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A house dog is abducted and brought to the north as a sled dog.A house dog is abducted and brought to the north as a sled dog.A house dog is abducted and brought to the north as a sled dog.
Michèle Mercier
- Calliope Laurent
- (as Michelle Mercier)
Raimund Harmstorf
- Pete
- (as Raymond Harmstorf)
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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 leads 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 , people came to find the precious mineral through the freeze ways and corruption , violence and ambition that came with them . Authentic stars film are the animals as there appear : Huskys , pack of wolves and of course the magnificent German shepherd named Buck . The best of the movie are the marvelous , spectacular snowy outdoors , being stunningly photographed by John Cabrera in places as Finland , Norway and Spain . Atmospheric , evocative score by the Italian composer Carlo Rustichelli . The picture is one of various renditions based on Jack London novels along with ¨ The White Fang ¨ , creating the sub-genre about the Alaska adventures . The film is a European co-production by Harry Alan Towers with actors of several nations ( German as Raimund Harmstorf ; French as Michele Mercier ; English as Maria Rohm ; Spanish as Juan Luis Galiardo , Sancho Gracia and Italian as George Eastman or Luigi Montefiori). Charlton Heston said about this one resulted to be his worst film but I think is entertaining and watchable although mediocre for its poor direction and weak plot which hamper this familiar story .
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 , people came to find the precious mineral through the freeze ways and corruption , violence and ambition that came with them . Authentic stars film are the animals as there appear : Huskys , pack of wolves and of course the magnificent German shepherd named Buck . The best of the movie are the marvelous , spectacular snowy outdoors , being stunningly photographed by John Cabrera in places as Finland , Norway and Spain . Atmospheric , evocative score by the Italian composer Carlo Rustichelli . The picture is one of various renditions based on Jack London novels along with ¨ The White Fang ¨ , creating the sub-genre about the Alaska adventures . The film is a European co-production by Harry Alan Towers with actors of several nations ( German as Raimund Harmstorf ; French as Michele Mercier ; English as Maria Rohm ; Spanish as Juan Luis Galiardo , Sancho Gracia and Italian as George Eastman or Luigi Montefiori). Charlton Heston said about this one resulted to be his worst film but I think is entertaining and watchable although mediocre for its poor direction and weak plot which hamper this familiar story .
As the only name we American viewers will recognize in the cast, Charlton Heston does very well in the lead role of John Thornton rugged prospector in the Klondike Gold Rush. There are two leads of course, the other being Buck the lead sled dog that Heston puts more store in than most people.
It's not a misanthropic position by any means. As anyone who lives in the frozen north on any continent, a good sled dog is still the best transportation around. One that is loyal and smart like Buck is worth more than the gold he might carry out of a strike.
The only other version I saw of this story is the one that starred Clark Gable and Loretta Young in the Thirties, That one took considerable liberties with the story. This version is faithful to Jack London's novella which came out when folks were still panning for gold in this area in 1902.
You'll not know any other names from the cast except possibly French actress Michele Mercier who plays a saloon owner in Dawson City and who would like Heston to settle down with her. But The Call Of The Wild is as strong in him as it is in Buck The Dog who discovers his second cousin the wolf and yearns for their open existence. Though the dog develops an affection for his human the same way Heston has for the dog.
Heston is rugged and fine in the lead role. The non-recognition of the other players works out because it lends an air of authenticity to the film. Ken Annakin's direction is on target and the location cinematography done in the Lapland country of Norway and Finland is magnificent.
Heston wasn't crazy about the film, I imagine it was one rugged location shoot for him. Still his fans should like it and I can tell you he's done worse films than The Call Of The Wild.
It's not a misanthropic position by any means. As anyone who lives in the frozen north on any continent, a good sled dog is still the best transportation around. One that is loyal and smart like Buck is worth more than the gold he might carry out of a strike.
The only other version I saw of this story is the one that starred Clark Gable and Loretta Young in the Thirties, That one took considerable liberties with the story. This version is faithful to Jack London's novella which came out when folks were still panning for gold in this area in 1902.
You'll not know any other names from the cast except possibly French actress Michele Mercier who plays a saloon owner in Dawson City and who would like Heston to settle down with her. But The Call Of The Wild is as strong in him as it is in Buck The Dog who discovers his second cousin the wolf and yearns for their open existence. Though the dog develops an affection for his human the same way Heston has for the dog.
Heston is rugged and fine in the lead role. The non-recognition of the other players works out because it lends an air of authenticity to the film. Ken Annakin's direction is on target and the location cinematography done in the Lapland country of Norway and Finland is magnificent.
Heston wasn't crazy about the film, I imagine it was one rugged location shoot for him. Still his fans should like it and I can tell you he's done worse films than The Call Of The Wild.
This is definitely a European-style film from the period, the 70s. Everything about it speaks loudly with the European influence, the music, the cinematography, the editing. It's much like what you'd see in countless Euro horror films from the time, but this time it's a dramatic and rather realistic take on the old American classic. When seen, it doesn't take much to imagine the shooting conditions, and how did they all, cast and crew, put up with the misery of the terrible cold and snow? Heston isn't miscast here like some say, he's just very much different from what might be expected, but he does an admirable job. Some of his best film work was during this time, not the studio blockbusters he was known for prior to this. It is good that the story doesn't opt for the Hollywood "happy ending" but, without spoiling it for those who haven't seen this, it is a much more realistic ending.
