The Call of the Wild (1935)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

William A. Wellman

Writers:

Jack London (story)
Gene Fowler (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

9 August 1935 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Romance | Western

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...

Plot Keywords:

Gold | Wolf | Alaska | Dog | Beautiful Woman

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

Runtime:

95 min (original release) | USA:81 min (re-release)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

Canada:PG (video rating) | USA:Approved (PCA #777) | Norway:A

Filming Locations:

Lake Chelan, Washington, USA

Company:

20th Century Pictures

Trivia:

Madeleine Carroll was originally set for the female lead, but it was eventually given to Loretta Young.

Quotes:

Jack Thornton: Me? I'll take bourbon. It kills you slower, but a lot more pleasant like.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Only the Lonely (1991)

North to Alaska with Buck

Wiliam Wellman is the director at the helm of this version of Jack London's immensely popular novel. As an adventure, this movie offers a lot of fun because of the enormous appeal of its star, Clark Gable. He is a man's man. Mr. Gable projected such an aura about himself that he carried from film to film, making him one of the favorites of all audiences. The gold rush is presented as it should have been for the people that went in search of riches in the inhospitable confines of Alaska.

In this version, Loretta Young plays Claire Blake, the woman who conquered Jack Thornton's heart. The rumored affair between Ms. Young and Mr. Gable is fun to look at. What's real, and what not? It's up to the stars to know and for us, the viewers, to guess. Ms. Young and Mr. Gable were appealing players, as they prove in this film.

In other roles, Jack Oakie, Reginald Owen, Frank Conroy, and other old faces from films of the era make wonderful appearances. Above all, Buck, the great St. Bernard dog in the film is amazing. It's a joy to watch Mr. Gable's scenes with Buck as they compliment one another in that frigid background.