Silent Film: Robert Flaherty and Nanook of the North

Robert Flaherty is one of the most renowned filmmakers of all time. He was born in 1883 and died in 1951, so that his life and work encompassed what is frequently referred to as the Golden Age of cinema. Although Flaherty was an American, he lived near the U.S./Canadian border, and went to Toronto for his schooling. His early work experience was in the Hudson Bay region of Canada, and was as a worker for the railroad, not as a filmmaker. However, he gained exposure to themes that would eventually permeate his early filmmaking during this work experience. He began his work during the silent era and immediately came to prominence with films that focused on individual protagonists working hard to conquer nature. His most famous film was the 1922 film Nanook of the North, which immediately brought him attention as...
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