Call of the Wild

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Call of the Wild

Released Aug 9, 1935

1h 25m

Adventure

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4 Reviews

54%

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250+ Ratings

This early adaptation of the classic Jack London novel follows Jack Thornton (Clark Gable) as he travels across Alaska during the Klondike Gold Rush. When he finds another Yukon-bound man, who treats his sled dogs cruelly, Jack purchases a dog named Buck, who leads the way toward the gold. But Jack reconsiders his journey when he finds Claire Blake (Loretta Young), a woman recently abandoned by her husband in the Alaskan wilderness, and the couple develops a romance.

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Pare Lorentz

McCall's

Considering the rip-roaring Northwest epics of the old silent days, you would reasonably expect The Call of the Wild to be a robust spectacle... It falls so short of being even faintly wild, however, that it has a peculiar charm about it.

Oct 30, 2023

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Ann Ross

Maclean's Magazine

Slightly preposterous, but good entertainment.

Aug 1, 2019

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Helen Brown Norden

Vanity Fair

I don't know whether or not Darryl Zanuck meant it that way, but Twentieth Century's production of The Call of the Wild is certainly a comedy. At any rate, Jack London must be whirling in his grave.

Jun 12, 2019

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James Plath

Movie Metropolis

Jack London's The Call of the Wild has been a difficult book to adapt to film, but this William Wellman-directed entry is still the best. It's probably one of the more interesting films from the first half of the '30s.

Rated: 7/10

Dec 10, 2013

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Max W

Although it veers far from the themes intended in the original novel, the chemistry between Clark Gable and Loretta Young, along with Jack Oakie's brilliant performance, bestows this romantic comedy with commendable aspects in devoting more screen time to character development.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/29/23

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Steve D

I hate The Call of the Wild. Good thing this is nothing like it.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/10/23

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robert p

Call of the Wild is nothing like the story from Jack London, it's a little too much comedy and it was the only movie based on London's story!!!

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

Clark Gable is the perfect actor for this part. He inserts himself, no attempt at upstaging, he brings all of the rest of the cast into the story. This is REAL acting. As though it was in front of a live audience. We do not see this in today's movies. Princess Leah is dead, but she lives on in CGI.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/10/23

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Audience Member

170401: Not as impactful as I had hoped. Remember reading the book when I was young and it was so good. This film version, not so much. The story is not focused on Buck but rather buddies Jack Thornton (Clark Gable) & Shorty Hoolihan (Jack Oakie) and their experiences during the Klondike Gold Rush.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/31/23

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Audience Member

this was pretty good...

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/12/23

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William A. Wellman

Director

Clark Gable

Jack Thornton

Loretta Young

Claire Blake

Jack Oakie

Shorty Hoolihan

Frank Conroy

John Blake

Reginald Owen

Mr. Smith

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Synopsis

This early adaptation of the classic Jack London novel follows Jack Thornton (Clark Gable) as he travels across Alaska during the Klondike Gold Rush. When he finds another Yukon-bound man, who treats his sled dogs cruelly, Jack purchases a dog named Buck, who leads the way toward the gold. But Jack reconsiders his journey when he finds Claire Blake (Loretta Young), a woman recently abandoned by her husband in the Alaskan wilderness, and the couple develops a romance.

Director: William A. Wellman
Producer: Darryl F Zanuck
Screenwriter: Gene Fowler, Jack London, Leonard Praskins
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: 20th Century Fox
Genre: Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 9, 1935, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 20, 2015
Runtime: 1h 25m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.37:1)

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