In my revisiting movies process "The Call of the Wild's John Beck 1976" which never watched it again since 1978 aired in TV when I was a teenager at my parent's house, it somehow disappears from the sight, in any format at all, even in countless versions released on DVD, it never came out here in Brazil last night looking at Youtube I'd found a restored copy in aspect ratio 4 x 3 almost full-frame in bright colors, thus I go back into 1978 for one hour and thirty nine minutes, what a glorious picture named in Brazil as "Caninos Brancos" that means White Fang.
The basic story from Jack London's novel, the unexpected narration by Marvin Miller differentiating itself from others versions only, the stronger dog Rayfield living a comfy life at Miller's farm at Santa Clara Valley California, sold by a debt-ridden employee by measly fifty dollars for an outlaw catcher of dogs, taken by wagon and pass on to another at railroad the dog lost his sense of direction toward San Francisco's harbor to send by ship to the north where the gold rush takes place.
Rayfield reaches at frozen place as never seen before on newest French owner that beaten up him without pity aiming for becomes tame, soon a French François (Bernard Bresson) takes an interesting on dog, however he can afford 300 dollars, then came out John Thornton (John Beck) that have the same matter, thus he make an agreement between them they'll split the charge and get the dog to themselves, although both have opposite directions on gold mining area, after an exhaustive travel thru a massive snowy land they arrives at first post kept by a old blind man.
Afterwards both clash themselves in a fight because the early agreement wasn't adhered by François that would rather going to another place, Thornton stayed injured due a stab in his leg, he must stay there until his wound should healed, at starting a travel in the raft which Rayfield took place the dog's leader refuses lift up upon so tired previous travel, then François is willing kills Rayfield, therefore a Thornton's gun aimed to François's head, thus he left the dog there, at cabin at last Rayfield receives an another name "Buck" sadly the call of the wild from their ancestors came unexpected.
Shot entirely Pocahontas state park at Virginia was so beautiful landscape with strong similitude with Canada or Alaska as the book suggest, as a TV movie the tight budge is easily noticed on some scenes, also the gran-finale is spoiled by an unparallel outcome, the remaining is really great, the star of the picture Rayfield-Buck had a great performance, I'm so sorrow as wrote the another reviewer who posted here the complaining over so lowest rating and now two reviews only, not enough to fine version of the immortal tale of Jack London.
Resume:
First watch: 1978 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-Youtube / Rating: 7.5.
