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To me, this movie is perfection.

Crappy film

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

I'm the last person to say, "The movie was OK, but the book was better." The problem here is that other than the title and the name of the dog, there is no connection between the two. While the movie is a decent story involving the Yukon with lots of adventure, the whole plot of the book went by the wayside. Of course, we have two big stars of the early cinema, Clark Gable and Loretta Young, with romance the object, and a big race as the climactic moment. So it has pretty good quality and storytelling. But it is misleading to use the title of the Jack London book. It's like doing a Poe movie called "The Pit and the Pendulum" and having no pit and no pendulum. If I were to evaluate the movie on its own merits, I would say it is about average.

Nature seems to have a way of fighting back against those who try to steal its natural resources. Those searching for gold in the Yukon are prey to all sorts of natural obstacles, from the rushing rivers of cold, flowing water as well as the often non-stop snow that often comes with blizzard conditions. The men who went there often never came back, and those who did found a new sense of respect for nature's wrath.Jack London's tale of brave and villainous men is also a love story of man's desire to conquer the great outdoors. It is a story of the devoted friendship of man and dog, and often, the dog is more the hero than the human. For Clark Gable, the desire for gold doesn't come without its risks, and with a loyal St. Bernard by his side, the adventure he finds will be more valuable than gold.Keeping his prize St. Bernard is not without its challenges, betting it on a challenge that he can pull a thousand pounds. But the dastardly Reginald Owen isn't about to loose gracefully, and makes great effort to win back his loss. Along the way, Gable meets stranded Loretta Young who believes that her husband died in a blizzard. With the help of the friendly St. Bernard and jovial Jack Oakie, they set up camp and find a sudden romance that only fate can interrupt.With great scenery and some thrilling action sequences, this seems slight on plot but that doesn't stop it from being often thrilling. Directed with gusto by the legendary William Wellman, this never sags. There's even some light humor, particularly an adorable sequence when the dog heads off to the howling of wolves and briefly makes an adorable new friend. DVD prints run short by almost 20 minutes making me wonder what ever happened to the full, original print, and if this is one released for T.V. broadcasts.

Too bad THE CALL OF THE WILD wasn't filmed in color because it looks mighty picturesque in classic B&W cinematography filmed in Washington state. CLARK GABLE, as a gold prospector, and LORETTA YOUNG, as his female interest, provide the right chemistry for the romantic angle of the tale. JACK OAKIE is along to supply some laughs that seem forced and not really necessary--but fans of outdoor adventures will surely like this Jack London tale that has been turned into a vehicle for Gable and Young.BUCK, the dog, is especially impressive as an animal caught between the "call of the wild"--wolves, that is--and his human relationship with owner Gable. He's good at showing little nuances that indicate he's uncertain whether to leave Gable or not to follow his natural instincts when he hears the cry of the wolves.REGINALD OWEN makes an impressive villain and FRANK CONROY is fine as Loretta's husband. Most chilling scene of all has the greedy men who steal the gold drowning in the rapids when their canoe overturns and they're dragged down by the weight of the gold they're carrying.The chemistry between Gable and Young is strong--and she looks lovelier than ever in all her close-ups. Most fans know that she and Gable were having a torrid romance at the time.

The Yukon Gold Rush: A savage dog and a lonely man each respond to THE CALL OF THE WILD, that primordial release of primitive urges, in their own way.It should be understood immediately that this movie only borrows the title and a few incidents from Jack London's classic novel. And at that point the comparison between the two should end. This film, rousing & adventurous, is able to stand on its own merits. An excellent cast, fine production values (notice particularly the care with which Skagway & Dawson are depicted) and location shooting in Washington State are the film's strongest assets. The plot, meant solely for entertainment, is pure hokum...Clark Gable brings his trademark masculinity to a role that didn't require a lot of stretching of his thespian muscles. But in essentially playing himself he is perfectly cast. One cannot overcome the suspicion that London's original story was reworked for the star. Gable had been through this before - remote setting, forces of nature, beautiful woman, adultery. Think RED DUST in the snow.Loretta Young is the beautiful woman. From scene to scene, no matter what the hardship, she remains living proof that a first class Hollywood makeup job can withstand the worst ravages of the Klondike. This is perhaps too harsh. Like Gable, little more is required of her than to exude physicality. She is indeed a treat to the eyes, even if her inclusion in the plot is patently ludicrous. (The on screen attraction between Gable & Young wasn't faked. A daughter, ostensibly 'adopted' by Young in France, would be the result.)As Gable's sidekick, comic Jack Oakie has one of his best screen roles. Getting to play most of his scenes strictly for laughs, he adds chuckles to the story which, one assumes, would have outraged London. Twisting his usual pomposity to a sinister bent, English character actor Reginald Owen is memorable as the film's villain. Dangerously wicked, he makes us want to know more about this man called Smith, with money to burn and a raging temper. The screenplay, wisely, leaves his biography up to the imagination of the viewer.Sidney Toler & Herman Bing are very good in small roles. Movie mavens will recognize Arthur Housman, veteran of many Laurel & Hardy comedy shorts, as a Skagway drunk with a surprisingly mean punch.The affection between Gable and Buck, the great St. Bernard with whom he shares so many scenes, is obvious.