Because you don't see things through buck"s point of view much of the character development is missing. If you're looking for the best movie version though, this one would win

Several years ago, I rode the White Pass and Yukon Railway from Skagway, Alaska, to Carcross, Yukon, Canada. The 68-mile line through the Coast Range Mountains follows the first leg of the route taken by nearly 100,000 people who "rushed" to the gold fields of the Yukon, Klondike and Alaska. The great gold rush that goes by all three names began in 1896 and ended in 1899. Jack London's book, The Call of the Wild, came out in 1903, and was set mainly in that time and place. But his setting didn't have a railway or highways – which had not yet been built. The only way to Dawson City, the goal of the rushers, was overland on foot for most people, and by dog sled for the more fortunate. Today, one can get a sense of the extreme difficulty and hardships of the gold seekers, by taking a trip on the narrow-gage railway that was begun in 1898 and completed in 1900. Although the gold rush ended abruptly, the railway and later Klondike Highway from Skagway remained the principal means of supplies for the Yukon Territory well past the mid-20th century. The railway today thrives mostly on tourist trade. The trip to Carcross is a popular shore excursion for cruise ships that sail to Alaska and stop at Skagway. Check out YouTube for video segments on this rail trip. I mention all of this because I think it adds to one's sense of the challenge and struggle of the people of that time. I remember reading London's book way back in high school (a few decades ago). While the dog, Buck, is the central hero of the book, the story was also much about the human travail of the gold rush. This film does a good job of showing the human foibles, errors of judgment and lack of sense among people who caught the gold "fever." Of course, Buck and the other dogs and wolves, are a big part of the film. The scenery and sets are excellent. I can see how the film-makers used locales in Norway for scenes that look almost exactly like early newspaper photos of the gold rush. The acting, cinematography and sets are all top drawer in "The Call of the Wild." The weakness in the film is in the script, direction and editing. And, I'm not sure yet, on the musical score. These aspects were choppy at times. Too often, we would have a sudden break in scenes, with no transition. Closer attention to these details could have made this an outstanding film. But for the story it tells from the book, and the scenery, sets and acting, I give it 8 stars. For its historical value and realism, "The Call of the Wild" ranks among a few very good films about hardships and struggles with nature. That was not the main plot London had in mind, but the film serves up that secondary plot very well.If you ever take an Alaskan cruise that stops at Skagway, be sure to take the White Pass and Yukon Railway trip to Carcross. A barbecue lunch is at the Yukon end, and you return by bus on the Klondike Highway. It only operates during the summer months. It's a bit costly, but well worth it. This rail line is a major historical and engineering shrine today. Skagway also has a fine museum on the gold rush, and the U.S. National Park Service has a Yukon Gold Rush museum in downtown Seattle.

I don't know about other people, although looking at the score this website has given this film I can only ponder, but when it comes to international team work in making a film, I often love the results. In fact, I loved this movie and thought it was extraordinary. Oh and the emotion, it blew me away. 'Call Of The Wild' is a very emotional story of a German Sheppard's forced journey from 19th Century California to the Goldrush of the Alaskan wilderness and the meeting with its new owner with which it becomes closer to than with anyone or anything else. A very simple story indeed, but the legendary Jack London knew how to tell a great high adventure tale on an epic scale and he obviously fancied dogs very much as is shown with his minute details about his subjects. I believe that Ken Annakin (the director of this film) realized London's vision to perfection and translated it brilliantly to the screen.The sheer realism that Jack London told his stories with takes you to another world and it takes your breath away with their uplifting finales. Ken Annakin had done a wonderful job with directing "Call Of The Wild". The dog in the film is an actor itself as it plays such an integral part of the film. Not even half way into it, it is almost certain that you will fall in love with the dog. Its emotions and gestures are all natural, and it's easy to relate to the dog's journey. Five minutes into the film, I was hooked. The dog had such a commanding presence that not even Charlton Heston could get in its way. And then there is Charlton Heston, a man of such phenomenal, legendary influence on film history. Yet even with his power, fame and success he is one of the few actors in the world who's fame doesn't distract from the film. It's his strong presence and every-man, human and subtle performances that set him apart from many actors on the same level of fame. He is always the same 'Chuck', but he is more like we are and that's why we loved his films so much. So, when you see him inevitably getting closer and attached to the dog, it feels so convincing and real, it drains you of all emotions. Call me crazy, but when the credits at the end were rolling I felt like crying. Here you are, in the middle of god's nowhere in the heart of the Alaskan wilderness; two mammals - a dog and a man - who have no families and nothing to come home to find one another and become the closest, most reliant friends as it is a key player in their survival of the unforgiving hardships of the Goldrush and the wilderness in between them and the Gold. The scenes where 'Chuck' finds the dog after not seeing him for a long time are so uplifting and you can see the happiness and joy in Heston's eyes. However, nothing beats the finale when the dog and the man are departed for the last time in tragedy. It's so sad and it makes you think about how big their journey together was and how close they were to one another. Yet, the film still finishes on a positive note with the dog and his offspring symbolizing "life goes on".What really set the mood for the film more than the harsh wilderness and the hardships that the two faced throughout, was the unusual, alienating music written and composed by Carlo Rustichelli, which at first seems out of place and very weird, but soon becomes the film's underlying haunting atmosphere and power. In a way, the music paints a picture of struggle and isolation better than anything I've ever heard in my life. By the end of the film, I didn't want anything else, it was perfect. And of course, the music wouldn't have been any good without the wonderful cinematography that gave a clear realization of how vast the landscape is.Ken Annakin's "Call Of The Wild" is easily a worthy addition to the adventure lover's film collection. You will feel like you have been on an epic journey. It captures the importance of dogs in those times - for dogs were at times worth more than Gold as they were the only things that could get you around the deep snows of Alaska. Rarely have I seen such a realistic and graphically harsh portrayal of the Goldrush years and the men with their dogs and sleds that fought, searched and died for the Gold. And in the fore-front there is a most captivating story about love and friendship between two different species. Adventure fans, go no further than this great escapist master work. Yes, there is wooden acting in some parts, but the core of the film doesn't fail one bit. The film is a definite product of the 70s and adds a lot of nostalgia, only adding to the atmosphere. I absolutely surrendered to the film's beauty and power and I can confidently call it a classic. They don't make em' like this anymore!

Well, this is a typical 1970's-era film, with lots of suspicious animal action which makes you feel glad that films today are shot under the auspices of the ASPCA and the Humane Society. Shot under horrifyingly rough conditions, with Norway standing in for the Yukon, the film takes few liberties with Jack London's classic novel, but the bizarre casting of Charlton Heston as John Thornton makes the viewer want to scratch their head. Jaggedly edited and with a greater budget for snow than special effects, the viewer is implored to suspend belief as animal after animal is torn apart and shown drenched with fake blood, looking bewildered. Obviously, as befitting a movie of this era, the hordes of unwashed gold prospectors are as grungy a bunch as ever filmed, but the few women who surface are as impeccably dressed and made up as any model in a Vanity Fair shoot. Lots of bad sound and snow on the lens, but a nice job at portraying one man and one dog who love one another fiercely. Peculiar film, lots of cute dogs, lots of atrocious acting, and lots and lots and lots of snow.