The struggle to survive and adapt is exemplified in Jack London’s short novel,
The Call of the Wild.
Published in 1903, the novel is set mostly during the Klondike Gold Rush
to Alaska and the Yukon Territory.
The narrative is told from the perspective of Buck,
a St. Bernard-Scotch shepherd mix.
But this is no sentimental animal story.
As Buck goes from living comfortably on a large estate in California
to running at the head of the wolf pack in the Northland,
he learns “the law of the club and fang,”
encountering both brutality and kindness from humans and the wilderness.
Screen adaptations of The Call of the Wild date as far back as a silent film made in 1923,
but we'll take a look at just four adaptations of this classic adventure story from over the years.
This is The Call of the Wild: By the Book.
"It's hard to say no to that call, isn't it Buck?"
"It's alright boy, go ahead."
Featuring Clark Gable and Loretta Young, the 1935 film is a loose adaptation
that shifts focus from Buck to Thornton and his adventures.
No doubt to increase box-office excitement, the filmmakers made more than a few changes
to the original story, with new characters and plotlines.
After Thornton gambles most of his money away,
he runs into an old friend, and the film’s comic relief,
who convinces him to partner up on a search for a gold mine.
While putting together a dog team, the two come across Buck.
Thornton buys Buck to prevent him from being killed by Mr. Smith,
a wealthy and villainous prospector who reappears throughout the film.
While this version attempts to emphasize the bond between Buck and Thornton,
it stills take a backseat to Thornton's romance with Claire,
a married woman that he rescues along the way.
Despite skipping over much of Buck’s journey,
the film shows a few of his iconic scenes from the novel:
winning the $1,000 bet and disappearing into the forest with the wolves.
However, in this version, Buck chooses to leave Thornton,
who stays alive at the end of the film.
This adaptation reduces many of the novel’s themes into a typical romance
that detracts from the original story.
This TV movie is faithful to the overall trajectory of the novel
although it combines together several storylines in order to expand Thornton’s role.
The opening sequences, coupled with narration adapted from the source text,
accurately depict the beginning of Buck’s life.
"During the four years since his birth,
he had lived a life of ease on the Miller farm in the Santa Clara Valley,
where he was indulged and lavished with attention."
We follow Buck as he is shipped north,
then beaten by the “man in the red sweater,”
and this is where the movie starts to depart from the novel.
François, in this adaptation, becomes an amalgamation
of Buck’s different owners from the book.
He convinces Thornton to buy Buck and be part of his team to search for gold in the Northeast.
Thornton needs to get to Bella Coola to meet up with his friends,
so he agrees to join for part of the way.
François overworks the dogs and at one point, falls through ice.
While he survives with Thornton’s help, he insists on pushing forward.
François and Thornton come across another prospector who tries to warn them.
Ignoring the warnings, François chooses to continue on alone
and viciously beats Buck when he refuses to move.
After Thornton intervenes, the rest of the movie adheres to the novel.
We see Buck being constantly drawn by his instincts to hunt and wander the forest,
but he always returns to Thornton,
until one day, he discovers that Thornton,
his friends, and the other dogs have been killed.
As in the book, Buck tracks down and attacks a group of tribesmen
and finally answers the call of his ancestors.
"With the coming of night, brooding and mourning by the river.
Buck became alive to a stirring of the new life in the forest."
"It was the call."
Filmed in Canada, this TV movie is known for staying truer to the original plot
than other adaptations.
The script balances the occasional dialogue
with narration that uses lines directly from the novel.
It quickly moves through Buck’s time as king of Judge Miller’s place
to his new life as a sled dog.
Perrault and François, the French-Canadian couriers for the government,
are depicted largely according to the book.
However, the film consolidates Buck’s experiences by leaving out the Scotch half-breed
that next takes charge of the team and jumping straight to Hal, Charles, and Mercedes.
Halfway through the film, we meet John Thornton
and other events from the book take place as they are written.
There are some minor characters added to round out Thornton’s life,
but otherwise the movie captures the love that Buck develops for Thornton
and his continuing acclimation to the wild.
Like the book, the movie ends with Buck becoming known by the Yeehats as the “Ghost Dog”.
"But more remarkable than this,
the Yeehats tell of a ghost dog that runs with the pack."
In this version though, Buck returns in time to see Thornton being killed
and immediately attacks one of the Yeehat warriors,
which is a slight change from the novel.
This graphically realistic adaptation shows Buck’s transformation
from domesticated pet to leader of the wild wolf pack,
including all of the original events that play an important part in Buck’s life.
"You're home."
This live-action adaptation is notable for using CGI for all of the animals in the film,
allowing for unbelievable action sequences.
Although based on a real St. Bernard and shepherd mix,
Buck is completely computer-generated,
with a motion capture actor portraying his expressions and movements.
This enables the filmmakers to exaggerate
the dangerous situations and heroic rescue scenes.
In order to parallel Buck’s journey in overcoming tragedy,
Thornton gets an extensive backstory in addition to being the narrator.
The film also takes considerable liberties by removing any mention of the Yeehats.
It instead casts Hal as the main antagonist.
In the book, Hal ends up dying along with his sister and her husband due to their inexperience.
In this film, however, the team leaves Hal after Thornton rescues Buck,
prompting Hal to track down and later kill Thornton.
Nonetheless, the film tones down the majority of the violence
and harsh surroundings in the novel.
Comical scenes of Buck causing mayhem and other changes
make the film more like the anthropomorphic animal stories
that London was specifically trying not to write.
Even if the film does promote an idealized version of the Gold Rush in the Yukon,
the cinematography helps to reinforce the emotional impact of each scene.
The brilliant landscape and wildlife montage convey the majesty of nature
for a new interpretation that families can enjoy.
Jack London’s literary works show the influence of naturalism, socialism, and individualism
on his writings.
But ultimately, he was best known for chronicling the constant conflict
between civilization and the wild.
For a story that has been around for over a century
and centers around a specific historical period,
The Call of the Wild still has a meaningful message for audiences today.