Paul Muni (1895-1967) was always an “actor’s actor”. After a decade of playing increasingly serious roles for Warner Brothers, the last few of a biographical nature (Louis Pasteur, Emile Zola, Benito Juarez), he was obviously delighted when 20th Century-Fox offered him the lead in HUDSON’S BAY (1941). While this too would be another historical character, that of Pierre-Esprit Radisson co-founder of the Hudson’s Bay Company, Muni would plant his tongue firmly in his cheek and give a wonderfully larger-than-life portrayal of the character complete with “ze mos outrajeous France accen” until Peter Sellers’ Inspector Closeau over two decades later. I concur with novelist George MacDonald Fraser (author of the FLASHMAN series of historical novels and someone well versed in a tongue-in-cheek approach) that HUDSON’S BAY is a movie ahead of its time. Many reviewers, then and now, don’t seem to appreciate the intentional humor that is interwoven into the historical background which I find baffling.
Laird Cregar, in his first major role, plays the other co-founder Gooseberry and gives an equally broad performance. Then there’s Nigel Bruce (Dr Watson himself), giving sage advice to a young Vincent Price who portrays King Charles II. The rest of the cast play it more or less straight with strong performances from the two female leads, Gene Tierney and Virginia Field and solid work from John Sutton as the nominal hero and Morton Lowry as the villainous brother. Veteran screenwriter Lamar Trotti has fashioned a screenplay that plays fast & loose with the actual historical facts (what Hollywood screenplay doesn’t?), but is interesting and easy to follow. Director Irving Pichel, who studied acting at the Pasadena Playhouse and occasionally acted himself (DRACULA’S DAUGHTER), gives his lead actors plenty of “room to breathe” as he keeps things moving along nicely while handling the large scale set pieces adroitly.
The story concerns two French trappers who want to start a trading post near Hudson’s Bay in what would become Canada. They get together with a local English nobleman who funds their attempt. They then go to England to get additional support from King Charles II who wants to rebuild London after the Great Fire of 1666 with the Canadian resources he’ll acquire if the trading post is successful. The nobleman is engaged to be married so his fiance’s brother decides to accompany them. Once in North America, the brother double-crosses his partners which include the local Indians who provide them with the beaver pelts necessary for revenue. After the brother is caught and arrested, the Indians want him executed but this would anger King Charles as well as the nobleman’s fiance. After trials and tribulations, the lovers are reunited, King Charles gets control of Canada, and the trading post will grow to become the Hudson’s Bay Company which lasted from 1670 until 2025.
Like most Hollywood period films from that era, HUDSON’S BAY makes no real attempt at historical accuracy. It’s purpose is to entertain and that it does as it contains comedy, drama, action as well as romance and all in under 2 hours. This was one of the few movies that my father actually enjoyed. Unlike my mother, he could never sit still long enough to finish a movie. My father loved the outdoors and knew the background history so HUDSON’S BAY was right up his alley. We had many Hudson’s Bay products when I was growing up including the famous blankets. Too bad my father didn’t live long enough to see the DVD. I know that he would have enjoyed seeing it again. He loved the Laird Cregar character Gooseberry because it made him think of Paul Bunyan although it’s Paul Muni who looks like Bunyan on the poster. HUDSON’S BAY reminded me of Burt Lancaster’s CRIMSON PIRATE (1952), an adventure movie with spectacle that’s exciting and fun as well. Just don’t take it seriously.
