Nanook of the North

A film review by Christopher Null - Copyright © 2004 Filmcritic.com

Robert Flaherty's classic documentary of Inuit hunter Nanook and his family (including two wives) may look quaint today, and it certainly has a Wild Kingdom feel to it, but this groundbreaking documentary is nonetheless a fascinating and unique look at Eskimo culture, produced at extreme hardship and with even more loving care. Nanook's life, mainly concerning the perpetual quest for food as his family teeters on starvation, doesn't offer a lot of variety, but blisteringly real images like this don't come along any more these days. The igloo-building scene (he puts in a freakin' window!) is monumentally unforgettable.

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Rating

4.0 out of 5 Stars

Cast and Crew

  • Director: Robert J. Flaherty
  • Producer: Robert J. Flaherty
  • Screenwriter: Robert J. Flaherty
  • Stars: Nanook, Nyla, Cunayou
  • MPAA Rating: NR