Eskimo (1933)

The dramatic life of Mala the eskimo, how he lost his first wife to the perfidy of the white man, how the spirits granted him a new name and thus a new life.

A prodigy of realism, even with some fake superpositions in some walrus hunting scenes. The actors are reportedly all nonprofessional, and most of them do a perfect job. The film is entirely structured around oppositions such as superior/inferior, strong/weak, primitive/civilized. Mala is the "superior" eskimo, his hunting skills are unmatched, he is entitled to his friend's wives. The white man can't keep his word, and "a weak word makes for a weak man". The white man's moral code doesn't mean a thing to the huskies, they are "superior". And so on. As much a masterpiece as was possible in the circumstances.
This is Dale Thomajan's number four in his top ten list for 1933.

Rating: 81
(Number 4 in my list of favorites for 1933.)