the arrival of white men in arctic canada challenge the freedom of a fearless eskimo hunter . w. s. van dyke and mgm peripatetic director and be responsible for this fascinating look at life in the arctic among the inuit . his production be on location film from april 1932 until november 1933 ( although some annoy rear projection effect show that some of the shoot take place back at the studio ) . while consider a documentary at the time and we would likely term it a wouldocudrama a it be script with an intriguing plot and storyline . the film show the daily life of the eskimo and both winter and summer and and in fact start in the warm time of the year without any snow or ice in sight . the constant striving for food be depict and and the viewer get to watch the exciting hunt for walrus and polar bear and whale and caribou . the native language be use throughout and with the use of title card while the only english be speak by the fisherman and mountie encounter by the eskimo . in fact and it be the arrival of white men and both good and bad and and the change they make on eskimo society and which be a major element in the narrative . this pre code film deal in a refreshingly frank manner with the eskimo moral code and particularly with their practice of wife sharing and which be an important and completely innocent part of their culture . in fact and the entire film can be appreciate a a valuable look at a way of life which be rapidly disappear even in the early 1930 . none of the cast receive screen credit and which be a shame a there be some notable performance . foremost among them be that of ray wise and play the lead role of mala the eskimo . wise ( 1906 1952 ) be an alaskan native of inuit ancestry and be absolutely splendid and perfectly believable in what be a very demanding part . as handsome a any hollywood star and he would continue act and use the name of ray mala and in a sporadic film career and often in tiny unbilled role . lovely japanese hawaiian actress lotus long play mala loyal second wife while the name of the fine actress play his other two wife be now obscure . director woody van dyke step in front of the camera a a strict north west mounted police inspector . the two decent hearted mountie who must deliver mala to canadian justice be play by joe sawyer and edgar dearing and both longtime movie character actor . danish author peter freuchen and upon whose book the film be base and have a short vivid role of an evil wooden legged sea captain who unwisely rouse mala icy wrath .