Nanook of the North, directed by Robert Flaherty, is considered to be one of, if not the, first documentary films ever created. This film was both loved and successful because of its simple techniques in featuring the unusual lifestyle of Eskimos. One of the main criticisms of this film is that it is considered a documentary despite the fact that Flaherty admitted that much of his film was scripted. In fact, the film as a whole represents a time period in which Nanook and his family were not actually a part of.

Flaherty thought that by recreating the traditional Eskimo life through Nanook and his family, people would be intrigued to see it. Flaherty is indeed open about the fact that much of Nanook of the North is re-enacted, but, in a sense, his film is more of a documentary than many that followed because, at the very least, his reenactments were true to the history of the people he was representing. Dozens of documentaries are scripted, have actors, are edited together, include propaganda, etc. - their directors just don't admit to it. As a viewer, it is hard to know if these films are created in a certain way due to biases or editing. Furthermore, Nanook and his family were more than happy to play the roles of their ancestors -- something that is often untrue for people featured in modern documentaries.

Another reason why this film is so enamoring to watch lies in the fact that Nanook and his family are always presented as happy, loving people. Some represented examples include Nanook flashing a big smile to the camera after building an igloo with his bare hands, the joyous expression left on the boy's face after swallowing cod liver oil, the entire family exiting one tiny kayak, and later tirelessly pulling a seal out of an ice water hole. It is both unbelievable and fascinating to watch Nanook and his family struggle to simply nourish themselves, keep shelter over their heads, or travel anywhere, and still seem so completely pleased with their lives. Throughout the entire film, the average viewer is undoubtedly thinking "How could they be happy about all this?"

Nevertheless, these scenes do not take away from the film as a whole. If today's popularity of reality television goes to say anything about what people are interested in, it's that we love watching others live their lives, especially when they are unusual. The sheer magnitude of strength, willpower, and motivation that exists in Nanook is enough to keep an audience. But beyond this, the film subtly offers a moral lesson. It says that people don't need to have a lot of money or a luxurious lifestyle to be happy; it is family and friendship that offer the true joys of life. For more visit us at http://www.managementthatworks.com

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