The Canadian (1926) Review- By Michael J. Carlisle

Title: The Canadian
Year: 1926
Director: William Beaudine
Country: US
Language: N/A

The Canadian was thought lost for decades before turning up in the late sixties.  Director William Beaudine was the guest of honour at the 1970 Los Angeles Screening, where he admitted to never having seen his own film before because of his incredibly tight schedule. Critics at the time of original release were underwhelmed by the picture's lack of melodrama, whereas critics of the 70's seemed to adore the silent classic.

A couple (played by Thomas Meigan and Mona Palma) undergo hardship homesteading in Alberta, where they are plagued by bad weather and financial woes. 

Bad weather and financial woes, huh? Yep! Sounds like Alberta to me! While time has not been kind to William Beaudine, once a respected contract director, who was reduced to churning out budget films and television episodes later in his career, it is nice to see that modern audiences have allowed The Canadian to be a staple in silent film festivals throughout the world. It's odd to hear that the picture was given rather mediocre reviews at time of release. Usually those pictures don't recover from such negative press.

Based on a 1913 four-act play entitled The Land of Promise by W. Somerset Maugham and adapted into a novel in 1914 by D. Torbett and then a film in 1917, starring Thomas Meighan and Billie “Good Witch” Burke, this remake (it was not uncommon for silent films to remake earlier silent films) is actually pretty good. The acting is perhaps the most understated aspect of the film; it's subtle but works in every frame. The cinematography is absoluturely outstanding and the drama is very well written. 

There is no doubt that this is a dark film however, I can't think of many silent films that include a rape scene. It has a mature way of handling its more adult themes, although has content that will disturb many viewers. If you're in the mood for light hearted escapism, then you might want to avoid this film. I found The Canadian surprisingly good and would recommend it.