--- title: "Nanook of the North: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/nanook-of-the-north/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/nanook-of-the-north" critics_score: 88 critics_reviews: 7 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Nanook of the North (1922): what the critics said Critics' score 88 from 7 reviews: 7 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. Seven reviews, all positive, and the verdict has held for ninety years: the earliest, from Variety and the New York Times on the film’s release, say much the same as the most recent. Most critics treat it as the founding document of the documentary and praise Flaherty’s closeness to his subject above anything else. The praise clusters on Nanook himself, whom the New Yorker describes as a great, undefeated man, and on two sequences in particular: the igloo construction and the seal hunt, singled out for their ingenuity and force. The reservations are few and shared. Nearly every review notes that much was staged for the camera, and nearly every one decides it does not matter. Variety concedes the technique is primitive; Empire finds flaws in form and structure but forgives them for the humanity on show. The spread is narrow, from good to rapturous, with the more recent writers slightly cooler than the older ones, and nobody dissents. ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 95/100 (inferred from the text). 25 September 2005. The critic praises the film as a stark, authentic portrait of Inuit life and survival against nature, despite some staging, highlighting its humanity and the unforgettable vitality of its subject Nanook. He singles out the seal-hunting sequence and igloo construction for their power and ingenuity. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-nanook-of-the-north-1922) ## The New Yorker — Philip Hamburger Fi1m's normalised score 95/100 (inferred from the text). 21 August 1948. The critic hails the re-released film as an epic of classic simplicity and profound artistry, praising Flaherty's intimate knowledge of his subject and the camera's power to reveal the Eskimos' struggle and adaptability. He singles out Nanook's mastery of his knife and his portrayal as a great, undefeated man. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1948/08/28/1948-08-28-039-tny-cards-000027151) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 12 June 1922. The review calls the film a powerful, realistic drama of Eskimo life with true dramatic essentials, far surpassing ordinary photoplays in its depiction of real struggles against the elements. It singles out the intelligence and skill of the filmmaking in capturing Nanook's story with force and authenticity. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1922/06/12/archives/the-screen.html) ## Variety — Variety Staff Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 31 December 1921. The review deems the film the granddaddy of documentaries and a classic that fully lives up to its reputation despite primitive technique and harsh shooting conditions. It singles out the tremendous interest in detailing Eskimo family life through the seasons with dignity and humor. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1921/film/reviews/nanook-of-the-north-1200409377/) ## The Guardian — Derek Malcolm Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 13 April 2000. The critic praises Nanook of the North as a pioneering work that remains in a class by itself for its purity of style and dramatic skill in depicting Inuit life and the harsh landscape. He notes Flaherty's goal of authenticity, though with some staged elements, and highlights the film's coherent storytelling without a conventional plot. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2000/apr/13/1) ## Empire — David Parkinson Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 13 June 2006. The critic praises Flaherty's pioneering documentary as a remarkable piece of humanist anthropology that creatively treats reality and influenced later filmmakers and the Soviet cinema revolution. They note some flaws in form and structure but highlight its humane and inspiring qualities overall. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/nanook-north-review/) ## Time Out — NB Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 10 September 2012. Flaherty's pioneering ethnographic documentary follows a year in the life of Inuit hunter Nanook and his family. The critic notes that much was staged for the camera but highlights the grace and skill in scenes like igloo-building and the primal struggle for survival. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/nanook-of-the-north-1) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/nanook-of-the-north.md