mark.waltz Gilbert Roland was the type of Latin lothario who had to make sure his hair was washed every day in order not to look as oily as the characters he played. Even here, with an obvious fake French accent and heavy winter coats, that oily nature can't be overlooked. He's an accused thief, although the script indicates a justification. The typical romance ensues with an out of town visitor while a local admirer broods. Pretty to look at in spite of slow pacing, it hits its heights during a dramatic avalanche hits. Roland is surrounded by all unknowns but is given a unique choice for director, a comedy veteran named Hal Roach.

MartinHafer Had Nina Quartero been a very famous actress, folks would have laughed a lot more because of her ridiculous accent. While the film is set in French Canada, she sounds way too Mexican (which is odd, as she was actually born in New York City) to fit in with the rest of the cast...well, except for Gilbert Roland. While Roland was a pretty good actor, the Mexican-born guy also sounded pretty silly as he was cast as a French-speaking guy...with a STRONG Mexican accent! Why the film was cast this way, I have no idea--especially since he sounded MUCH more like the Cisco Kid than a French-Canadian! It certainly would have played better with actors who could have at least approximated the correct accent. Or, in a truly crazy move, perhaps MGM could have actually cast some French-Canadians!! Louis LeBay (Roland) is a dashing guy and Woolie-Woolie (Quartero) is in love with him. However, when a pretty blonde comes there way (Barbara Leonard), Louis is smitten with Nedra--and Woolie-Woolie is furious. So, she turns Louis into a Mountie sergeant (Robert Elliot)--telling him that Louis is responsible for some stolen gold. What's next? See the film.Despite coming from a prestige studio, at heart "Men of the North" is at best a cheap B-movie. The writing (especially the dialog*) is very poor and the film is an inconsequential time-passer at best. In fact, I think most folks would probably either skip this one entirely or watch it just for a laugh.*Pay close attention when Woolie-Woolie and Louis are having the 'good egg/bad egg' conversation. It is hilariously bad.

calvinnme Yes folks this is not an April fool's joke. Some background: in 1930 MGM was profiting by their relationship to Hal Roach Studios by distributing Roach's two reel comedies. Roach Studios could do what MGM could not seem to do - produce funny comedy shorts and supply loan outs of great comedy talents to MGM such as Thelma Todd and, of course, Laurel and Hardy. So in 1930 MGM reciprocated and let Hal Roach stretch his wings and direct an action adventure at their studio. Instead Mr. Roach should have stayed in his own comedy nest.The film is a bit of a mess, and the whole thing is just so poorly directed. It's obvious MGM just treated this as a throwaway in their budget as a goodwill gesture towards Mr. Roach. None of their A or even B list stars appear in this, and most of the players vanished from sight not long after the transition to sound. The exception - Gilbert Roland as likable Louis Le LeBey, who is suspected of robbing shipments of gold, is hiding gold in his cabin, has a very confused love life, and seems to be on the wrong side of the border - nobody has bothered to coach him to sound French Canadian - as he retains his Spanish accent. Gilbert Roland's performance is the only three dimensional one in the lot as the rest are pure cardboard. I've seen the other players in this film give good performances elsewhere so, once again, this just seems to be a case of bad direction coupled with all of the other problems of early sound film.Barbara Leonard stars as Nedra, a girl who takes a shine to Louis in spite of the fact her father is one of the robbery victims. Robert Eliot plays a Mountie who seems more like a tough New York policemen dressed up like a Mountie for Halloween. Nina Quartero gives the most bizarre performance of all as she seems to have aspirations to be Louis' girl, yet she both pants over him and spies on him. Then when she's talking to the mounties she tries to hang all over them too.Watch this one for the "so bad it's good" fun of it all and to see Gilbert Roland develop as a sound actor in spite of the impediments thrown at him here.

GUENOT PHILIPPE This little Hal Roach film made during the early talkies is a very good time waster. Filmed on locations in Canada or Alaska, the sets are exquisite for this beautiful story - I won't repeat after the summary lines above. The young Gilbert Roland is surprising here, as the very lead. He was rather known as supporting characters in most of his films. Of course, this flick is not Andrew Marton's WILD COUNTRY or William Wellman's CALL OF THE WILD. An effective B picture, I guess no one thinks about now. It has been aired on TCM US. That's how I could take it. It's not unforgettable but worth although.The avalanche sequence is breath taking for this period.