(TOOL STRIKING)
(WATER TRICKLING)
(TOOL CONTINUES STRIKING)
MALE NARRATOR: It was in all the papers at the time.
Men searching in the Arctic had found a yellow metal.
Gold.
A mad fever spread as far as word can travel...
and thousands more rushed to the North to try their luck.
-These men needed dogs. -(DOGS BARKING)
Big dogs with strong muscles to pull their sleds.
(BARKS)
(CHUCKLING) Good morning there, Buck!
MALE NARRATOR: Buck was neither house dog
nor kennel dog.
Here you go, boy.
MALE NARRATOR: His master was Santa Clara County judge.
BOY: Hey!
-(HORSE WHINNIES) -Whoa! Watch it, you!
MALE NARRATOR: In this realm, Buck was king.
MAN: Damn it, creature!
Careful! That's Judge Miller's dog.
You wish the judge a happy birthday from me.
Thanks, will do. Come on, Buck! Let's go.
PAPERBOY: News of the Klondike!
Thousands of gold rushers converge in Dawson City!
News of the Klondike! Oh.
Here you go, lad.
-(BICYCLE BELL RINGS) -(BARKS)
Buck, stop!
Buck!
MAILMAN: Get out of the way! Get out of the way!
ABIGAIL: Buck!
MAILMAN: Get! Stop it. ABIGAIL: Come here!
MAILMAN: Lady, call your dog! Look out!
ABIGAIL: Buck! Come here!
MAILMAN: Out of the way!
ABIGAIL: Come back here right now! Buck! Stop!
Buck.
(GROANS)
ABIGAIL: No! I'm so, so sorry!
-I'm sorry. -That dog's a menace.
ABIGAIL: Oh, he's just spoiled.
Buck means well.
Usually.
Abigail, cook needs you.
-ABIGAIL: Buck. -(BARKS)
Go wake the girls.
(DOOR RATTLES)
(GIRLS SHRIEKING)
-(THUD) -(GASPS)
(GASPS) Oh.
(RATTLING)
-MAN: Grab the roast! -(HURRIED CHATTER)
MAN 2: Uh... I'll look out!
(PANTING)
(WHINING)
HEAD COOK: Out!
(WHINING)
(SIGHS HEAVILY)
(YAWNS)
(BARKS)
(PANTING)
No.
Remember we talked about this, Buck.
Today you need to be on your best behavior.
(RUSTLING)
-Buck? -(BARKING)
(CONTINUES BARKING)
(BUCK GROANS)
(SNEEZES, SNIFFING)
Hmm. (SNIFFS)
Your Honor.
Smells very, very good.
-(SERVER 1 GIGGLES) -SERVER 2: Happy birthday.
ALICE: Everyone over here first.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
(MOANS)
JUDGE MILLER: All right, Molly. You look beautiful.
All right. Settle.
(BUCK PANTING)
-Buck. -(BUCK GRUNTS)
(JUDGE MILLER SIGHS)
(SIGHS)
(EXHALES)
(OWL HOOTING)
(INHALES SHARPLY)
(SIGHS)
Why don't you sit out here...
and you think on what you've done.
No. Not now, Buck.
(DOOR CLOSES)
(WHIMPERS SOFTLY)
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
(WIND WHISTLING)
MALE NARRATOR: This wasn't the first night
Buck spent on the porch.
(THUNDER CRASHING)
(WHISTLING IN DISTANCE)
(SOFT TAPPING)
MAN: Come on, Buck. Come on.
(MAN WHISTLING)
MALE NARRATOR: He was less attentive
to his master's commands...
Hey, Buck. I got a treat for ya.
MALE NARRATOR: ...than he was to his own instincts.
Come on.
Get the treat. Come on!
Good boy.
Get the treat. Get the treat.
Good boy. Good boy!
-(BOTH GRUNT) -(BARKS)
(DOOR THUDDING)
MAN: He answers to the name of Buck.
He'll fetch a fine price where he's going.
-(HORSE WHINNIES) -(RATTLING)
(BUCK BARKS)
(BARKING)
WORKER: Hold up!
I'll need extra hands for this last transfer.
