Emperor of the North (1973)

Set during the Great Depression, the film chronicles the epic and dangerous rivalry between A-No. 1, a legendary, fearless, and defiant hobo, and Shack, a sadistic and ruthless railroad conductor determined to prevent anyone from riding his train without a ticket. A-No. 1, considered the "Emperor of the North" among the hobo community for his unmatched ability to jump trains, takes on a young, inexperienced hobo named Cigaret as his protégé. The film culminates in a brutal and personal battle of wills between A-No. 1 and Shack, as the old hobo attempts to ride Shack's train from Portland to Oregon, a seemingly impossible feat that becomes a symbolic struggle for freedom, dignity, and defiance against the oppressive forces of the era.