L'Empereur du Nord

The film cannot deny its connection to the western genre. Its story and conflict are built on the same foundation as the films about famous 19th-century gunslingers. The only difference is that the cowboys have been replaced by railway workers smelling of oil and soot, and the Native Americans and outlaws have become wanderers who want to use the railway for free travel across the endless distances of the American continent. Similar to a classic western, this film is also based on the conflict of two strong individuals and offers the romance of the beautiful American wilderness, unrestrainedness, and freedom, as well as the charm of the old industrial railway viaducts, depots, and steam locomotives. Just like a western, this film also leads the viewer astray with false mythology and non-existent rituals in the real world. The reality of tough and hardened wanderers was surely more down-to-earth, and they probably didn't care about any rules. For Ernest Borgnine, the character of the ruthless train chief was the role of a lifetime in its own way, and even the experienced and famous Lee Marvin can consider this a spectacular role in his long career. Overall impression: 80%. (18/10/2013)

A morally perverse movie which glorifies hobos who have no qualms about endangering (and indeed taking) the property and lives of others, or destroying work and mocking the hardworking. It's no wonder that one of these workers is going to go mad and take matters into his own... long, flailing chains. Besides, you could certainly find a few like Shack among today's train conductors, couldn't you? Otherwise, a classic Aldrich man’s movie. Marvin, in particular, enjoys playing his rugged homeless character with gusto. It is a pity that its pace is sometimes too lukewarm, which does not correspond at all to the setting among the steam of the careering fuming beast, where life is at stake. However, the lyrics of the central country song are completely out there; so many deep thoughts in three minutes - you don't hear things like that very often. (17/02/2012)

A tough guy movie with the great duo of Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine, but it lacks something in order to achieve perfection. It deserved either a shorter runtime or more aggressive direction (see Frankenheimer's The Train), and it certainly could have done with better music (hear Goldsmith's “Breakheart Pass" or Von Ryan's Express). I'm rounding up the three and a half stars nonetheless. (13/10/2015)