White Fang

White Fang is a 1991 film directed by Randal Klieser starring Ethan Hawke, Klaus Maria Brandauer, and Seymour Cassel. Based on the novel White Fang by Jack London, it tells the story of the friendship between a Yukon gold hunter and a wolfdog. A sequel to the film, White Fang 2: Myth of the White Wolf was released in 1994. White Fang is played by Jed the Wolfdog who also stars in The Journey of Natty Gann as well as John Carpenter's 1982 film, The Thing.
==Plot==
In 1898, prospectors flock to Alaska in search of gold. Among them is young adult Jack Conroy who arrives in the town of Skagway, telling fellow passenger Beauty Smith of his search for prospector, Alex Larson. Beauty and his companions, Luke and Tinker direct the young adult to the Chilcoot Pass. The three men surround Jack and steal his money, but he is undaunted and makes his way to the pass. Jack finds Alex and his companion, Clarence "Skunker" Thurston at the top of the pass. He introduces himself as the son of Scott Conroy who died a year earlier, leaving a claim. Although he and Scott were close friends, Alex doubts there is gold in the claim and advises Jack to go home and find a regular job. However, Skunker takes a liking to the young adult and encourages Alex to bring him as far as Klondike City, Alaska after they bury their dead comrade, Dutch. Alex reluctantly agrees.
A pack of hungry wolves follow the expedition through the wilderness, hoping to feed on the sled dogs. A female wolfdog named Kiche infiltrates the dogs while they are being fed and escapes with a fish which she feeds to her male pup. As the expedition resumes the next day, the sled falls over an embankment, spilling Dutch’s frozen corpse onto a frozen lake. Despite warnings from Skunker, Jack walks out onto the lake to retrieve a bag of ammunition. Once he gets it, the ice begins to crack. Jack tries to back away from this, but the ice gives way and he and Dutch fall in. Jack is able to use Dutch as a buoy to hoist himself back to the surface and he flails in the water, yelling for help. Alex and Skunker pull him out and take off his wet clothes, wrap him in a blanket, and hang them on a branch to dry as they start a fire for Jack to sit by and get warm. By nightfall, wolves surround the prospectors’ camp and Kiche approaches, attracting Digger, the lead sled dog. Skunker realizes she is a “part dog” decoy luring his dogs to the wolf pack. He shoots Kiche in the leg and runs to Digger’s rescue, but ends up getting killed by the pack and Kiche limps back to her cave which is a hole she dug underneath a fallen tree. Jack and Alex survive the night by making an arch of fire to keep the wolves at a distance. The next morning, the prospectors pack up to continue their expedition when suddenly, the wolves come back and ambush them. Fortunately, two other prospectors come and save them by shooting a few of the wolves, including Kiche. Two weak to run or walk, the mother wolfdog drags herself back to her cave and gently collapses on her side just outside it, unable to go any further. The pup comes out and watches as his poor mother weakly blinks, sticks her tongue out, swallows, then dies. And to this, he comes close to her and leans in to lick and nuzzle her. Later, he sleeps on her corpse until a heavy snowstorm covers it up. Once it is, the pup wakes up and lets out five sad howls, causing a distant wolf to howl back. Curious about this, the pup runs off to investigate. When he does, he sees a wolf whose fur color is similar to Kiche's. Then, along come two light-colored wolves that join the first one and play fight then a few more wolves join them. The pup watches as they frolic in the snow then they dash off and he gives chase, but is too little to keep up with them. Afterwards, the pup explores a hilly area, sniffing the snow. As he bends over for a moment, a piece of snow gives way, causing him to slide down the hill and into a hole at the bottom that leads him into a glistening ice cave. The pup comes out that ice cave and approaches a lake where Jack and Alex are resting nearby. Alex tends to the dogs while Jack fills a canteen with water from the lake when he sees the wolfdog pup on the other side. Jack whistles for the pup's attention, but upon meeting a human, the pup shyly runs off.
