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Clark Gable, Loretta Young, Jack Oakie, Frank Conroy, Reginald Owen ... see more see more... , Sidney Toler , Katherine De Mille , Lalo Encinas , Charles Stevens , James Burke , Duke Green , Herman Bing , Sid Grauman , George MacQuarrie , John T. Murray , Bob Perry , Russell Powell , Rex the Dog , Thomas E. Jackson , Marie Wells

The third screen version of Jack London's classic adventure story was also the first with sound, and it toyed with the original story a bit to add a love interest for leading man Clark Gable. Jack Tho... read more read more...rnton (Gable) is a would-be prospector who has headed to Alaska hoping to cash in on the gold rush. However, he loses most of his stake in a poker game and instead ends up buying a Saint Bernard named Buck. He's able to pick up Buck for a song because he's too ill-tempered to pull a sled; Smith (Reginald Owen), Buck's former owner, treated him with cruelty and the dog mangled Smith's hand in retaliation. Jack loves the dog, though, and treats him with care and kindness. Buck bonds with Jack and soon becomes a loyal companion and a good sled dog. Angry and astounded, Smith bets Jack that Buck can't pull a half-ton sled 100 yards; while the old Buck would never have done it, with Jack's urging the dog manages the feat and Jack now has the funds to set out with his friend Shorty (Jack Oakie) to stake their claim. While searching for gold, Jack and Shorty discover Claire Blake (Loretta Young), the wife of a miner who abandoned her to look for a fresh vein of gold. A warmth grows between Claire and Jack in the frozen North, but Jack is forced to help her husband when he runs afoul of thieves trying to steal his claim. Six more films based on The Call of the Wild would follow this to the screen. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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58% liked it

351 ratings

Unrated, 1 hr. 29 min.

Directed by: William A. Wellman

Release Date: August 9, 1935

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Flixster Reviews (24)

  • jam233
    March 8, 2010
    jam233
    Very well made, with impressive outdoors shooting and cinematography. Good performances, especially from Oakie in a supporting role. Great pace, always interesting. Well produced and Clark Gable is ideally cast.
  • rickrudge
    June 9, 2009
    rickrudge
    The Call of the Wild (1935)

    Very loosely based on Jack London's book and directed by William Wellman. Jack Thornton (Clark Gable) is an Alaska prospector. He meets up with Shorty Houlihan (Jack Oakey) who spent some time in jail opening other people's mail. He remembers one l... read moreetter that has a map to a valuable gold mine. What he has written down from memory is enough to get them partnered up and headed up into the Yukon to find it. One of their sled dogs, Buck, is a wild half-wolf, who somehow befriends Jack.

    While Jack and Shorty are on their way, they rescue a woman surrounded by wolves. Claire Blake (Loretta Young) is the wife of the man who that original letter was written to. The husband took off on his own to get help. Claire, Jack and Shorty create an uneasy alliance to continue on to this gold field. However, there are desperate men, led by Mr. Smith (Reginald Owen) trying to find this gold too.

    Jack Oakey actually steals the show from these other actors. This movie is probably better known as where Loretta Young got knocked up by Clark Gable in real life.

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February 23, 2012
Variety

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The Call of the Wild Trivia

  • What movie has the tagline: "The call of the wild, the thrill of adventure. The mistake of a lifetime."  Answer »
  • The call of the wild. The thrill of adventure. The mistake of a lifetime.   Answer »
  • What kind of dog played as "Buck" in the movie starring Clark Gable & Loretta Young named Call of the Wild?  Answer »
  • Name the actress that played opposite of Clark Gable in "Call of the Wild"?  Answer »
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