O Renegado

First of all, I tracked down this film because of the cast. This film boasts Vincent Price, Gene Tierney, Paul Muni, and Nigel Bruce, which sounds like a great treat. Unfortunately, the film fails them. You can see each of them struggling to bring this movie to life with each line they deliver, but it just isn't enough. Although I was happy to see these stars, the film in its entirety isn't worth watching for most.

The film tells the story of an Englishman from the courts of King Charles II, who is exiled to Canada, and meets up with fur traders in jail. He bands together with them to hatch a scheme that will get him back in good standing with the king and his friends back home. This involves a lot of hard work, and some meddling in their business by the French government in Canada who want their cut of the money. They find their way to England and explain to the king what their idea is. Eventually, he agrees to their plans, although there are still some squabbles and fights along the way. I wont tell how it ends, but it isn't hard to tell whether or not they succeed.

As you may have guessed by my description, this is a fictionalized account of the history of fur traders. If you aren't interested in Canadian, Indian, or American history of this time period, or maybe even if you are, this is going to be a boring movie to watch. Many times, there are scenes of exposition to explain what was going on in history at the time. Either that, or characters sit around and talk for a long time about laws, rules, and their future plans. There just isn't enough action for a film that is supposed to have adventure as well as history.

The only reason why I didn't give this film a lower score was the actors. They really tried their hardest. Even those who played the Indians and the French gave better performances than they needed to. I was happy to see that each nation was represented fairly as well. Other films around this time period might not have shown as much respect, or would have used stereotypical behavior. So, that was a plus.

Overall, it isn't one of the worst historical adventure films I have seen. It certainly isn't a good one either, unfortunately. Because it is stuck in that limbo of 'just okay' films, it's been forgotten about by audiences for a long time. I'm not saying that this is a forgotten gem we need to resurrect, but if you are a die hard fan of these actors, like me, you should check it out if you can.

To make up for his lack of a French accent in The Life of Emile Zola, and to round out his repertoire of accents, Paul Muni put on a consistent and hilarious French accent in Hudson's Bay. He plays a fur trapper in Canada, and along with his Daniel Boone-like costume and scruffy beard-which wasn't in fashion in 1941 or the 1600s-Paul looks and sounds the part, making this movie all the more delightful.

While the beginning is a little boring, once you get into the heart of the film, it's very entertaining. Paul and Laird Cregar are friends and partners in their fur-trading business. Paul has dreams of opening a trading post, and when he crosses paths with an English nobleman, John Sutton, he devises a plan to turn all situations to his advantage. With charm, humor, and intelligence, Paul makes his way through Indian territory, the royal court, and jail, all with the goal of his trade post in mind. It's very cute how he worms his way through the movie, always with a smile so no one can really get mad at him.

If you're interested in seeing a young Gene Tierney, you can find her in one of her first movies, as John's beautiful love interest. Vincent Price plays King Charles II, and it's always nice to see him before he got type-casted as the creepy villain. It's Paul who steals the show, though, so get ready to love him even more than you already do.

During his career, Paul Muni was a solid and well respected actor. After all, he won the Oscar for Best Actor and was nominated for an Oscar five other times! This is a most impressive record considering he only made a few films...and he was nominated more than 25% of the time he appeared in a movie!

I mention this because I was incredibly suprised by his performance in the movie "Hudson's Bay". He was terrible playing a French fur trapper. Why? Because the performance was so broad and dopey...almost like seeing Huntz Hall playing a Frenchman! According to this performance, French guys roll their eyes or open them wide as saucers and make goofy faces and he is about as subtle as a nudist showing up at a Baptist barbecue!

In this highly fictionalized account of 17th century Canada, fur trappers Pierre and Gooseberry (Muni and Laird Cregar) partner up with a Brit, Lord Crewe (John Sutton) and they plan on making a killing trapping and selling furs. The local native tribes are very willing to work with them because Pierre and Gooseberry respect these people and deal with them fairly. But what is NOT fair is the new governor of French Canada is a crook who tries to steal their furs...especially the prized beaver pelts. The governor claims it's for 'taxes and various fines'...but he's clearly a crook.

The trio manage to escape and son Lord Crewe introduces them to the British king, Charles II (Vincent Price). He turns out to be a bit of an imperious butthead--which is actually pretty historically accurate. He was an inept king in many ways. And, the various folks they meet as they try to start a trading company are greedy and plan on cheating the tribes...to which Pierre (Muni) is appalled! So what's next for our eager beaver-loving heroes?

When it comes to historical accuracy, this film really has nothing to do with the British settling Canada. And, I can find no record of French governors in Canada abusing their power like the guy in this one. So, it's best to assume the film is just a story...not a history lesson. And, as such it is watchable and is worth seeing...at least as a time-passer.

One thing that is very true in the film is the value of beaver pelts. Beaver pelts and beaver hats were the rage and a person could get very rich trapping them...which led to over-hunting.

Seems they got the costumes more or less right and certainly the names but that's about it. Muni is unbearable in the lead role of adventureous rogue fur trapper Pierre Radisson , attempting financing for an expedition to Hudson's Bay. His eyes , hands , body, in constant exagerrated motion, it's a bit like watching Charlie McCarthy in buckskin. Laird Creager is a little better, less mannered as his partner Grossilliers. There's some action and a portage with natives that looks pretty compelling. That ends of course as soon as sac le bleau tabernac and maple syrup soaked Muni brings everything to a standstill while he "Frenchies up dee atmousehere". Nice to see a very young Gene Tierney turn up looking ravishing and sporting an English accent nearly as mannered as Muni's French one. Good for laughs , maybe.

Directed with his usual bland proficiency by Irving Pichel, the fact that 'Hudson's Bay' was named after the setting rather than Paul Muni's character showed he had come down in the world after the period when it was written into his contract that the name of his character was automatically part of the titles of the films in which he starred.

In 'Hudson's Bay', sporting a scruffy beard and a hilariously phoney French accent, he's dwarfed both in size and presence by new boy Laird Cregar. 'Hudson's Bay' marks the only occasion where he shared the screen with Vincent Price as the Merry Monarch, while the presence of Vanessa Field as Nell Gwynn gives him ample cause to be merry.