Hollywood has a nasty habit of using famous book titles to name their films which have little to do with the novels' plots. 20th-Century Pictures August 1935's "Call of the Wild" is a perfect example. Losely based on Jack London's 1903 Alaskan adventure story that enthralled readers for decades, the film studio dropped the author's personal tale of Buck the dog and built a fictitious romantic angle between the plot's protagonist Jack Thorton (Clark Gable) and one Clare Blake (Loretta Young), who is alone in the woods while her husband is missing. The St. Bernard-scotch collie Buck does play a small role in the movie, winning a bet for Jack pulling a heavy sled and his yearning to return to the wild.
The 20th-Century Picture's version was the first "Call of the Wild" talkie brought to the screen after the 1923 silent. The film was the last movie 20th-Century released before merging with Fox Films to become 20th Century-Fox Film Corporation. For comic relief, Jack Oakie plays "Shorty" Hoolihan. Lending dramatic opposition to Jack and 'Shorty' are Englishman Mr. Smith (Reginald Owen) and his two villain partners who try to blunt Jack's quest for gold. Director William Wellman was just setting up his cameras for "Call of the Wild" in the Sierra Nevada Mountains when the weather turned mild, melting a good portion of the region's snow. The entire production team had to relocate to its backup location in Washington state.
"Call of the Wild" is famous for the relationship Gable, 34, had with the 22-year-old Young. England's Madeline Carroll, fresh off her highly-praised role in Alfred Hitchcock's "The 39 Steps," was to play opposite Gable before Young was given the lead. While on location, the two became romantically involved even though Gable was married. The actress soon found herself pregnant and hid her status from the studio to prevent a scandal (She was three-months pregnant when filming her next movie, Cecil B. DeMille's "The Crusades."). After her daughter's birth, Young named her Judy and sent her to an orphanage. 19 months later, the actress officially adopted her. When Young married radio producer Tom Lewis four years after the adoption, Judy took his last name. Gable visited her only once, when she was 15, while Judy was unaware the actor was her real father.
After appearing in a string of hits, including his Oscar role in 1934's "It Happened One Night," Gable was in a trio of mediocre films, which triggered a drinking spree. He became ornery and difficult to deal with on the set for his directors. MGM loaned him out to 20th Century for "Call of the Wild" to send him a message to sober up in the outdoor cold mountain environment. It must have worked since his more agreeable disposition in his next four films gave MGM a string of hits, including the Academy Awards Best Picture, "The Mutiny on the Bounty." Film critic Ian Jane wrote, "Just as famous for the off-screen romance that took place on location between Gable and Young as for anything else, 'Call Of The Wild' remains a good watch, a well-made film with some stunning location photography that really helps to seal the deal in regards to the movie's snowy, cold realism."
The 20th-Century Picture's version was the first "Call of the Wild" talkie brought to the screen after the 1923 silent. The film was the last movie 20th-Century released before merging with Fox Films to become 20th Century-Fox Film Corporation. For comic relief, Jack Oakie plays "Shorty" Hoolihan. Lending dramatic opposition to Jack and 'Shorty' are Englishman Mr. Smith (Reginald Owen) and his two villain partners who try to blunt Jack's quest for gold. Director William Wellman was just setting up his cameras for "Call of the Wild" in the Sierra Nevada Mountains when the weather turned mild, melting a good portion of the region's snow. The entire production team had to relocate to its backup location in Washington state.
"Call of the Wild" is famous for the relationship Gable, 34, had with the 22-year-old Young. England's Madeline Carroll, fresh off her highly-praised role in Alfred Hitchcock's "The 39 Steps," was to play opposite Gable before Young was given the lead. While on location, the two became romantically involved even though Gable was married. The actress soon found herself pregnant and hid her status from the studio to prevent a scandal (She was three-months pregnant when filming her next movie, Cecil B. DeMille's "The Crusades."). After her daughter's birth, Young named her Judy and sent her to an orphanage. 19 months later, the actress officially adopted her. When Young married radio producer Tom Lewis four years after the adoption, Judy took his last name. Gable visited her only once, when she was 15, while Judy was unaware the actor was her real father.
After appearing in a string of hits, including his Oscar role in 1934's "It Happened One Night," Gable was in a trio of mediocre films, which triggered a drinking spree. He became ornery and difficult to deal with on the set for his directors. MGM loaned him out to 20th Century for "Call of the Wild" to send him a message to sober up in the outdoor cold mountain environment. It must have worked since his more agreeable disposition in his next four films gave MGM a string of hits, including the Academy Awards Best Picture, "The Mutiny on the Bounty." Film critic Ian Jane wrote, "Just as famous for the off-screen romance that took place on location between Gable and Young as for anything else, 'Call Of The Wild' remains a good watch, a well-made film with some stunning location photography that really helps to seal the deal in regards to the movie's snowy, cold realism."