The Ice Flood

The basic story bears many similarities to "God's Country and the Woman" (1937), an elaborate Technicolor movie, with George Brent, Beverly Roberts, Barton MacLane and Robert Barrat in the roles here played by Kenneth Harlan, Viola Dana, Frank Hagney and James Gordon.

Unfortunately, that Technicolor production has it all over this film in every department, including acting, script, direction, photography and production values. This is just a little "B" movie by comparison and it has actually very little to recommend it unless you're a rabid fan of Kenneth Harlan (who made a great villain but he's too heavy-set in appearance and woodenly impersonal for a hero role). True, the lovely Viola Dana is also in the movie, but she is upstaged by a crippled boy (a hollow plot device) in most of her scenes. The only really charismatic figure in the cast is Frank Hagney who has an unusually meaty role as the chief villain (which he carries off in splendid fashion).

Alas, although Mr Seitz has a big reputation as a competent action director, he is badly let down here by his editor, who repeats over and over the same crummy miniature shot of the ice about to break up. And when it does finally flood forth, what we do get? You guessed it. More obvious miniatures that wouldn't fool a four-year-old. All in all, "The Ice Flood" is a wash-out.