Call of the Wild (1935): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1935, Call of the Wild is a drama, adventure, romance and western film directed by William A. Wellman, running about 91 minutes. “An Epic Novel . . . An Epic Picture !” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. Jack Thornton has trouble winning enough at cards for the stake he needs to get to the Alaska gold fields. His luck changes when he pays $250 for Buck, a sled dog that is part wolf to keep him from being shot by an arrogant Englishman also headed for the Yukon. En route to the Yukon with Shorty Houlihan -- who spent time in jail for opening someone else's letter with a map of where gold is to be found -- Jack rescues a woman whose husband was the addressee of that letter. Buck helps Jack win a $1,000 bet to get the supplies he needs. And when Jack and Claire Blake pet Buck one night, fingers touch.

Who’s in it. Call of the Wild stars Clark Gable as Jack Thornton, Loretta Young as Claire Blake, Jack Oakie as 'Shorty' Hoolihan and Reginald Owen as Mr. Smith, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.2/10, Call of the Wild has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube and Fandango At Home. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Call of the Wild page.

If you liked it. Fans of Call of the Wild tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.