Back to God’s Country
Also known as L’instinct qui veille in Canada and in France.
(1919) Canada
B&W : Six reels
Directed by David M. Hartford
Cast: Nell Shipman [Dolores LeBeau], Wheeler Oakman [Peter Burke], Wellington Plater [Captain Rydal], Charles Arling [‘Sealskin’ Blake], Roy Laidlaw [Baptiste LeBeau], Charles Murphy [Rydal’s sidekick], William G. Colvin [murdered mountie], Ronald Byram, Rex the dog [Tao], Tresore the dog [Wapi], Brownie the bear [Cubby]
Curwood-Carver Productions, Incorporated (Shipman-Curwood Productions) production; distributed by First National Exhibitors’ Circuit, Incorporated. / Produced by Ernest Shipman. Scenario by Nell Shipman and James Oliver Curwood, from the short story “Wapi, the Walrus” by James Oliver Curwood. Cinematography by Dal Clawson and J.M. Walker (Joseph Walker). Edited by Cyril Gardner. Presented by James Oliver Curwood. / © 13 October 1919. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / Song “Back to God’s Country” by Paul M. Sarazan and Jack B. Weil. Variety-19200102 p. 73 lists actor Roy Laidlaw as Ralph Laidlaw and lists the source story as “Wapi, the Killer.” The film was restored in 1985 by the National Archives of Canada from an American domestic release print and an export print held in England.
Drama: Northwoods.
Survival status: Prints exist in the Library of Congress film archive (American Film Institute collection) [incomplete 35mm nitrate positive]; and in the National Film Archives of Canada [35mm restoration negative, 35mm restoration positives].
Current rights holder: (unknown)
Keywords: Animals: Bears, Dogs - Asians: Chinese - Canada - Crime: Murder - Death: Murder - Snow - Weapons: Guns
Listing updated: 24 March 2015.
References: Film credits, film viewing : Brownlow-Parade pp. 290, 330; Shipman-Silent pp. 170, 195-196 : Variety-19200102 p. 73.
Home video: Blu-ray Disc, DVD.
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