What in the world is in this thing?
WORKER 2: Dog.
WORKER 1: How many?
WORKER 2: Just one.
(WORKERS GRUNTING)
(CONTAINER DOOR SHUTS)
(TRAIN HORN BLARES)
(TRAIN CHUGGING)
(TRAIN HORN BLARES)
MALE NARRATOR: Locked in that box...
(DOOR OPENS)
...he couldn't eat, drink, or sleep.
Buck had no idea where he was...
where he had been...
where he was going.
(TOOL SCRAPES)
-(TOOL STRIKING) -(WHIMPERS)
(BARKING)
MAN: Easy, boy.
All you have to do...
is sit.
(BARKS)
(BUCK YELPS)
(PANTING)
This ain't the Southland anymore.
Go on.
(BUCK GROWLING SOFTLY)
See it.
See it, boy.
-It's the law of the land now. -(GROWLING)
The law of club...
and fang.
No one above it.
Now what's it gonna be, doggy?
(CONTINUES GROWLING)
(STOPS GROWLING)
Good.
You a fast learner.
(DOGS BARKING)
MALE NARRATOR: Buck stood no chance
against a man with a club.
He knew that.
He was beaten.
But he was not broken.
(ROPE CREAKING)
(RATTLING)
(GROANS)
(GRUNTS)
Hey!
MAN: Come on! (GRUNTING)
MALE NARRATOR: Skagway, Alaska.
Gateway to the Yukon.
The edge of nowhere.
Most anyone looking for gold went through here first.
DOG SELLER: All right, let's go, let's go.
There you go.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Get your caribou stew! Right there.
MALE NARRATOR: Buck was a long way from home.
(INDISTINCT SHOUTING)
Do you betray our Lord for your lust of gold?
DOG SELLER: Don't mind them. Come on.
No. This way. This way.
(BUCK GRUNTS)
Come on! Move.
There you go. Come on. Come on.
(GRUNTS)
Come on now, buddy.
It's just snow, Buck. Come on.
(PANTING)
-(BARKS) -(DOG SELLER GRUNTS)
Hey! Buck, come on!
Get over here!
Buck!
All right.
That's it.
The house is hers?
(SIGHS) Yes, sir. The house and everything in it.
That's good.
She deserves it.
CAPTAIN: All aboard!
Not much luck up there this last year.
Seems more folks coming back
pockets empty than full of gold.
I'm not looking for gold.
-(BOTH GRUNT) -Hey! Jeez...
(CHUCKLES)
Watch yourself.
CAPTAIN: Last boat to Dawson leaving now!
Miss it, it's only sleds till spring.
(HARMONICA BLARING)
That's mine.
Hey! Thanks.
DOG SELLER: Buck!
Got ya.
Buck's his name?
Come on, let's go.
Thanks, Buck.
DOG SELLER: You're a fast one.
All right. This way.
(BELL TOLLING)
MAN: Good morning.
DOG SELLER: Perrault! Been a long time.
PERRAULT: Good to see you.
DOG SELLER: How've you been?
Good, good.
DOG SELLER: So, telegraph hasn't put the mail service
out of business yet?
PERRAULT: Not yet.
I need two dogs for my team.
(GRUNTS)
(ALL GRUNTING)
(DOG BARKS)
PERRAULT: You wanna go?
Don't wait for me!
(PERRAULT GRUNTS)
(LAUGHS)
(GRUNTS)
PERRAULT: Bonjour, Françoise!
FRANÇOISE: What have you done now?
PERRAULT: This is Buck. (LAUGHS)
Two. We needed two.
What? He's big.
Too big.
-He'll never make it. -PERRAULT: He'll make it.
What do you know? Aah.
Okay, let's you meet the team.
Buck, meet Spitz.
-Your new boss. -(BUCK SNIFFS)
Stay out of his way.
(SPITZ GRUNTS)
That's Dolly.
Pike.
-Jo. -(BARKS)
Billie.
Dub.
-(SNEEZES) -Dave.
And Sol-leks.
You are here.
Welcome to the team.
We have a new route, so everyone pay attention.
(DAVE BARKS)
You, too, Dave. We are here.
