Hudson's Bay (1940)

This is quite a fun pioneering romp through the pages of the early history of the British in Canada. Centred around the exploits of Pierre Radisson (Paul Muni), his larger than life sidekick "Gooseberry" (Laird Cregar) and the somewhat discredited Lord Crewe (John Sutton), the story depicts their efforts to export hundreds of thousands of extremely valuable pelts to Europe, Muni is on great form as the intrepid entrepreneur who manages to fall in and out with just about everyone from the locals, the French and finally King Charles II (Vincent Price) in London - who grants them a charter to form the now legendary Hudson's Bay Trading Company. The dialogue is quickly paced and quite funny at times, though a bit on the wordy side, and the three gents manage to keep the action coming thick and past - with (perhaps only a scant) nod to history as they go. Gene Tierney only fleetingly provides the love interest for Crewe and Virginia Field is also on hand to demonstrate that Nell Gwynn had more than a little influence on her Sovereign. The photography is suitably grand in the wilderness and sumptuous at King Charles' court, and Alfred Newman's score helps this adventure story to entertain.