Director: Henry Hathaway
Screenplay: Jules Furthman, Stuart Anthony (uncredited), Talbot Jennings (uncredited), Curt Siodmak (uncredited), Dale Van Every (uncredited), Robert Yost (uncredited)
Based on a Novel by: Barrett Willoughby
Starring: George Raft, Henry Fonda, Dorothy Lamour, Akim Tamiroff, John Barrymore, Louise Platt, Lynne Overman, Fuzzy Knight
Country: USA
Running Time: 110 min
Year: 1938
BBFC Certificate: 12
Work on Spawn of the North began almost 2 years before the main production kicked off in 1938. Director Henry Hathaway and his associate director Richard Talmadge flew to Ketchikan, Alaska, in 1936 to scout locations for an adaptation of Barrett Willoughby’s book of the same name. There, Talmadge and his crew shot around 80,000 feet of film (the off-cuts of which were used in future projects, including the Spawn of the North’s 1954 remake, Alaska Seas).
However, by the time this B-roll trip was over, the production of Spawn of the North had been put on hold. Rewrites were requested and the cast was regularly under question. Clark Gable, Fred MacMurray, Cary Grant and Randolph Scott were all wanted at some point for the leads, and other names, including Carole Lombard, were thrown into the ring for the supporting cast. Those mentioned left the project, for various reasons, but, eventually, it was given the green light once again, with George Raft and Argentinian actor George Rigaud down for the male leads, alongside Dorothy Lamour, Louise Platt and John Barrymore. Rigaud was taken off after only two days, as his thick accent proved to be a problem, and Henry Fonda joined the team shortly afterwards.
The film went on to be a critical and commercial success, leading to an honorary Academy Award for ‘outstanding achievements in creating special photographic and sound effects’.
It’s not one of Henry Hathaway’s better-known films these days, but Indicator, who are putting out a lot of the director’s work at the moment, deemed it fit for their finely curated collection of titles. I got hold of their forthcoming Blu-ray release and my thoughts follow.
Spawn of the North is set in the rugged Alaskan territory, where lifelong friends and salmon fishermen Jim Kimmerlee (Henry Fonda) and Tyler Dawson (George Raft) find their bond tested by conflicting loyalties. Jim is a law-abiding cannery owner determined to protect the local fishing industry from predatory Russian pirates, led by the ruthless Red Skain (Akim Tamiroff). Tyler, on the other hand, is lured by the promise of quick riches and joins forces with the very thieves Jim opposes.
Their friendship is further strained by the return of their childhood sweetheart, Dian (Louise Platt), who rekindles a romance with Jim, creating a love triangle. This romantic rivalry doesn’t last long, as Tyler and hotel owner Nicky (Dorothy Lamour) grow closer.
However, as the piracy escalates, Jim finds himself on one side of a growing conflict while Tyler’s involvement deepens, leading to betrayal, violence, and a tragic confrontation that forces them to face the devastating consequences of their choices amidst the stunning backdrop of the Alaskan wilderness.
For me, Spawn of the North is a perfect example of why the 1930s were considered the Golden Age of Hollywood. Everything is meticulously crafted to produce a piece of entertainment that’s hard to beat.
Hathaway was always excited by creating a strong sense of place, authenticity and atmosphere in his films, and this is no different. Whilst much of Spawn of the North was shot on an elaborate set in L.A., Hathaway often makes good use of the reams of B-roll material shot in Alaska. Plus, the award-winning visual effects include some remarkably effective rear-projection to make it feel like Fonda and Raft are out to sea, hauling in salmon.
There was an exceptional crew supporting Hathaway too. The great Charles Lang was the DOP, the legendary Edith Head designed the costumes and a raft of talent allegedly worked on the script, whilst Jules Furthman, the man behind some of the best scripts of all time, To Have and Have Not, The Big Sleep and Rio Bravo, took the only screenwriter credit, alongside the book’s author, Barrett Willoughby.
Adding to this is a striking score by Dimitri Tiomkin that blends tribal chanting and orchestral bravado with elements from his own native Russian culture. The opening theme, in particular, is a wonderfully unique and rousing piece of music.
The film is a technical marvel too. As mentioned, it won an honorary award for special photographic and sound effects at the Oscars and it’s not hard to see why. On top of the visuals I mentioned earlier, the sense of atmosphere is greatly enhanced by a rich tapestry of sound effects and music. We take sound design like this for granted now, but the film was made when the industry was only a little over a decade into the syncing of sound and visuals, so it’s way ahead of its time.
