Call of the Wild

"An Epic Novel . . . An Epic Picture !"

1935 1h 31m EN

😐

6.3

MID

★6.3TMDB · 56

AdventureWestern

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

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.

“An Epic Novel . . . An Epic Picture !”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

Apple TV StoreRent

Google Play MoviesRent

Google Play MoviesBuy

YouTubeBuy

Fandango At HomeBuy

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

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: William A. Wellman
Writers: Jack London, Leonard Praskins, Gene Fowler
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

91 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by William A. Wellman, shot by Charles Rosher. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Alfred Newman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Hanson T. Fritch shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Clark Gable and Loretta Young and Jack Oakie carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "An Epic Novel . . . An Epic Picture !".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0026164 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 56 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

William A. Wellman directs. Charles Rosher behind the camera. Alfred Newman scores. Hanson T. Fritch cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

191 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Directed by William A. Wellman, shot by Charles Rosher. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Alfred Newman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Hanson T. Fritch shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Clark Gable and Loretta Young and Jack Oakie carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "An Epic Novel . . . An Epic Picture !".
7IMDB entry: tt0026164 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 56 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
9Classified under 12 themes, including "gold", "based on novel or book", "wilderness", "alaska".

The technical file

Cinematography: Charles Rosher
Original score: Alfred Newman
Editing: Hanson T. Fritch
Costume design: Omar Kiam
Runtime: 91 min · 1h 31m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: Call of the Wild (1935)

Also by

William A. Wellman

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2022-06-19
★ 6/10
Clark Gable is on fine form here as intrepid Yukon prospector "Jack Thornton". His lucky streak starts when he saves "Buck" - a big, loyal, half dog/half wolf from being shot. Then he alights on the good natured "Shorty" (Jack Oakie) who has his own equivalent of a treasure map. With an Herculean effort from his dog, he manages to win enough money to supply their quest and together with "Claire" (Loretta Young) whom he had previously rescued from the winter, off they set in search of gold... If it were just a rugged wilderness adventure, then this would have been a good film. Their battle against the terrain, the elements and the avaricious Reginald Owen ("Mr. Smith") who is out to out-claim them, is good and entertaining. Sadly, it isn't - the role of Young introduces a romantic element that, though it humanises Gable's rough and determined character to some extent, does drag the film down somewhat. When, towards the end, they discover her long-lost husband (who happens to be the original owner of the map!) it all just loses it's way. William Wellman paces the story well, gets good performances from Gable and, especially, Oakie who provides much of the humour - and I did enjoy it. I could just have been doing with a little less slush and a bit more "mush"...

Production companies