Reviews of silent film releases on home video. Copyright © 1999-2024 by Carl Bennett and the Silent Era Company. All Rights Reserved.

Where the North Begins (1923)

This Rin-Tin-Tin vehicle — the third to be produced and the first for Warner Brothers — was directed by Chester M. Franklin and stars Claire Adams, Walter McGrail, Pat Hartigan, Myrtle Owen and Charles Stevens.

A foundling German Shephard pup grows up among the wolves of the frozen north and learns to live an independent life in the wild. Amid the northwoods, the McTavish family have established their home. Felice McTavish (Adams) is pleased to learn that her beau Gabrielle Dupree (McGrail) has adopted an orphaned baby. Shad Galloway (Hartigan) is the factor of the company outpost who has greedy evil on his mind and exerts his ‘power’ over others to obtain his ill-gotten gains. He tempts Dupree with an offer of five hundred dollars to carry the company’s fur pelts over Caribou Pass to Skagway, knowing well that the route has claimed the lives of others that winter. Felice is concerned for Gabrielle’s life. Meanwhile, planning to rob his employer, Galloway sends his half-breed minion ‘The Fox’ (Stevens) ahead to ambush Dupree on the trail and steal the furs.

Wounded, stripped of his cargo and left to endure a blizzard, Gabrielle is found by the wolf-dog (Rinty) who instinctually protects him from an attack by wolves. When ‘The Fox’ returns to ensure his job has been completed, he is repelled by the wolf-dog. A tentative bond is established between Dupree and the dog.

Meanwhile, Dupree returns to the McTavish cabin and a relieved Felice. Galloway’s housekeeper Marie (Owen) learns of this and reports it to him. Blaming ‘The Fox’ for a bungled job, Galloway orders an investigation of the fur theft seeking to cast suspicion on Gabrielle. During the investigation, ‘The Fox’ enter the trading post and is recognized and attacked by the wolf-dog. On Galloway’s instructions, a cache of furs is planted by ‘The Fox’ in Dupree’s cabin but he is discovered in the act by the housekeeper and the wolf-dog who repells him again in a bloody fight.

Gabrielle returns to his cabin in a shambles and suspects that the wolf-dog has attacked the orphaned baby, for whom his has demonstrated a dislike. Meanwhile, the investigators arrive to search the cabin for the furs and it is decided the wolf-dog must be killed for its attack on the child. In the nick of time, Felice arrives and reports the baby’s safety but Galloway reveals the evidential furs. At the same time, the dying ‘Fox’ confesses to police his murders and the planting of the furs done on Galloway’s orders. Galloway is arrested but makes a last-minute attempt at escape by kidnapping Felice and fleeing on horseback. No matter, It’s Rinty to the rescue!

Veteran director Franklin brings his storytelling skills to the first in Warner Brothers’ Rin-Tin-Tin series soon to be helmed by lesser talents. Aided by the brisk editing of future director Lewis Milestone, the fairly routine plot is lifted by some exciting action sequences.

— Carl Bennett

This Blu-ray Disc edition has been mastered in 4K high-resolution from archival 35mm and 16mm reduction prints scanned by the Library of Congress. The natural-speed HD scan delivers the fine image details that survive in the prints along with the significant amount of dust, speckling, emulsion scrapes and scratches. frame jitters and shudders (severe in the blizzard sequence), tears and splices, some mild print cupping, gate hairs, and other flaws. Missing footage appears to be at a minimum with the majority of the film conflated from the best available prints. The source material damage can be distracting at times but the image quality carries viewers through a viewing with only a few bumps and rattles.

The film is presented with a music score composed and performed on synthesizers and digital piano by Jon C. Mirsalis. As opposed to some play-and-run improvised scores, Mirsalis performs his music in a multitracked recording that layers a number of emulated instruments to provide an enriched music score that pleasing in its aural textures and instrumental arragements.

Supplementary material includes another Rin-Tin-Tin feature, Clash of the Wolves (1925) that features optional audio commentary by Anthony Slide.

With other editions sight unseen, this currently is our recommended home video edition of the film.

USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region A Blu-ray Disc edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
Canada: Click the logomark to purchase this Region A Blu-ray Disc edition from Amazon.ca. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
This Region 0 Blu-ray Disc is also available directly from . . .

The film is accompanied by two optional music scores.

USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
This Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition is also available directly from . . .

The film is accompanied by a music score compiled from preexisting recordings.

This edition has been replaced by the remastered Grapevine Blu-ray Disc and DVD editions noted above and is now out-of-print.

This Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition is . . .

The film is accompanied by a soundtrack compiled from preexisting recordings.

USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
This Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition is also available directly from . . .