WHITE FANG
US, 1973, 102 minutes, Colour.
Franco Nero, Virna Lisi, Fernando Rey, John Steiner.
Directed by Lucio Fulci.
White Fang is an entertaining and interesting, well-produced version of a Jack London story. It is an Italian production, with a flavour of Alaska at the turn of the century, the gold rushes, the raucous life of the frontier. It also has a great deal of feeling with the focus on the Indians, the wolf-dog and its heroism.
The colour photography is excellent, re-creating the atmosphere of Alaska and Dawson City. Franco Nero is a strong hero, Virna Lisi an attractive and strong-minded nun, Fernando Rey interesting as an alcoholic preacher under the grip of the boss of the town, snarlingly played by John Steiner. The animals are also excellent in re-creating the atmosphere of the Alaskan dogs.
There is a mixture of action, greed, frontier life, religious commitment as well as sentiment and some savage scenes of fights between dogs and dogs and bears.
A good presentation of the world of Jack London's stories.
1. An interesting and entertaining adventure? The background of Jack London's novels and experience? Interpretation? Visualising of landscapes, characters, humans, animals?
2. The location photography, its beauty, grandeur? Savagery? Alaska at the turn of the century?, Dawson City and the artificial town soon to become a ghost town? The goldfields?
3. The title and the focus on the dog, his background, discovery by the Indians, half savage, half dog? His saving of the little boy? His loyalty, the experience in Dawson City, changing owners, fights, his final vengeance, salvation?
4. The focus on Alaska with the Indians, the father and son, their way of life, hunting, trapping the dogs, the discovery of White Fang, Charlie's concern about his son, the little boy's relating well with the dog? The accident and Mitsah being saved? The encounter with Scott and Johnson in the snow? The innocent world of the Indians broken into by the greedy whites? The consequences for Charlie? For Mitsah? His return with White Fang?
5. Jason Scott as journalist, hero, friendship with Jobson, surveying work, the clashes with Smith? The tough sequences of fighting, words? The encounter with the priest? With Sister Evangelina? The clashes with Smith, Charlie's death, testimony? The plans for the gold? The suppressing of the information? Cristal's death? The confrontation with Smith, the crowd turning against him, his blowing the dam, Scott and his being saved? A hero of the times?
6. Johnson and his work, surveying, the encounter with Cristal at the saloon, hearing the truth about her, falling in love, his prospecting for gold? His friendship with Scott, helping him?
7. Smith as snarling villain, his hold over Dawson City, paying the miners with promissory notes, his lavish lifestyle, infatuation with Krista, pressure on her, ultimately killing her? His hold over the preacher and the collections? His self-assurance, the henchmen? Their doing his bidding, killing? The killing of Charlie, the taking of the dog,
8. The fight with the bear and his taking bets, removing the muzzle? The breaking up of the fight by Scott and Sister Evangelina? The news about the gold at Nome, the people turning against him, his escape, the boy as hostage, White Fang's attack, the blasting of the bridge?
9. Sister Evangelina and her work, setting up the hospital, helping the patients, the friendship with Krista, the friendship with Scott, looking after Mitsah, caring for Charlie, stopping the bear and dog fight, moving on where people needed her? A determined nun?
10. The preacher, his drinking, the hold by Smith, Krista and his love for her, his preaching, words against exploiters, witnessing the death, the dagger, the court case, the escape from prison and the attempt on Scott's life, his concern for Krista, his own death?
11. The blend of frontier action, frontier interactions, law and order, greed, the need for government, charity, integrity, exploitation? Blending well with the action sequences with White Fang and Alaskan nature?
