WHITE FANG 2: THE MYTH OF THE WHITE WOLF

US, 1994, 106 minutes, Colour.
Scott Bairstow, Charmaine Craig, Al Harrington, Anthony Michael Ruivivar, Victoria Racimo, Alfred Molina, Geoffrey Lewis, Ethan Hawke.
Directed by Ken Olin.

This version of Jack London’s novel is linked to the original film by introducing Ethan Hawke writing a letter to his successor, Henry Casey, played by Scott Bairstow.

The film has fine location photography, evocative of Alaska. It shows the young man and his Wolf companion, White Fang, working a mine, becoming entangled with a Reverend (Alfred Molina) who is involved in exploiting the mines of Alaska, corralling the Caribou in a hidden valley with the result that the Native Americans fell on hard times, and starving. The daughter of the chief has a dream about a Wolf and, finding Henry, assumes that he is the Wolf. Reluctantly, he becomes involved with the life of the Indians, goes on an expedition to find the Caribou and encounters dangers from the avaricious miners.

The film is benign in its presentation of the life and traditions of the Native Americans.

1. The popularity of the story of White Fang, the novels of Jack London? The settings? A young man and his dog?

2. Continuity with the original, Jack Conroy writing his letter, entrusting White Fang to Henry Casey?

3. The location photography, beauty, ruggedness? Alaska 1905? The plains, rivers, mountains? Mining? The current? The score?

4. Henry Casey, from San Francisco, friendship with Jack? Entrusted with the wolf? The bond between them? His going out to his mine, the intruder, warning him off, White Fang threatening?

5. The visit to the Indian village, the encounter with the Reverend, the confrontation?

6. Moses, Lily, Peter, the village, the Native American traditions, totems and statues, mythologies, dreams? Moses and seeing Lily finding the Wolf? Entrusting the mission to her?

7. Her travels, seeing Henry and White Fang, the rapids, her trying to help, White Fang exhausted on the shore, Henry on the mill? Rescuing him? Thinking he was the Wolf?

8. Henry, his reactions, gratitude, discussions with Moses, the discussions about him as the Wolf? The dream, finding the Caribou? His saying he was not a hunter? The details of training? Peter and the rivalry, friendship? His feelings for Lily?

9. In town, wanting credit, the shopkeeper, the riders, suspicions? The Reverend, paying for the goods? The confrontation at the Indian village?

10. The truth, blocking the entry to the Caribou Valley, the tunnels and the mining for gold?

11. The group, seeking the Caribou, the help of White Fang, the cliff, seeing the Caribou? Going into the tunnels, the dynamite, being seen, the pursuit, the shooting? The taking of Lily?

12. The pursuit of Henry, the shops, his exploding the dynamite, the Caribou getting through, the Reverend and his trying to stop them, being trampled?

13. Henry, his being at home with the Native Americans, wanting to learn their language, be with them, love for Lily?

14. Peter’s death, the mourning, Moses sending Henry on his way, Lily coming after him – and the happy ending? And White Fang finding a companion wolf, the cubs?