The Call of the Wild ** (1972, Charlton Heston) – Classic Movie Review 13,274

The 1972 adventure film The Call of the Wild stars a sturdy but unhappy Charlton Heston, who recalled: ‘I fear I’ve fallen in with amateurs and con men.’

Director Ken Annakin’s 1972 adventure film The Call of the Wild [Il Richiamo della Foresta] stars a sturdy Charlton Heston, who is suitably heroic as gold prospector John Thornton in this robust but only moderate version of the 1903 Jack London novel about gold fever in the Yukon at the turn of the last century, and a German Shepherd house dog abducted and brought to the frozen north to Canada as a sled dog.

There is rugged but rather ragged direction by Ken Annakin, who makes sure the film stays faithful to the book and makes the most of Heston, the beautiful snowy Finnish landscapes and a loveable dog, highlighting the part of the yarn where the dog is snatched and turned into a sled-puller.

Also in the cast are Michèle Mercier, Raimund Harmstorf, George Eastman, Maria Rohm, Juan Luis Galiardo, Sancho Garcia, Friedhelm Lehmann, Horst Hueck, Rik Battaglia, and Alfredo Mayo.

The film is an international production between GB, Germany, Spain, Italy, France and Norway. and was shot on location in Finland, Norway and Spain.

Other versions: The Call of the Wild (1923 silent) with Jack Mulhall, Call of the Wild (1935) with Clark Gable; The Call of the Wild (1976) with John Beck; 1992 with Rick Schroder; The Call of the Wild: Dog of the Yukon (1997) with Rutger Hauer; Call of the Wild (2009) with Christopher Lloyd; and The Call of the Wild in 2020 with Harrison Ford.

Call of the Wild [Il Richiamo della Foresta] is directed by Ken Annakin, runs 105 minutes, is made by Towers of London, Massfilms, CCC Filmkunst, Izaro, Oceania, UPF and Norsk Film, is released by MGM and Intercontinental Releasing, is written by Harry Alan Towers (credited as Peter Welbeck), Wyn Wells [Win Wells] and Peter Yeldham, is shot by John Cabrera and Dudley Lovell, is produced by Harry Alan Towers, George H Davis, Peter Manley and Artur Brauner, is scored by Carlo Rustichelli, and is designed by Knut Solberg.

The film is in the public domain.

An unhappy Heston recalled: ‘I fear I’ve fallen in with amateurs and con men. We’re faced with the endless problems of organization, personnel, dogs, publicity. This was not a picture really but a production deal, patched together with incredible adroitness and negotiating skill – and no filmmaking talent.’

But then Harry Alan Towers was a talented (if money-pinching) producer and Ken Annakin a talented director whom Heston had himself chosen.

Juan Luis Galiardo had a nervous breakdown and was. Replaced by Sancho García, playing a different character in Galliardo’s unfinished scenes.

The cast are Charlton Heston as John Thornton, Michèle Mercier as Calliope Laurent, Raimund Harmstorf as Pete, George Eastman as Black Burton (dubbed by Robert Rietty), Maria Rohm as Mercedes, Juan Luis Galiardo as Seze, Sancho Gracia as Taglish Charlie, Friedhelm Lehmann as Charles, Horst Heuck as Hal, Rik Battaglia as Dutch Harry, Alfredo Mayo as Judge Miller, and Sverre Wilberg as Colonel.

George Eastman is dubbed by Robert Rietty.

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 13,274

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