We deliver mail 500 miles all the way to here.
Dawson.
They don't understand you.
Buck, just do what Spitz does. Okay?
He leads, you follow.
(GRUNTS)
Team, ready?
Remember, we don't just carry the mail...
we carry lives!
-And, mush! -(DOGS BARKING)
(BOTH GRUNT)
Come on, mush!
-(DOGS YELP) -(SPITZ BARKS)
Allez!
(GRUNTS)
(DOGS YAPPING)
Spitz! Gee!
(BARKS)
(BUCK WHIMPERS)
-(PERRAULT YELLS) -FRANÇOISE: Whoa! Whoa!
(DOGS YAPPING)
(THUD)
(SPITZ SNARLS)
(BUCK WHINES)
See, Buck?
Now all our fates are one.
FRANÇOISE: They're dogs! They don't understand.
Oh, yes, he does.
Oh, yes.
Buck, we're all tied up together now.
We fall all together...
but so do we get up as one.
Come. We try again.
Easy.
That's it, Spitz.
(PANTING)
FRANÇOISE: I think your dog is broken.
PERRAULT: He's not broken.
He's just got Californian feet.
(SNIFFING)
(OWL HOOTING)
MALE NARRATOR: Out here, under an open sky...
Buck felt a cold he'd never known.
(PANTING)
(GASPS)
(YAWNS)
FRANÇOISE: Out!
Dogs sleep outside!
-(WIND WHISTLING) -(WHIMPERS)
(SNEEZES)
MALE NARRATOR: Growing up in the world of man...
Buck had learned to listen to their voices.
Tonight...
he would begin to hear his own.
(BARKS NERVOUSLY)
(BARKS)
(PANTING)
PERRAULT: Come on, Buck!
-We have to get on the day. -(YAWNS)
Allez!
(DOGS BARKING)
PERRAULT: On by!
Mail!
Thanks, Perrault.
-PERRAULT: Mail! -(GRUNTS) Thank you!
(DOG BARKS)
(DOLLY WHIMPERS)
(DOLLY WHINES)
(BARKS)
PERRAULT: That's better!
(PERRAULT GRUNTS)
You are a heavy one.
(JO WHINING)
-(SPITZ BARKS) -(JO WHIMPERS)
(BARKS)
(SNARLS, BARKS)
Spitz! Gee!
Yeah! That's a turn!
You see? He learns quick.
MALE NARRATOR: Doing the work of a sled dog...
brought Buck confidence and joy.
Now, he belonged to a pack.
PERRAULT: Gee!
Yeah, that's it!
Fantastique!
You're a real sled dog now, Buck!
(TAPPING)
Hold up.
Buck, stay.
(CRACKING)
(GASPING)
No, no, no! Françoise!
(BARKS)
Françoise!
(GASPING)
Françoise!
-(FRANÇOISE COUGHING) -Françoise!
-(FRANÇOISE GASPING) -(BUCK PANTING)
You okay?
-(BUCK YELPS) -Buck!
Buck!
Save him! (GASPING)
Buck!
-Buck! -(THUD)
Buck!
Buck! (GRUNTS)
(METAL CLATTERS)
(GRUNTS WITH FRUSTRATION)
Buck! (GRUNTS)
Buck!
(PANTING)
Buck.
(GRUNTING) Buck.
(BUCK PANTING)
(LAUGHING)
Buck.
(PRAISING IN FRENCH)
(LAUGHING)
Oh, Buck.
FRANÇOISE: Crying for a dog.
PERRAULT: (SCOFFS) No.
No, no. I wasn't crying.
You were crying.
(SIGHS)
No.
I wasn't.
(SPEAKS FRENCH)
In all his years hauling the mail...
Perrault has never been on time.
Not once.
But he drives every day like it might happen.
He believes.
But I never saw him believe in anything
as much as he believes in you.
Now I do, too.
(BARKS)
(DOGS BARKING)
(RABBIT SQUEAKS)
(BARKS)
(GROWLS)
(ALL WHIMPER)
(GROWLS)
(BARKS)
(DOGS WHIMPER)
MALE NARRATOR: A pack can have only one leader.
