Spawn of the North

Spawn of the North is a 1938 American adventure film about rival fishermen in Alaska starring George Raft, Henry Fonda and Dorothy Lamour, and featuring Akim Tamiroff and John Barrymore. The picture was directed by Henry Hathaway and was an unofficial follow up to Souls at Sea, also featuring Raft and directed by Hathaway. Spawn Of The North is based on the novel of the same name by Barrett Willoughby and shares plot similarities with The Virginian, transferred to Alaska.

Plot
Jim Kimmerlee owns a salmon cannery. He is pleased to see old friend Tyler Dawson, who has been away hunting seal. Also glad to see Tyler is his sweetheart, hotel owner Nicky Duval.

Thieves have been stealing from fishing traps. Jim is determined to put a stop to it, engaging in a feud with Red Skain, a Russian fisherman who is suspected in the thefts.

Di Turlon comes back to town after several years of big-city life. The adjustment to the fishing community is awkward at first, but Di comes around and becomes interested romantically in Jim.

As he and others go after Red and the thieves, Jim is dismayed to learn that Tyler has become one of Red's accomplices. Planning to catch the fish poachers in the act, Jim tries to spare Tyler by having Nicky sabotage his boat, but Tyler finds another vessel and joins Red at sea. Jim exchanges gunfire with the thieves, killing two and wounding Tyler.

After being found and helped by his friend after Red has abandoned him, Tyler decides there is one more thing he must do. Close to death, he takes a boat back out, confronts Red, then blows a loud boat whistle that causes an avalanche, resulting in both men's death. Jim speaks admiringly of his friend's sacrificial act.

Cast

 * George Raft as Tyler Dawson
 * Henry Fonda as Jim Kimmerlee
 * Dorothy Lamour as Nicky Duval
 * Akim Tamiroff as Red Skain
 * John Barrymore as Windy Turlon
 * Louise Platt as "Di" Turlon
 * Lynne Overman as "Jack" Jackson
 * Fuzzy Knight as Lefty Jones
 * Vladimir Sokoloff as Dimitri
 * Duncan Renaldo as Ivan
 * John Wray as Dr. Sparks
 * Michio Ito as Indian Dancer
 * Stanley Andrews as Partridge
 * Richard Ung as Tom

Reception
The film was a big box office success and was later remade as Alaska Seas (1954).

The special effects and production team who worked on Spawn of the North received an Academy Honorary Award at the 11th Academy Awards for their efforts. The award was given to the special effects artist Gordon Jennings, with assistance from Jan Domela, Dev Jennings, Irmin Roberts and Art Smith; the transparencies artist Farciot Edouart, with assistance from Loyal Griggs and the sound effects artist Loren L. Ryder, with assistance from Harry D. Mills, Louis Mesenkop and Walter Oberst.