''The Man from Hell's River'', also known as simply ''Hell's River'', is a 1922 American silent

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

film starring

Irving Cummings Irving Caminsky (October 9, 1888 – April 18, 1959) was an American movie actor and director. Career Born in New York City, Cummings started his acting career at age 16 in ''Diplomacy''. His Broadway, performances included ''In the Long R ...

Eva Novak Eva Barbara Novak (February 14, 1898 – April 17, 1988) was an American film actress, who was quite popular during the silent film era. Biography On February 14, 1898, Eva Barbara Novak was born in St. Louis, Missouri, to Joseph Jerome Nov ...

, and

Wallace Beery Wallace Fitzgerald Beery (April 1, 1885 – April 15, 1949) was an American film and stage actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Bill in ''Min and Bill'' (1930) opposite Marie Dressler, as General Director Preysing in ''Grand Hotel'' (193 ...

. The screenplay was written by Cummings based upon the story "God of Her People" by

James Oliver Curwood James Oliver Curwood (June 12, 1878 – August 13, 1927) was an American action-adventure writer and conservationist. His books were often based on adventures set in the Hudson Bay area, the Yukon or Alaska and ranked among the top-ten best sell ...

, and directed by Cummings. The picture was notably the first of many (including a subsequent television series) for canine character

Rin Tin Tin Rin Tin Tin or Rin-Tin-Tin (September 1918 – August 10, 1932) was a male German Shepherd born in Flirey, France, who became an international star in motion pictures. He was rescued from a World War I battlefield by an American soldier, L ...

, who replaced a truculent wolf originally slated to appear. The movie exists and is readily available online. ''The Man from Hell's River'' was produced by Irving Cummings Productions.

Plot

As described in a

film magazine Film periodicals combine discussion of individual films, genres and directors with in-depth considerations of the medium and the conditions of its production and reception. Their articles contrast with film reviewing in newspapers and magazines whi ...

, taking place in the woods of the Canadian northwest, Corporal Pierre de Barre (Cummings) loves Mabella (Novak), the foster daughter of Lopente (Klein), and she loves him. Gaspard, The Wolf (Beery), holding over Lopente knowledge of a killing for which he would be arrested, demands Mabella. Lopente forces the young woman to marry Gaspard, telling her that he would be arrested and hung otherwise. She does not tell Corporal Pierre why this happened, and he cannot fathom her reasons. Gaspard returns to seeing the women of doubtful virtue which formerly held his attentions. This irritates Pierre but he cannot do anything. The Priest tells Pierre of Mabella's story, and that she is not really Lopente's daughter. Mabella arouses Gaspard's jealousy and he sets out to kill Pierre. Sergeant McKenna (Whitson) and his deputy leave the post deserted, and Gaspard arrives and knocks Pierre down. Gaspard then flees with his wife. Pierre follows, and he and Gaspard have a fight out on the snow covered mountain. Pierre's wolf dog (Rin Tin Tin) breaks his bounds and jumps, landing on Gaspard and knocking him over the cliff. Pierre and Mabella are now free to marry.

Cast

as Pierre de Barre *

as Mabella *

as Gaspard, The Wolf *

Frank Whitson Frank Whitson (March 22, 1877 – March 19, 1946) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 60 films between 1915 and 1937. He was born in New York, New York, and died in Los Angeles, California. Whitson performed in vaudeville a ...

as Sergeant McKenna * Robert Klein as Lopente * William Herford as The Padre *

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Man from Hell's River 1920s English-language films 1922 films American black-and-white films 1922 Western (genre) films Films directed by Irving Cummings Northern (genre) films Rin Tin Tin Royal Canadian Mounted Police in fiction Films based on works by James Oliver Curwood Silent American Western (genre) films 1920s American films