[1] Set on the coast of Newfoundland, a rivalry develops between Jed Nelson, a seal hunter, and Luke Oarum, a local man considered a jinx.

Despite the attempt on his life, Luke helps walk the blinded Jed [clarification needed] across the ice floes back to Newfoundland after they are unable to return to the ship.

As listed in the credits:[2] American-born producer Varick Frissell's previous short films, The Lure of Labrador and The Swilin' Racket (also known as The Great Arctic Seal Hunt), prompted him to make a full-length feature entitled Vikings of the Ice Field.

Frissell hired director George Melford, who had attended McGill University in Montreal and had experience in filming Canadian subjects previously.

The reviewer, however, noted: "'The Viking', like Mr Varick's silent work, 'The Swilin' Racket', has many marvelous scenes of the ice fields and of the adventures of men on a seal hunt off Labrador.

[5] White Thunder, a National Film Board documentary on Varick Frissell's life, directed by Newfoundlander Victoria King, was released in 2002.