Clark Gable stars as Jack, the main character in Call Of The Wild, a 1935 film adaptation (the first) of Jack London’s popular 1903 novel. William Wellman directed the picture, and if that name means nothing to you don’t know film history. He directed the first Academy Award winner for Best Picture as well as many other acclaimed films.
Where the novel centered around the dog and its multiple owners, this film focuses on the figure that was the last owner in the book. Sort of. Well, it’s an adaptation. I would have preferred it to be a bit closer to the book. The Call Of The Wild is more “inspired by” than an adaptation, actually. That’s not bad, but worth noting.
The story follows Jack Thornton who is headed back to Seattle after finding some fortune during the Alaskan gold rush. He winds up losing his money before heading out, but winds up striking out again with a friend and a new map. That’s when he winds up getting Buck, the dog that was the star of the book.
Along the way we meet Loretta Young, Jack Oakie and several others who are familiar to those of us who have watched films from decades gone by. And if you’re well versed in your film history you’ll recognize Call Of The Wild where Loretta Young and Clark Gable had an affair that produced a child.
The Blu-ray comes with an audio commentary by Hollywood biographer Darwin Porter.