Clash of the Wolves (1925)

Just so...so bad

A Masterpiece!

There is definitely an excellent idea hidden in the background of the film. Unfortunately, it's difficult to find it.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

CAST: Charles Farrell (Dave Weston), June Marlowe (May Barstowe), Heinie Conklin (Alkali Bill), William Walling (Barstowe), Pat Hartigan (Horton), "Rin Tin Tin" (Lobo), "Nanette" (Lobo's mate).COMMENT: Excitingly directed by Noel M. Smith (of all people!), this is an action-packed western which not only shows off Rinty's amazing expertise but has an interesting story (concocted by Charles A. Logue) to boot. Not only has Logue contrived some spectacular action sequences, but he has managed to work in a nice romance and even some canine humor as well. All the players except Heinie Conklin (and even he comes good in a kissing scene) acquit them-selves most creditably. The movie is superbly photographed by E.B. DuPar and Allen Thompson, mostly on actual locations. Sharp film editing by Clarence Kolster and attractive art titles by Victor Vance add to the picture's appeal. Electrical effects: F.N. Murphy. Art directors: Lewis Geib, Esdras Hartley. Copyright 26 October 1925 by Warner Brothers. U.S. release: 28 November 1925. 74 minutes.

This silent adventure Western features the dark coated German Shepherd dog star Rin Tin Tin as a wolf pack leader known as Lobo; it was directed by Noel Mason Smith and written by Charles A. Logue. Rinty had to wear booties on his front paws and sported a beard (incognito as a dog) during some of the action which includes lots of running, a jump over chasm, climbing a fence, a jump off a building onto a man on horseback, and performing heroic acts like saving his mate Nanette and their puppies from some raging mountain fires, which had forced him and his pack down into the desert valley where cattle graze and people reside. The first persons Lobo and his pack encounter are prospector Dave Weston (Charles Farrell), his girlfriend May Barstowe (June Marlowe), and Alkali Bill (Charlie 'Heinie' Conklin, whose character provides slapstick comic relief), teamster on the Barstowe ranch. May's rancher father Sam (William Walling) doesn't approve of his daughter's attachment to a tenderfoot like Dave. Pat Hartigan plays the villain Wm. 'Borax' Horton, who poses as a chemist but is really a claim jumper; an uncredited actor plays Horton's assistant.Because of Bill's frantic reports of wolves in the valley, a posse is formed to chase the pack back away. Lobo decoys these men on horseback so that his peers and family can escape, but he gets a cactus splinter in his paw for his trouble. Not wanting to appear weak in front of the pack, he goes off into the desert where he would probably have died if Dave hadn't found him. The tenderfoot removes the thorn from the wolf's paw and Lobo becomes his 'tame' pet (that has to wear the aforementioned disguise in town). After Dave learns from chemist Horton that his mining sample was nearly pure borax, he goes out in to the desert to mark his claim. But greedy Horton follows and nearly kills the tenderfoot before Lobo rescues Dave and drags him into cave. Lobo then takes a message, written by Dave on a canteen, into town where he has to battle Horton again before he's chased into the desert as a wolf, but he and his pack are able to subdue and eliminate the claim jumper, saving the day for a happy ending.The film was added to the National Film Registry in 2004.

Clash of the Wolves (1925) *** (out of 4) A fire breaks out in the forest so Lobo (Rin Tin Tin), the leader of his wolf pack, must take his wife, pups and other wolves down into the desert. Once there the wolves are constantly attacked by some villagers who think that the wolves are going to eat their cattle. Lobo is eventually injured and near death but one of the villagers ends up saving his life and of course Lobo will be there if the man ever needs help. I really wasn't expecting much out of this film but I was curious to see my first Rin Tin Tin film and it's funny I watched this after the Brando documentary because this dog has got to be the greatest actor next to ol' Brando. Why do I say that? There's a long scene in the movie where Rin Tin Tin is near death and for the life of me I can't figure out how they got the dog to do what they did. I'd like to think this dog was just that talented but in my brain I'm thinking they had to have actually injured the dog to get the reactions because there's certainly a look of pain in his eyes. Outside of that, this film is pretty entertaining on all levels as it has a nice love story, some funny moments as well as some great action with Rin Tin Tin jumping into harms way constantly to be the hero.

Rin-Tin-Tin was one of more than a dozen dog heroes who thrilled audiences during the Twenties, but he was definitely the most famous. Warner Brothers showcased his talents with fast paced and cinematic ally competent films like this one. Rin did not do all the work himself, as he had a large number of stand-ins and stunt doubles who are hard to distinguish from him at times. Rin's co-stars provide good support for him in this tale of a handsome young borax prospector named Dave Weston who must defend not only his claim but his very life from a claim assessor gone bad. Rin is the wolf hybrid everyone wants to shoot... until one day when Dave finds him incapacitated by a cactus thorn and dying slowly of thirst in the desert. His compassion overcomes his desire to kill him for the bounty on his head, and he takes him to his cabin and treats his wound. "Lobo" becomes his constant companion. From there the story sweeps the viewer in and never lets up until the climax. As of September 2004, Image Entertainment now has CLASH OF THE WOLVES available on DVD as part of a fascinating boxed set of rarities from the first thirty years of cinema, "More Treasures".