Call of the Wild (1935)

During the Klondike Gold Rush, a traveler purchases a dog to lead the way toward the treasure, but reconsiders his journey when he finds a jilted married woman.

Director:

William A. Wellman (as William Wellman)

Writers:

Jack London (story), Gene Fowler (screenplay)

Stars:

Clark Gable, Loretta Young, Jack Oakie

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	...	Buck

Storyline

Jack Thornton has trouble winning enough at cards for the stake he needs to get to the Alaska gold fields. His luck changes when he pays $250 for Buck, a sled dog that is part wolf to keep him from being shot by an arrogant Englishman also headed for the Yukon. En route to the Yukon with Shorty Houlihan -- who spent time in jail for opening someone else's letter with a map of where gold is to be found -- Jack rescues a woman whose husband was the addressee of that letter. Buck helps Jack win a $1,000 bet to get the supplies he needs. And when Jack and Claire Blake pet Buck one night, fingers touch.

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Plot Keywords:

yukon | gold | map | dog | alaska | 

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Taglines:

An Epic Novel . . . An Epic Picture !

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Romance | Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 August 1935 (USA)

Also Known As:

Goldfieber in Alaska

Filming Locations:

Mammoth Lakes, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

20th Century Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min (original) 81 min (re-release) 79 min (cut)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

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

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Goofs

When considering how to get a stake together, Clark Gable says, "Seven or eight hundred dollars is hard to get.... Ah, but we'll get it if we have to get a knife and stick somebody into it!"

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Quotes

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

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Alternate Versions

Originally released at 95 minutes; later cut to 81 minutes for a re-issue. For many years only the cut re-issue version was available for television showings, and it is also the version released on DVD in 2006 as part of the Clark Gable Collection. The original length version remained unseen until it was released on blu-ray in 2013.

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Connections

Featured in Clark Gable: Tall, Dark and Handsome (1996)

User Reviews

When Clark Met Loretta....

Clark Gable meets Loretta Young in this 1930s adaptation of Jack London's The Call of the Wild, which takes place in Alaskan territory. I've never read the book, but I can only imagine that this was probably not very faithful to the novel, due to its emphasis of comic relief by supporting actor Jack Oakie. This is the movie that changed Clark and Loretta's life, as they fell in love during the making of this film, and she went away in private to have his baby - a fact she never told the public. While that may be neither here nor there, in reviewing this film, it's pretty evident that something was going on, by their quiet scenes together, which are very intimate and deep, considering this is a 1930s film. The plot revolves around a map that is needed to find a gold mine. Her husband, yes her husband, was the owner of the map, but Clark and Jack go after the gold mine, with Jack's memory and a rough sketch of it to use. They find Loretta alone, after her husband has been lost in the wilderness looking for help. Reginald Owen is very good and memorable as a nemesis in trying to find the gold mine too, when he learns of it. The production values and performances are solid and deliver the goods, but its corny comic relief mars the film's attempt to hit the mark with viewers, especially with its abrupt ending. I thought the novel was mainly about the dog, but, while the dog, who Clark is attached to, does have some screen time, the film doesn't feel like a dog film. The producers were probably thinking that would alienate some viewers, so they centered on pairing attractive leads Clark and Loretta together and Jack Oakie's one-liners. While I liked the film on the whole for Loretta's loveliness, memorable love scenes between her and Clark, and Reginald Owen's credible contribution to the film, I still feel it misses the mark for a completely fulfilling movie experience.