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White Fang

Play trailer Poster for White Fang PG Released Jan 18, 1991 1h 49m Kids & Family Adventure Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
67% Tomatometer 21 Reviews 63% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
This adaptation of Jack London's wilderness tale focuses on young Jack Conroy (Ethan Hawke), who has arrived in Alaska to search for a gold mine. When Jack encounters White Fang, a dog/wolf hybrid who has been cruelly treated by his owner, Beauty Smith (James Remar), he rescues the canine from the jaws of death during a fight with a fierce bulldog. Aided by his friend Alex Larson (Klaus Maria Brandauer), Jack nurses White Fang back to health, and the animal becomes a close companion to the men.
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White Fang

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Critics Consensus

This glossy edition of White Fang shaves off the rough-hewn edges that made Jack London's epic story so distinct, but gorgeous photography and heartfelt performances make this an appealing adventure.

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Critics Reviews

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Owen Gleiberman Entertainment Weekly Rated: C- Sep 7, 2011 Full Review Variety Boasts enough nature footage and a strong central performance by Ethan Hawke to win over small fry Jul 7, 2010 Full Review Time Out Despite moments of bravura and shameless tugs at the heart-strings, the film simply meanders towards a resolution. What's Brandauer doing here? Sep 28, 2007 Full Review Rachel Wagner Rachel's Reviews (YouTube) An adventure story well told Oct 3, 2022 Full Review TV Guide There is so much wrong with White Fang that it's easier to point out the good. Rated: 2/4 Mar 9, 2009 Full Review Film4 A perennial family favourite is given the Disney treatment, complete with soaring orchestral score and a sheen of sentimentality that all but masks the more serious undertones of the original. Mar 9, 2009 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Dale R Ethan Hawke plays a young man who travels to Alaska for the Yukon Gold Rush and an orphaned wolf cub must fend for itself. This movie started off really well, then started to drag about halfway through. I found myself checking to see how much longer the movie was. I think it is a small combination of too much going on within the story, and the story seems to slow down as the movie progresses. There are some beautifully captured scenes of Alaska and Alaskan wildlife in this movie, if you like that then check this movie out. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 07/07/24 Full Review Brian Y Doesn't do the book justice. Sanitized and neutered version compared to the book. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 06/12/23 Full Review Chris B I would say a classic. Done in a true Canadian style of film. Enjoying the beauty of nature and cruelty. Not for the faint of heart as it shows the kindness tenderness and compassion of mother nature. It's the fit of survival. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/19/23 Full Review Alfonso M La mejor adaptación hecha sobre la novela de Jack London Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/03/21 Full Review Audience Member Ethan Hawke plays a young man who travels to Alaska for the Yukon Gold Rush and an orphaned wolf cub must fend for itself. This movie started off really well, then started to drag about halfway through. I found myself checking to see how much longer the movie was. I think it is a small combination of too much going on within the story, and the story seems to slow down as the movie progresses. There are some beautifully captured scenes of Alaska and Alaskan wildlife in this movie, if you like that then check this movie out. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/15/23 Full Review matthew d The ultimate boy and his dog movie. Randal Kleiser's survival adventure drama White Fang (1991) is an impressive feat of animal training, heartfelt performances, and stunning natural vistas of Canadian wilderness during Winter. Kleiser's direction is very grounded in realism. You see the survival elements of bracing the freezing elements and harshness of the mountainside. The gold mining adventure, friendship bonding, and beloved animal friendship from Jack London's groundbreaking novel is all here. London's writing is frigid with striking realism and earnest characters, while this Disney movie is sweet and sentimental. Ethan Hawke is amazingly real acting as Jack Conroy alongside Zed the Dog as White Fang the Wolf. Hawke is quite endearing and empathetic towards the feelings of the wolf. He makes you feel like you have to give up this astounding dog yourself by the touching end. Hawke was fresh off of Joe Dante's Explorers and Peter Weir‘s Dead Poets Society, so it's nice that he continued to make earnest dramas. He has nice father and son dynamics with Klaus Maria Brandauer in one of his most likable roles as the survival expert Alex Larson. His kind, yet stern paternal relationship with Ethan Hawke's Jack is very nice. Seymour Cassel's Skunker is funny and likable as this wild mountain man type, who just loves his dogs. Susan Hogan is very sweet as Belinda Casey with a nice chemistry with Klaus. James Remar is such a huge jerk as Beauty Smith. His cruelty towards dogs, Natives, and kids is equally repulsive. He embodies greed and evil. Pius Savage and Aaron Hotch's wise and gentle Native American characters were very likable in White Fang as well. Basil Poledouris' score is fun and atmospheric enough to not distract from the harsher survival scenes, while elevating the tender drama between a young man and his pet wolf companion. Michael S. Bolton's production design makes the old mining towns look dingy and sparse with a surprising realism for a Disney picture. Tony Pierce-Roberts' cinematography is breathtaking with stunning wide shots of the environment. His close-ups on the wolf are too cute. You see every expression and movement of all the animals from Zed the wolfdog, who is wonderful as White Fang. It's remarkable he was also the dog in The Thing. You simply have to see this dog act so naturally that White Fang might upset you in parts due to the simulated animal cruelty, but it was all staged violence so rest assured, the dog was fine. Bart the Bear appears and terrifies Ethan Hawke in a scary sequence. Lisa Day's editing keeps White Fang moving along steadily so that the immense feeling of White Fang's epic family journey never feels too slow. In short, White Fang may not be a phenomenal film, but it's a moving picture with sincere love for animals and a respect for nature. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews
White Fang

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Cast & Crew

White Fang 2: Myth of the White Wolf 71% 47% White Fang 2: Myth of the White Wolf Watchlist Tom and Huck 25% 42% Tom and Huck Watchlist Mighty Joe Young 54% 41% Mighty Joe Young Watchlist A Far Off Place 42% 69% A Far Off Place Watchlist Dinosaur 65% 48% Dinosaur Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis This adaptation of Jack London's wilderness tale focuses on young Jack Conroy (Ethan Hawke), who has arrived in Alaska to search for a gold mine. When Jack encounters White Fang, a dog/wolf hybrid who has been cruelly treated by his owner, Beauty Smith (James Remar), he rescues the canine from the jaws of death during a fight with a fierce bulldog. Aided by his friend Alex Larson (Klaus Maria Brandauer), Jack nurses White Fang back to health, and the animal becomes a close companion to the men.
Director
Randal Kleiser
Producer
Marykay Powell
Screenwriter
Jeanne Rosenberg, Nick Thiel, David Fallon
Distributor
Buena Vista Pictures
Production Co
Walt Disney Pictures, Silver Screen Partners IV
Rating
PG
Genre
Kids & Family, Adventure
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 18, 1991, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 8, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$34.6M
Runtime
1h 49m
Sound Mix
Surround
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