''Klondike'' is a 1932 American

pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was the brief era in the Cinema of the United States, American film industry between the widespread adoption of sound in film in 1929LaSalle (2002), p. 1. and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorshi ...

film directed by

Phil Rosen Philip E. Rosen (May 8, 1888 – October 22, 1951) was an American film director and cinematographer. He directed more than 140 films between 1915 and 1949. He was born in Marienburg, German Empire (now, Malbork, Poland), grew up in Ma ...

about a man who is put on trial for manslaughter after a surgery on a patient's brain goes awry. The film is also known as ''The Doctor's Sacrifice'' in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

. It was silent film star

Priscilla Dean Priscilla Dean (November 25, 1896 – December 27, 1987) was an American actress popular in silent film as well as in theatre, with a career spanning two decades. Biography She was born on November 25, 1896 in Manhattan, New York City to an activ ...

's final film.

Plot

Doctor Robert Cromwell (played by

Lyle Talbot Lyle Florenz Talbot (born Lisle Henderson, also credited Lysle Talbot; February 8, 1902 – March 2, 1996) was an American stage, screen and television actor. His career in films spanned three decades, from 1931 to 1960, and he performed on ...

) is charged with murder when a patient dies after an experimental operation to remove a brain tumor. His pilot friend, Donald Evans (

Frank Hawks Frank Monroe Hawks (March 28, 1897 - August 23, 1938) was a pilot in the United States Army Air Service during World War I and was known during the 1920s and 1930s as a record breaking aviator, using a series of Texaco-sponsored aircraft, setting ...

), convinces "Doc" to join him on a trans-Pacific trip as a means to start a new life. They plot a flight path across the Bering Strait, but rough weather blows them off course and they end up in

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...

. There the doctor is faced with a new dilemma. Mark Armstrong (

Henry B. Walthall Henry Brazeale Walthall (March 16, 1878 – June 17, 1936) was an American stage and film actor. He appeared as the Little Colonel in D. W. Griffith's ''The Birth of a Nation'' (1915). Early life Henry B. Walthall was born March 16, 1878 on a ...

) begs the doctor to attempt the operation on his son Jim ( Jason Robards Sr.) who is crippled by a similar brain tumor. When the doctor refuses, Mark accuses him of wanting his son to die, because he is in love with Jim's fiancée, Klondike (

Thelma Todd Thelma Alice Todd (July 29, 1906 – December 16, 1935) was an American actress and businesswoman who carried the nicknames "The Ice Cream Blonde" and "Hot Toddy". Appearing in about 120 feature films and shorts between 1926 and 1935, sh ...

). "Doc" acquiesces, at Klondike's insistence. Although having none of the facilities of a hospital, he believes that the operation is less likely to succeed, the longer it is delayed. The operation seems to be a partial success. But now Jim will do anything to keep "Doc" from taking Klondike back to the States with him, even using his genius with electricity to electrocute him.

Cast

as Klondike *

as Dr. Robert Cromwell *

as Mark Armstrong * Jason Robards Sr. as Jim Armstrong *

as Miss Porter *

Tully Marshall Tully Marshall (born William Phillips; April 10, 1864 – March 10, 1943) was an American character actor. He had nearly a quarter century of theatrical experience before his debut film appearance in 1914 which led to a film career spanning alm ...

as Editor Hinman *Patrick H. O'Malley, Jr. as Burke *

Myrtle Stedman Myrtle Stedman (born Myrtle Lincoln; March 3, 1883 – January 8, 1938) was an American leading lady and later character actress in motion pictures who began in silent films in 1910. Biography Stedman was born Myrtle Lincoln in Chicago, Illi ...

as Miss Fielding *

Ethel Wales Ethel Wales (April 4, 1878 – February 15, 1952) was an American actress who appeared in more than 130 films during her 30-year career. Biography Born in 1878 in Passaic, New Jersey, Wales graduated from "Wisconsin university". Wales had ...

as Sadie Jones *

George 'Gabby' Hayes George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Presiden ...

as Tom Ross *

as Donald Evans

Production

The film was remade as ''Klondike Fury'' (1942).

References

External links

* * 1932 films 1930s adventure drama films American black-and-white films Films set in Alaska Monogram Pictures films American drama films 1932 drama films Films directed by Phil Rosen 1930s English-language films 1930s American films {{1930s-drama-film-stub