Hudsons Bay

The 20th-Century Fox Cinema Archives version is reviewed here. The contrast on the transfer is very high, causing the blacks to be very black, and the overall picture is dark, except in the outdoor day scenes. The people and props in the night scenes are barely discernable. Other than that, the picture is very clear. The audio is perfect. The story plays like a lighthearted comedy for the first hour, with fur-trapper and entrepreneur Pierre Radisson (the great Paul Muni) glibly gallivanting back and forth from Europe to Canada, trying to convince English royalty of the riches of Hudsons Bay, while keeping diplomacy with the natives to establish a wealthy fur trade. Munis dialect sounds more Norwegian than French, but gets better as the movie plods along. The story can hardly be taken seriously, as Radisson and buddy Gooseberry (Laird Cregar, for once not playing the heavy) meet up with John Sutton, and the story becomes a rollicking free-for-all reminiscent of Gunga Din or The Three Musketeers, with brawls (no one is ever hurt) and gunfights (no one is ever shot), and its all rather ho-hum. Then, an hour into the film, its as if a new director takes over, and we have a very serious, well-acted and directed section of the story where a huge injustice has been done to the natives, who demand a great price to be paid. This is hands-down the best part of the feature. And we end the film not long after with a Hollywood-contrived, silly, they lived happily ever after ending. This film could have been a much better, serious drama in the hands of a better director than Irving Pichel. Overall, its a very uneven and disappointing effort.

Great movie and one of Paul Munis finest!

TOO SMALL.

I was intrigued to see this film, first because I respect Paul Muni as an actor, and second because this is a film dealing with early Canadian history, which is uncommon. The film was fairly entertaining, with a few moments of intense drama, for example, when a European is executed by other Europeans to stop an Indian war. But I felt that Muni played his role too much for laughs, which weakened the plot. Vincent Price was passable as Charles II, and Gene Tierney was lovely but a stereotyped English lady. I didnt really learn much about the development of the Hudson Bay Company, which has played such a big role in the history of Canada. All-in-all, a modest effort. Fellow admirers of Paul Muni would do better to watch his performances in The Life of Emil Zola, or Juarez, (my personal favourite).

great true story with great cast - Paul Munis magnificent, as always

Good dvd, good movie, but to much bla bla bla around the story

from the goldlen age of hollywood comes hudsons bay with paul muni this is a very good movie from 1940 the picture is very clear and sharp the sound track is excellent for being over 70 years old. you will enjoy this classic movie.

Historical adventure about the founding of the Hudsons Bay Company. Paul Muni was a great actor and he holds it all together. On top of this you get to see an early Gene Tierney. It will take you from the wilds of Canada to France. Lots of fun.

A story of the Beaver trade discovery in Canadas Hudson Bay in the 1600s. Paul Muni and Laird Cregar are two French Trappers that make their living in the beautiful open spaces. They try to interest France to finance their exepedition to find the beaver source to share their riches for New France. They are ill treated by the authorities and as they protest a fight ensues. A angered court sends them to prision. While there thy meet a fellow inmate who tells them he is a outcast English nobleman that had offended the English King and was exiled. to the Americas. The Furtrappers share their Beaver dream and escape to the wilderness. With help of Indians they establish theirTrading Post . To help get additional finance for their needs, the Englishman and his two friends return to England to hopefully interest King Charles in the venture to establish a fort for England.

I fondly remember watching this movie on Long Islands television station WPIX back in the 50s when you could see an entire movie without hundreds of commercial interruptions. Seeing it again via DVD only served as a reminder as to what a good actor Paul Muni was. This was not one of his more memorable films but it was one that I very much enjoyed watching him act in. I would recommend this movie for people who do not complain that the picture is in glorious black and white or that every two minutes something is not getting blown up. This movie was made in the day when they wanted to tell a story through dialogue (that you could understand what they are actually saying) and good acting. It was good to see Vincent Price in a role before he went into horror movies as well as Gene Tierney and John Sutton at the beginning of their careers. I am so glad that 20th is finally opening up their archive vaults and hope to see more movies eventually released.