Spitz had had enough.
(BARKING)
(SNARLS)
(SPITZ BARKING)
(SPITZ GROWLING)
(BUCK WHIMPERING)
-(SNARLS) -(BUCK YELPS)
(MOANING)
(SNARLING)
(WHIMPERS)
(BARKS)
(YELPS)
(WHIMPERS)
(BARKING)
(SPITZ GROWLS)
(CONTINUES BARKING)
(GROWLS QUIETLY)
(DOGS BARKING)
(HUFFS)
(BARKING CONTINUES)
-(SNARLS) -(BUCK GRUNTS)
(SPITZ WHIMPERING)
(SPITZ YELPING)
(SNARLS)
(SPITZ MOANS)
(ALL PANTING)
PERRAULT: Spitz!
(YAWNS)
-Spitz! -(SNEEZES)
Spitz! Spitz!
(SHOUTS IN FRENCH)
It's not like him.
PERRAULT: I looked all morning.
I can't find him anywhere.
-(WHIMPERS) -It's like he's vanished.
Spitz!
We have to go. Without him.
Can't lose the day.
-Sol-leks! Oh. -(FRANÇOISE GASPS)
Buck? Back in place.
Allez!
Sol-leks has got more than five years on you.
Get in line.
Ooh.
-Buck. -(BARKS)
Just because you pull good don't make you ready to lead.
Okay? Allez.
(BUCK GRUNTS)
I don't think he's gonna move.
Oh, he'll move.
Buck...
move.
(PERRAULT AND FRANÇOISE GRUNTING)
PERRAULT: Sol-leks, come.
Come.
Allez! (GRUNTS)
Here.
(SPEAKS FRENCH)
-(YELPS) -Hey. Come here.
Hey. (GRUNTING)
What got into this dog this morning?
No. Hey.
I think they know something you don't know.
-There's nothing I don't know. -(SOL-LEKS WHINING)
Hey. Where did he go? Hey!
We can't make up this much time.
They'll close the office.
PERRAULT: No!
No!
No, no, no, no, no!
We were going to be on time.
Just once!
(LASHING OUT IN FRENCH)
(YELLING IN FRENCH)
Fine.
Take it.
(GRUNTS)
(FRANÇOISE PATS PERRAULT)
FRANÇOISE: It's not that bad.
-PERRAULT: I lost my lead dog. -(BARKS)
We'll be two days behind if we're lucky.
And we've never been lucky.
(BARKS)
FRANÇOISE: You might wanna...
-hang on. -Yeah, yeah.
Okay, Buck.
And, mush!
Whoa!
(PERRAULT LAUGHING)
Hey! (CONTINUES LAUGHING)
-(BARKING) -Yeehaw!
(DOGS PANTING)
Go, Buck!
Go!
Yeah!
(DOG BARKS IN DISTANCE)
(DOGS BARKING)
Yes, Buck!
Go!
Yeehaw!
-(GASPS) -Haw!
Buck, haw!
Turn left!
Left!
-Turn left! -(BARKS)
Go! Turn left!
No! No!
No, no, no!
Are you crazy?
(BARKS)
PERRAULT: No, no, no! No!
(ICICLES CLINKING)
(GRUNTS)
(PERRAULT YELLING)
Go, go, go, go!
(PERRAULT YELLS)
Faster, Buck! Don't stop!
(BARKS)
(BUCK BARKING)
FEMALE POSTMASTER: Perrault?
(PERRAULT YELLING)
Yeah! (LAUGHS)
This is it! This is it!
Don't let up now, Buck!
Yeah, that's it! Yeehaw!
(PEOPLE GASPING)
Clear the way!
Move!
Go!
(GASPING)
PERRAULT: Whoa!
BOTH: Whoa!
(DOGS BARKING)
Did you see that?
(PERRAULT LAUGHS)
-We made it! -(BELL TOLLING)
(SHOUTS IN FRENCH)
We did it!
-(OVERLAPPING CHATTER) -WORKER: Tupper.
POSTMASTER: Here's one for Kelly.
KELLY: Yeah.
POSTMASTER: McCarthy, right here.
WOMAN: Anything for Elizabeth Snow?
