If you've read the book it's not a spoiler.
This movie doesn't work because too much focus is put on Charlton Heston. He's up in the Arctic, falling in love, delivering mail, and you begin to think that he is the main character. But in actuality, the dog is the main character. Jack London makes this clear. The story stays on Buck, the dog, throughout the whole book. While this movie does center on Buck, most of the movie also centers on Thornton, Heston's character.
In the book, Buck is stolen from his home in California and sold up north, where sled dogs sell for top dollar. Buck is beaten and abused, but unlike most pets sold as sled dogs, Buck survives and grows strong. In the end, Buck is so mistreated and abused he can barely stand. This is when his one good master, and last master, Thornton, rescues him. They thrive together. But Buck keeps feeling the 'call of the wild,' but he wouldn't leave his beloved master. Eventually, Thornton is killed, and Buck answers the 'call of the wild.' With this story, it's obvious that the dog is the main character. After all, Thornton is only in the end, and he dies.
But in this movie, Thornton is too much of a main character, and when he dies in the end, as he must, for the movie is, "The Call of the Wild," it leaves one angry at the movie if you haven't read the book and aren't expecting it.
Aside from this, weird, creepy music plays throughout the whole film. The acting is mediocre and not terribly enjoyable. At this time, in the North, there were no airplanes or anything. If you wanted to get anywhere, it was either by boat or dogsled. There were dogs everywhere. At one point, Thornton and his team mush into a town where there are no sled dogs (so his dogs are stolen). This is absolutely ridiculous. A superior sled dog team may be stolen, but to find a town with no sled dogs?!? Ludicrous!
Not one of Charlton Heston's best films. The dogs aren't given the best roles, but they are still a joy to watch.
This movie doesn't work because too much focus is put on Charlton Heston. He's up in the Arctic, falling in love, delivering mail, and you begin to think that he is the main character. But in actuality, the dog is the main character. Jack London makes this clear. The story stays on Buck, the dog, throughout the whole book. While this movie does center on Buck, most of the movie also centers on Thornton, Heston's character.
In the book, Buck is stolen from his home in California and sold up north, where sled dogs sell for top dollar. Buck is beaten and abused, but unlike most pets sold as sled dogs, Buck survives and grows strong. In the end, Buck is so mistreated and abused he can barely stand. This is when his one good master, and last master, Thornton, rescues him. They thrive together. But Buck keeps feeling the 'call of the wild,' but he wouldn't leave his beloved master. Eventually, Thornton is killed, and Buck answers the 'call of the wild.' With this story, it's obvious that the dog is the main character. After all, Thornton is only in the end, and he dies.
But in this movie, Thornton is too much of a main character, and when he dies in the end, as he must, for the movie is, "The Call of the Wild," it leaves one angry at the movie if you haven't read the book and aren't expecting it.
Aside from this, weird, creepy music plays throughout the whole film. The acting is mediocre and not terribly enjoyable. At this time, in the North, there were no airplanes or anything. If you wanted to get anywhere, it was either by boat or dogsled. There were dogs everywhere. At one point, Thornton and his team mush into a town where there are no sled dogs (so his dogs are stolen). This is absolutely ridiculous. A superior sled dog team may be stolen, but to find a town with no sled dogs?!? Ludicrous!
Not one of Charlton Heston's best films. The dogs aren't given the best roles, but they are still a joy to watch.