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Based on James Oliver Curwood's novel,
Wapi the Walrus,
Back to God's Country is the story of a free-spirited, nature-loving woman (Nell Shipman) and her run-ins with a nasty thug (Wellington A. Playter) who continually pursues her. This flapper-era silent movie holds up surprisingly well and benefits from some location filming. It is also notable because it remains the most commercially successful Canadian movie of all time--in eighty years Canadian filmmakers have yet to top it (and, unlike so many, it was actually set in Canada!). What's more, it's believed to be the only film left in existence from Canada's burgeoning silent-film era. Unlike many American silent movies, it remained unavailable to TV or video until 1997 when the Canadian Bravo! TV network presented a surprisingly well-restored version with an effective piano score by Gabriel Thibaudeau. Shipman, who was also a producer, appeared in a number of movies derived from American writer Curwood's Canadian-set stories, though the others were for Hollywood. None, however, matched the success of this one.
--D.K. Latta
Video Details
Two extraordinary films starring early independent producer, writer, conservationist and star Nell Shipman. In "Back to God's Country" (1919, 72 min.), Shipman is a beautiful young wife trapped on an ice-bound ship. The captain will stop at nothing to have his way with Nell. With only the help of a ferocious dog named Wapi, she must stave off his advances and escape with her severely wounded husband to safety. "Something New" (1920, 60 min.) is a thrilling and hilarious Western where the hero comes to the rescue of the kidnapped girl--in a 1920 Maxwell sedan! Chased by bandits on horseback across rocky terrain, Shipman and co-star Bert Van Tuyle survive some of the most amazing stunts ever attempted in a roadster.