The cast is great too. Raft and Fonda are a reliable pair and I particularly enjoyed seeing the former in a more charming role than usual. They both get to show their serious acting chops though, when the stakes get higher in the latter portions of the film.
Louise Platt’s character, Dian, gets a bit flimsy as the film goes on but the other female lead, Dorothy Lamour, is given much more to do as Nicky. She’s a wonderfully strong, self-sufficient woman but struggles with her love for the reckless Tyler, who refuses to acknowledge his own clear feelings for her. Lamour gets some powerful scenes, including one where she crushes a shot glass in her fist out of sheer frustration.
John Barrymore, who was reportedly difficult to work with on set due to a drinking problem, provides plenty of humour, aided by his foil, Jackson, played by Lynne Overman. Their schtick is that Barrymore, playing newspaperman Windy Turlon, waxes lyrical, whilst Jackson translates into straightforward English.
There’s one other star that’s worth mentioning, and that’s Slicker, who plays himself. Slicker is a seal who started out as a star of the vaudeville scene before making it into motion pictures. This exceptionally well-trained mammal performs a host of stunts and gags throughout the film, and even milks our emotions in a poignant scene towards the end.
Spawn of the North is not one of Hollywood’s faster-paced films, as some might expect from such a title from this era. Instead, it takes its time to begin with, opening with a leisurely, light-hearted first half. The film then takes quite a sharp turn around the mid-point and gets rather dark as it moves on. You could even say it has a noir-like flavour by the end. There’s some surprisingly brutal violence too.
All-in-all, Spawn of the North is a rousing triumph from Hollywood’s Golden Age. It might not sound too appealing on paper (a drama about men fighting over fishing) but Hathaway and co have crafted a film loaded with humour, heart, excitement and drama. A classic well worthy of rediscovery.
Film: 
Spawn of the North is out on 21st April on region B Blu-Ray, released by Indicator. The transfer is a little hit and miss. It looks like there’s been some digital cleanup that doesn’t always work well with the film’s grain, creating a weird, almost painted look in places. Other times, the print looks great for its age though. I’ve used screengrabs throughout this review for reference, though these have been compressed. The audio is first-rate for a film of its era.
INDICATOR LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES
– High definition remaster
– Original mono audio
– Audio commentary with screenwriter and author Kelly Goodner and filmmaker and film historian Jim Hemphill (2025)
– Tom Vincent on Loren L Ryder (2025): overview of the pioneering work by the sound engineer who won an Oscar for his contributions to Spawn of the North
– Image gallery: promotional and publicity material
– New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
– Limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by Philip Concannon, archival introductions by producer Albert Lewin and director Henry Hathaway, an archival interview with Hathaway, an archival production report, and film credits
– UK premiere on Blu-ray
– Limited edition of 3,000 copies for the UK
Kelly Goodner and Jim Hemphill’s commentary is fantastic. The pair have certainly done their research and fire out a torrent of illuminating facts and amusing anecdotes they’ve come across about the production and those involved. It’s a genuine treat to listen to. I particularly enjoyed the section discussing the totem poles that appear in the film.
Also included is an interview with Tom Vincent on the film and Loren L Ryder, whose sound design was part of the reason why Spawn of the North was granted a special Academy Award for its photographic and sound effects. Ryder was a crucial part of a number of innovations in Hollywood, and Vincent tells his story whilst providing a clear explanation of some of the major technical changes the industry has gone through in the sound era. As such, I found it fascinating.
The image gallery is quite interesting on the disc, as, alongside the usual publicity stills, you get a lengthy ‘Photoplay Studies’ guide to look through. This is basically a teaching pack based around the film and makes for an intriguing read.
The physical booklet is a vital addition to the set too, as is always the case with Indicator’s releases. It kicks things off with an essay by Philip Concannon that covers the film’s production. Then there are a couple of excerpts from the educational guide mentioned earlier. Those are followed up by an archival production report and an enjoyable interview with Hathaway, which took place before production ‘properly’ began.
So, whilst on paper, the extras might look a little thin on the ground, what is included is excellent. Added to the quality of the film, it makes Spawn of the North an easy recommendation.
Disc/Package:
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