When a group of native Alaskans discover the cub, their chief, Grey Beaver, notes his white fang, proving the animal is descended from a domesticated dog. Grey Beaver adopts the pup and names him “Mia Tuk", a name meaning "White Fang". Meanwhile, Alex and Jack bury Dutch and continue on to Klondike City, where Alex reunites with his lover, Belinda Casey. Although Alex has no intention of leaving town, he agrees to guide Jack to his father’s claim. They travel downstream to Grey Beaver’s village, and spend the night there at the chief’s invitation. Jack is intrigued by White Fang and tries to befriend the dog, but Grey Beaver discourages him, explaining that dogs are for work, not friendship. In the morning, Jack wanders away from the village and is pursued by a bear. He takes cover under a woodpile while White Fang comes to his defense and chases the bear away. Jack rewards the dog with a piece of jerky before he and Alex leave. After they arrive at Scott Conroy’s abandoned cabin, Alex offers to work the mine if Jack teaches him how to read.
Meanwhile, Grey Beaver and White Fang arrive in Klondike City, where they encounter Beauty and his fighting dog, Buck. While Grey Beaver offers animal pelts to a storekeeper, Beauty instigates a fight between the two dogs and White Fang wins. When Grey Beaver emerges from the store, Beauty demands compensation for his injured dog, forcing the chief to surrender White Fang. Following a training regimen of taunting and abuse, Beauty and his henchmen enter White Fang in his first fight. He kills his opponent and continues undefeated through numerous fights. Jack and Alex come upon a dogfight in which White Fang is pitted against a pitbull named Cherokee, owned by Beauty’s archrival, Mr. Sykes. A police raid drives the spectators away as Cherokee grabs White Fang by the throat. Jack pries the dogs apart with a crowbar, then claims White Fang as restitution for the money he lost to Beauty months earlier. Alex holds Beauty at gunpoint, compelling him to relinquish the dog. Jack nurses White Fang back to health, but Alex is doubtful the animal can be tamed. However, Jack’s patience and kindness eventually overcome White Fang’s resistance and they become constant companions.
One day, a section of the mine collapses, revealing a large vein of gold ore. Jack takes a sample to the assayer in Klondike City, accompanied by White Fang. Luke informs Beauty and Tinker, and they follow Jack back to the mine. The next morning, Beauty and Tinker open fire on the cabin and attempt to burn it down. White Fang attacks Tinker, who accidentally discharges his gun, wounding Luke. After White Fang subdues Beauty, Jack and Alex take their assailants prisoner and force them at gunpoint to haul gold ore into town. Alex and Belinda decide to marry and start a new life in San Francisco, California. They invite Jack to join them, but remind him that White Fang is not suited for city life, and should be set free. Jack releases the dog, but ultimately decides to stay in Alaska. He returns to the cabin to make repairs and is reunited with White Fang.
==Cast==
*Ethan Hawke as Jack Conroy
*Jed the Wolfdog as White Fang
*Klaus Maria Brandauer as Alex Larson
*Seymour Cassel as Clarence Skunker Thurston
*James Remar as Beauty Smith
*Susan Hogan as Belinda Casey
*Bill Moseley as Luke
*Clint B. Youngreen as Tinker
*Pius Savage as Grey Beaver
*Suzanne Kent as Heather
*Michael Davis Lally as Mr. Sykes
*Aaron Hotch as Mit-Sah
*Diane E. Benson as Kloo-Koosh
*John Beers as Sykes' Dog Handler
*Charles Jimmie Sr. as Older Indian
*Clifford Fossman as Old Timer 1
*Irvin Sogge as Old Timer 2
*Tom Fallon as Prospector
*Dick Mackey as Sled Dog Prospector
*Robert Hoelen as Bar Patron
*George Rogers as Registrar
*Raymond R. Menaker as Shopkeeper
*Davis Fallon as Lookout
*Michael A. Hagen as Teenager
*Robert Scott Kyker as Frozen Prospector 1
*Tom Yewell as Frozen Prospector 2
*Van Clifton as Piano Player
*Jim Moore as Violin Player
*Marliese Schneider as Woman of the Night
*Bart the Bear as Bear
==External links==
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Category:Disney films
Category:1991 films
Category:Live-action films
Category:White Fang
Category:Films based on books
Category:Films about animals
Category:PG-rated films
Category:Western Films