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The Call of the Wild (1935) More at IMDbPro »


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Overview

User Rating:
6.8/10   411 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 6% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Jack London (story)
Gene Fowler (screenplay) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for The Call of the Wild on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
9 August 1935 (USA) more
Tagline:
An Epic Novel . . . An Epic Picture !
Plot:
Jack Thornton has trouble winning enough at cards for the stake he needs to get to the Alaska gold fields... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
User Comments:
As Good as It Gets more (13 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Clark Gable ... Jack Thornton

Loretta Young ... Claire Blake
Jack Oakie ... 'Shorty' Hoolihan
Reginald Owen ... Mr. Smith
Frank Conroy ... John Blake
Katherine DeMille ... Marie
Sidney Toler ... Joe Groggins
James Burke ... Ole
Charles Stevens ... Francois
Lalo Encinas ... Kali
Thomas E. Jackson ... 'Tex' Rickard (as Tommy Jackson)
Russ Powell ... Bartender
Herman Bing ... Sam
George MacQuarrie ... Mounted Policeman (as George McQuarrie)
Buck ... Himself
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Additional Details

Runtime:
95 min (original release) | USA:81 min (re-release) | Portugal:79 min (cut)
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)
Certification:
Canada:PG (video rating) | USA:Approved (PCA #777) | Norway:A

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Madeleine Carroll was originally set for the female lead, but it was eventually given to Loretta Young. more
Quotes:
Jack Thornton: Me? I'll take bourbon. It kills you slower, but a lot more pleasant like. more
Movie Connections:
Featured in Only the Lonely (1991) more

FAQ

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5 out of 5 people found the following comment useful.
As Good as It Gets, 13 February 2005
8/10
Author: william walker (weezeralfalfa@yahoo.com) from United States

Gable has it all for a short while: easy pickings gold nuggets, a gorgeous girlfriend he found in the wilderness, a half-wild soul mate lead dog and a bashful wisecracking partner. But, his grasp on all of these is slippery, as the plot develops. I don't fault Hollywood for departing so flagrantly from London's story, which too was just a yarn. I found this version much more entertaining and profound, despite the stereotypical boss-sidekick relationship between Gable and Jack Oakie.

Gable seems to represent sort of an ideal adventurous entrepreneur: a riverboat gambler at heart, who is willing to take big risks and to work for his fortune when necessary, but who tries to grab all he can and beat out the competition. The chief villain is a stereotypical pretentious cutthroat tycoon: the worst kind of capitalist. In contrast, Gable recognizes certain limits in gaining his fortune and honors his commitments to his partners, be they human or animal. Loretta's creed is yet more tempered: You will get what you want only if you deserve it. See the movie to find out how these various creeds interact to determine the outcome.

This is perhaps Gable's most enjoyable role, along with those in "Mutiny on the Bounty" and "Boom Town". As in most of his best roles, Gable comes across as rakish: part hero, part scoundrel, but never dull. Like Gable, Loretta is at her physical peak at this time, making for a very romantic-looking couple.

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