Men of the North (1930) Review: Gilbert Roland in the Snow

Is this worth your time?

If you're into those really early talkies where everyone sounds like they are shouting at a hidden microphone in a flower pot, you might like this. It's a good pick for a rainy Sunday if you're already a fan of Gilbert Roland and his mustache. ❄️

But if you hate slow-moving plots and old-fashioned acting where every gesture is HUGE, you should probably skip it. It feels very much like a play that someone decided to film in a refrigerator.

The story kicks off with a gold heist, which is usually a great way to start a movie. But we don't really see the heist in a way that feels exciting; we just know it happened and now the Sergeant is breathing down Louis's neck.

Louis is played by Gilbert Roland, and honestly, he's the only reason this movie doesn't completely freeze over. He has this way of looking at the camera like he knows a secret that you don't. 😉

Then there is Nedra. She's the love interest, and she's fine, I guess, but their romance feels like it happens in about four seconds.

One minute they are looking at the snow, and the next, they are basically soulmates. It’s that old-school movie logic where eye contact equals marriage.

I have to talk about Woolie-Woolie. Yes, that is actually the character's name, and no, I don't know why they chose it.

He is the guy who gets jealous of Louis and Nedra. He’s basically the human version of a grumpy cloud. ☁️

Woolie-Woolie eventually snitches on Louis's hiding spot because he can't handle being the third wheel. It’s petty, but it’s the most relatable thing in the whole film.

There is this one scene where they are all caught in a storm, and the wind machine is clearly working overtime. You can see the actors squinting so hard they might forget their lines, which they probably did a few times.

The Sergeant is played by Robert Elliott, who looks like he has never smiled once in his entire life. He’s the law, and he reminds you of that by standing very straight and looking extremely serious at all times. 👮

I kept thinking about The Law of the North while watching this, mostly because the titles are so similar. That one was a silent film, and sometimes I think this story would have worked better without the clunky early sound equipment.

The dialogue in Men of the North can be a bit stiff. People say things like "You shall not escape!" and it feels like they are reading off a grocery list.

But then Louis does something brave, like saving the Sergeant and Nedra from a certain icy death. It’s a classic hero moment that feels a bit unearned, but you cheer anyway because Gilbert Roland is just so likable.

The ending is a bit of a bummer, though. Louis saves the day and then gets arrested anyway?

It’s like the movie forgot it was supposed to be a happy ending and then remembered at the last second that laws exist. 🙄

I noticed the sets look very painted. Like, the mountains in the background don't even try to look real, which is actually kind of charming in a weird way.

It reminds me of Filibus or some of those other really old films where you just had to use your imagination for the scenery.

There's a moment where Louis is talking to Nedra and the camera stays on his face for a long time. It’s almost uncomfortable, like the director forgot to yell "cut" and they both just stood there waiting.

The music is also very loud and dramatic, even when people are just sitting down. It makes every cup of coffee look like a major plot point. ☕

Overall, it’s a bit of a mess, but a sweet mess. It’s only about an hour long, so it doesn't overstay its welcome like some of the longer epics from that time.

If you're looking for deep meaning, you won't find it here. But if you want to see a guy in a fur coat act his heart out against a painted mountain, this is your movie.

I’ve seen better adventure movies from this era, like maybe Speeding Through, but this one has a specific northern vibe that is hard to hate.

It’s not perfect, and the sound is definitely fuzzy, but it's a neat little piece of history. Just don't expect it to change your life or anything.

One last thing—Woolie-Woolie is still a hilarious name. I’m going to be thinking about that for at least a week. 😂