaining hours is obvious.More than any other quality this film possess is that it's just so bleeding cool. There are so many scenes that made me laugh out so loud that I was afraid that the neighbors would come knocking on my door. The atmosphere is just so bloody sweet. The only weaknesses would be that it doesn't go too deep nor take the time to slow down for finer details. But hell, why should every film do that? I recommend this on the highest!