I saw this movie when I was about 11 years old. I didn't expect anything from it and was very happily surprised. Obviously low budget, this is offset by the authentic looking town, beautiful locations, Hestons great acting and Jack Londons timeless classic. It for me is one of my favorites, and I would recommend it to anyone. Even though the dialogue seems to be dubbed here and there I didn't have a problem with it. How Buck ends up in Alaska and is saved by Heston sets the tone for their unique friendship! Heston must decide which path to take, as Buck must decide as well! This is definitely a story of fate and of personal choices ending with a desperate and dramatic climax! I read some of the other reviews ans it seems most people don't like this film. I don't care, I was able to overlook the dubbing and the other flaws mentioned simply because this movie looks like the Yukon in the latter half of the 19th century. The story is touching and excuse me, but i like it. When you have Heston it makes up for a lot............
***SPOILERS*** At the beginning of the movie we see this handsome and powerful German Shepherd leading a wolf pack as they run down and kill a caribou for their supper. Later looking under the icy river the dog sees his master frozen to death beneath it; The dog's name is Buck the master is John Thornton, Charlton Heston.
The story of Buck and how he became the leader of a wolf pack in the Yukon territory starts some time back in the sunny climate of Santa Clara Calif. It's 1897 and gold was discovered around the Klondike River in the Yukon and Alaskan territory's up north and dogs like Buck were worth their weight in gold as sled dogs in that country's deep snows and freezing weather. Dognaped by Judge Miller's, Alfredo Mayo, gardener Manuel for a price of $75.00 Buck was well on his way from being a sweet and loving pet to becoming a strong and ferocious wild animal.
Beaten and broken for weeks by a number of different owners of sled-dog teams Buck was almost dead when he was bought and put into the service of John Thorrnton and his partner Pete's, Ralmund Harmstorf, dog team. With John & Pete's kind and tender handling of him Buck became the lead sled dog and the most powerful and at the same time feared dog in the Yukon territory. Buck led the dog team in covering the treacherous 600 mile journey from Skaguay to Dawson as the lead sled-dog for John & Pete in record time when no other dog team and it's owners would dare to try it.
In the movie Buck is stolen a number of times from John, and was once almost shot and killed by the local bootlegger, but Buck always managed to escape and return home to John & Pete. It's later that the dog begins to yarn for his home in the wild. The reason Buck didn't go back to the woods, where he developed a strong friendship with the local Timber Wolves in the area, was his love for and loyalty to the persons who saved his life John & Pete.
Torn between his two kind and caring human masters and his wolf family Buck can't quite bring himself to break away from civilization to live in the wild. Later one night a band of local Indians attack the cabin where both John & Pete were staying in and ended up killing both of them. Buck and his wolf pack tried to come to their rescue but were too late to save them as we saw in the beginning of the movie.
With the two persons who Buck had a mutual bond with now gone Buck can now return to his distant descendants, the wild wolves, in the dark and cold woods of the Klondike. Buck, in th end, ended up answering to something that he understood and that was ingrained in his consciousness from the thousands of generations of canines over millions of years that he eventually evolved from: The Call of the Wild.
The story of Buck and how he became the leader of a wolf pack in the Yukon territory starts some time back in the sunny climate of Santa Clara Calif. It's 1897 and gold was discovered around the Klondike River in the Yukon and Alaskan territory's up north and dogs like Buck were worth their weight in gold as sled dogs in that country's deep snows and freezing weather. Dognaped by Judge Miller's, Alfredo Mayo, gardener Manuel for a price of $75.00 Buck was well on his way from being a sweet and loving pet to becoming a strong and ferocious wild animal.
Beaten and broken for weeks by a number of different owners of sled-dog teams Buck was almost dead when he was bought and put into the service of John Thorrnton and his partner Pete's, Ralmund Harmstorf, dog team. With John & Pete's kind and tender handling of him Buck became the lead sled dog and the most powerful and at the same time feared dog in the Yukon territory. Buck led the dog team in covering the treacherous 600 mile journey from Skaguay to Dawson as the lead sled-dog for John & Pete in record time when no other dog team and it's owners would dare to try it.
In the movie Buck is stolen a number of times from John, and was once almost shot and killed by the local bootlegger, but Buck always managed to escape and return home to John & Pete. It's later that the dog begins to yarn for his home in the wild. The reason Buck didn't go back to the woods, where he developed a strong friendship with the local Timber Wolves in the area, was his love for and loyalty to the persons who saved his life John & Pete.
Torn between his two kind and caring human masters and his wolf family Buck can't quite bring himself to break away from civilization to live in the wild. Later one night a band of local Indians attack the cabin where both John & Pete were staying in and ended up killing both of them. Buck and his wolf pack tried to come to their rescue but were too late to save them as we saw in the beginning of the movie.
With the two persons who Buck had a mutual bond with now gone Buck can now return to his distant descendants, the wild wolves, in the dark and cold woods of the Klondike. Buck, in th end, ended up answering to something that he understood and that was ingrained in his consciousness from the thousands of generations of canines over millions of years that he eventually evolved from: The Call of the Wild.
Did you know
- TriviaThe film slipped into the public domain not long after its theatrical run was over. That explains why so many poor-quality versions of the film are available.
- 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.
- Alternate versionsOne VHS edition was released as a "family" edition, bleeping out even the mildest profane exclamations such as "hell".
- ConnectionsVersion of The Call of the Wild (1908)
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Zov divljine
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 44 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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