The Call of the Wild (1972)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Ken Annakin

Writers:

Federico De Urrutia (Italian version)
Hubert Frank (German version)

Release Date:

March 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family

Tagline:

Jack London's epic saga of gold fever, romance and adventure.

Plot:

A house dog is abducted and brought to the north as a sled dog. |

Plot Keywords:

Dog | Tragedy | Dog Sled | Wolf | Gold Rush

Cast

Charlton Heston	...	John Thornton
Michèle Mercier	...	Calliope Laurent
Raimund Harmstorf	...	Pete (as Raymond Harmstorf)
George Eastman	...	Black Burton
Maria Rohm	...	Mercedes
Juan Luis Galiardo	...	Seze
Sancho Gracia	...	Taglish Charlie
Friedhelm Lehmann	...	Charles
Horst Heuck	...	Hal
Rik Battaglia	...	Dutch Harry
Alf Malland	...	Constantine
Alfredo Mayo	...	Judge Miller
Sverre Wilberg	...	Colonel
Olov Pedersen	...	Red Sweater
Per Amvik	...	François

Also Known As:

Il richiamo della foresta (Italy)
L'appel de la forêt (France)
La selva blanca (Spain)
Ruf der Wildnis (West Germany)

Runtime:

Norway:104 min | Spain:105 min | USA:100 min

Country:

UK | France | West Germany | Italy | Spain

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-12 (cut) | Australia:PG | Norway:12 | Sweden:11 | USA:PG | West Germany:6

Filming Locations:

Lapland, Finland

Company:

Central Cinema Company Film (CCC)

Quotes:

John Thornton: You hit that dog one more time, I'm gonna kill ya.
Hal: Go to hell! He's mine and I'll do what I like with him.
John Thornton: I shot four varmints already this morning. One more don't matter none to me.

Movie Connections:

Version of The Call of the Wild (1935)

European version of the notorious novel about the dog adventures and his masters

Charlton Heston as John plays a prospector along with Raimund Harmstorf.They are at the right time and in the right location to live numerous adventures.The picture chronicles the Gold Rush days of Alaska from Klondike territory and in the Dawson City center.Heston finds and befriends a German shepherd dog called Buck which saves and protects to John and his partner.The dog rescues them from dangers and lead throughout snowy landscapes.But Buck is robbed and is taken by various masters,being forced to pull a snow sled.

The movie is based on Jack London novel-in part autobiographic but in his real life was prospector- narrating the story about the gold discovery,the people came to find the gold through the freeze ways and the corruption, violence and ambition that came with them.Authentic stars film are the animals but appear : huskys, pack of wolves and of course the magnificent German shepherd named Buck.The best of movie are the marvellous, spectacular snowy outdoors are stunningly photographed by John Cabrera in places as Finland,Norway and Spain. Atmospheric,evocative score by the Italian Carlo Rustichelli.The picture is one of various rendition on Jack London novels along with ¨The White Fang¨,creating the sub-genre about the Alaska adventures.The film is an European co-production with actors of several nations(German Raimund Harmstorf,French Michele Mercier,English Maria Rohm,Spanish Juan Luis Galiardo,Italian George Eastaman).Charlton Heston said that this one is his worst film but I think is entertaining and watchable although mediocre for its poor direction and weak plot which hamper this familiar story.