Call of the Wild by Jack London.
“Never was there such a dog!” exclaimed John Thornton.
Does the Dog Die in Call of the Wild Movie? Harrison Ford, Wolves & Sled Dogs…
Don’t remember for sure how I first read Jack London’s THE CALL OF THE WILD.
I was already captured by the great writers of our Canadian wilderness: Charles G D Roberts, E Pauline Johnson, Grey Owl, Ernest Thompson Seton and H A Cody. Some I met in our elementary school readers, others in the library.
I think I first read THE CALL OF THE WILD in the Classics Illustrated comic book version, which I traded a Superboy comic for.
Then in a book from the school library. Or was the book first? I took it out several times to reread it.
One Christmas I was finally given a shiny new Whitman edition: hardcover, pulpwood paper pages, thrilling illustrations by Robert L Jenney.
At the time I didn’t know how big the Northwestern genre had once been. All I knew was that I loved the books and the old movies of the savage Canadian Northcountry, wolves, sled dogs, Mounties…
I didn’t know then that in the same way Owen Wister had created the Western genre in 1902 with his publication of THE VIRGINIAN: A Horseman of the Plains, Jack London had created the Northwestern genre a year later with his release of THE CALL OF THE WILD. [1]
Like a lot of the early writers of the Canadian Klondike, Jack London had actually been there.
And like a lot of Cheechakos, Jack had found himself lost and suffering from malnutrition — ending up in Dawson City’s crowded St. Mary’s Hospital, treated by the beloved Jesuit priest Father Judge.
He didn’t mention the red-coated North-West Mounted Police (who kept peace and order in the wild Klondike) very much in his writings; he may have had a run-in with them. [2]
Today, the Northwestern genre is remembered most for Jack’s books: SON OF THE WOLF (a collection of early Klondike-set short stories such as “An Odyssey of the North”), THE CALL OF THE WILD and WHITE FANG.
And for its hundreds of old Hollywood movies featuring the untamed Northland and those fierce sled dogs, fiercer wolves and indomitable Mounties.
The first movie version of CALL OF THE WILD was released in 1923 by Hal Roach Studios, a silent motion picture starring Jack Mulhall and “Buck as Himself.”
The best known is the 20th Century Pictures’ 1935 release starring Clark Gable, Loretta Young and another “Buck as Himself.”
My long-time favourite version is the 1972 Ken Annakin-directed release starring Charlton Heston, Michèle Mercier and a German Shepherd “Buck.”
And now we’ve got a new version starring Harrison Ford.
At first it was scheduled to be released on Christmas Day, 2019, which was great with me.
“I’ve gotta see this on a real theatre screen,” I told Mary Lee. “What a Christmas gift!”
Now we have to wait till mid-February, 2020 so “its release won’t take ticket sales from the latest Star Wars movie.” Both movies are produced by Disney.
With CGI and special effects work from MPC Montréal, the film is directed by Chris Sanders, screenplay by Michael Green. Along with Harrison Ford as John Thornton, it also stars Dan Stevens, Omar Sy, Karen Gillan, Wes Brown, Bradley Whitford, Colin Woodell and the wonderful Cara Gee.
“I came up here because I didn’t want to be around anybody,” comes Harrison Ford’s growly voice in the new movie trailer — and my beloved Northwestern comes alive.
The trailer starts with that iconic Klondike scene of desperate men and women climbing single file up the snow-crusted Chilkoot Pass toward the Canadian Boundary.
“The Yukon is a dangerous place. You never know what’s coming,” continues Harrison’s voice-over. “I came up here because I didn’t want to be around anyone. And then I met Buck…
“He was a dog like no other. He’d been spoiled. And he’d suffered. But he could not be broken.”
We see Harrison spread a yellowed map on the cabin floor at the dog’s forefeet. “What do you say about an adventure? We could go, you and I, where no one’s ever been before. See what’s out there.”
There’s adventure out there, all right. And hidden riches. And wolf-haunted forests.
Oh yes, a new Call from our disappearing Wild. Gonna see this one.
“Live Free, Mon Ami!” – Brian Alan Burhoe
“THE ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME!” Jack London created an entire new Literary Genre — THE NORTHWESTERN! Now it’s Back!
AND YOU’VE GOTTA READ WOLFBLOOD — MY MOST POPULAR ANIMAL STORY: “HAPPY ENDING!”
“I JUST READ WOLFBLOOD AGAIN FOR GOOD MEASURE. ONE FOR ANY WOLF LOVER. ENJOYED IT BUT WISH IT WAS A FULL LENGTH NOVEL.” – Gina Chronowicz @ginachron
“GREAT SHORT STORY! DOES REMIND ME OF CALL OF THE WILD, WHITE FANG…” – Evelyn @evelyn_m_k
A “riveting, warm-hearted” tale in the Jack London Tradition of a lone Grey Wolf and his quest for a place in the primeval Northern forests. FREE TO READ ==> WOLFBLOOD: A Wild Wolf, A Half-Wild Husky & A Wily Old Trapper
Note: You may be wondering about the title of this Call of the Wild post.
Here’s one curious fact I’ve come across in my years of celebrating Animal Stories. A common question is “Does the dog die in Call of the Wild?” We can accept human deaths in our entertainment — but not animals, not as easily. But don’t worry. Buck is still alive and thriving at the end. In the various movie and TV versions; and in the original novel.
[1] To read my popular remembrance of the great books and movies of the Northwestern Genre, go to The GREATEST AUTHORS OF NORTH-WEST MOUNTED POLICE FICTION
[2] In an early Klondike story, “To the Man on the Trail,” Jack writes:
The door opened, and a Mounted Policeman of the Northwest Territory entered, followed by two half-breed dog drivers. They were heavily armed and showed signs of fatigue. The half-breeds had been born to the trail and bore it easily. But the young policeman was badly exhausted. Still, the dogged obstinacy of his race held him to the pace he had set, and would hold him till he dropped in his tracks.
The story concludes with the Malemute Kid raising his mug in a salute:
“So a health to the man on the trail this night. May his grub hold out. May his dogs keep their legs. His matches never miss fire. God prosper him, good luck go with him; and —”
“Confusion to the Mounted Police!” cried Bettles, to the crash of the empty cups.
WANT TO READ MY ARTICLES ON YOUR MOBILE CELLPHONE OR TABLET? Go to my Mobile-Friendly BrianAlanBurhoe.com…
Does the Dog Die in Call of the Wild Movie: Harrison Ford, Wolves & Sled Dogs
Animal stories, animal stories for adults, book review, Call of the Wild movie, does the dog die in Call of the Wild, dogs, Harrison Ford, Harrison Ford 2023, Harrison Ford Call of the Wild, hunter call of the wild, Jack London seafarer, Jack London tradition, movie review, movies Jack London, North-West Mounted Police, Western writer, wolves.