O'MALLEY: Is there something for O'Malley?
WORKER: Laverne? WORKER 2: Shaw.
WORKER: I got three!
WORKER 2: Laverne!
Doyle? Kennedy?
POSTMASTER: I've got one for Smith. Here.
WORKER 2: Lynch.
See, Buck?
We don't carry mail.
We carry lives.
We carry hope.
We carry love.
We leave in the morning. Let's get some rest.
POSTMASTER: O'Neil? Walsh?
-(MAN LAUGHS) -POSTMASTER: Gallagher?
(INAUDIBLE)
MALE NARRATOR: Dearest Sarah.
The soul seems to have gone out of me now.
Each day
starts with the memory of our dearest son.
Tim's approaching birthday
reminds me of all that's been lost.
The warmth of our home...
(LAUGHTER)
...the adventures our son dreamed of.
I wish I'd found the words to express how I felt...
before the silence became...
unbearable.
And I left.
I search for a place...
I might feel some...
peace.
Though I fear I will never find it.
(WIND HOWLING)
Because I know that as I am...
there may be no home for me in this world.
(HOWLING)
(ALL HOWLING)
(DOGS CONTINUE HOWLING)
(SIGHS)
-(PEOPLE CHEERING IN DISTANCE) -(BELL TOLLING)
(CHEERING CONTINUES)
(DOGS BARKING)
-Don't leave. Don't leave! -PERRAULT: Mush!
(BARKING)
(ALL CHEERING)
(PANTING)
PERRAULT: No, no, no!
Whoa! (GRUNTS)
(CROWD EXCLAIMS)
Buck! What?
You got time for one more before you leave?
You're late.
It's just that it's my son's birthday.
And I need to send this remembrance to my wife.
You should have come when we were taking.
Took time to find the words.
Oh.
You learn to read, we won't need Perrault anymore.
You are lucky.
Buck is the boss.
-(CROWD LAUGHS) -Anyone else?
Hey, Buck. I remember you.
Thank you.
-Thank you for stopping. -PERRAULT: Now we go!
Ready, Buck?
-(BARKS) -And, mush!
-(CROWD CHEERING) -(DOGS BARKING)
PERRAULT: Line up!
Yep!
Nice, Buck!
Yeah, that's it!
Straight ahead!
-Yep! -(CROWD CHEERING)
2,400 miles in 80 days?
(LAUGHS)
Buck is gonna sleep till fall.
Perrault! One for you. Looks official.
What's the news from down south?
Good work.
Perrault?
(DOGS BARKING)
It's okay. It's okay.
It's okay.
You did nothing wrong.
-You all done good. -(BARKING CONTINUES)
Okay?
I'm sorry, Buck.
They don't need me and my sled anymore.
By summer, the telegraph will reach here.
A new way to send the mail.
It's your team now.
You still have a mighty journey ahead.
(BIDS GOODBYE TO DOGS IN FRENCH)
(BIDS GOODBYE TO BUCK IN FRENCH)
(WHIMPERS)
MALE NARRATOR: The ground had shifted under him again.
Buck had lost another master.
Now he would have to be the leader himself.
Until a new master came along.
(DOGS BARKING)
(GROWLS, BARKING)
(GROWLS)
HAL: I promised you, didn't I? And here we are.
MERCEDES: You promised me gold.
Where is it? In the dogs?
(LAUGHING)
HAL: Get the sled loaded.
It's time to stake our claim.
Let's go.
And...
mush!
(DOGS BARKING)
HAL: Mush!
(CROWD LAUGHING)
Are they broken?
HAL: No. They're just lazy.
Buck?
HAL: Mush!
Charles, persuade the beast.
MERCEDES: Not the club.
Charles!
Put that down or I'll...
I won't go a step!
-Charles! -(BUCK WHIMPERS)
Remember me? (CHUCKLES)
Yeah, I know.
Your runners are frozen.
You'll help your dogs a mighty lot
if you take the gee pole and break 'em out.
HAL: Gee pole?
MERCEDES: What is he doing?
-Sir! Watch the Victrola. -(MERCEDES GASPS)
(CROWD LAUGHS)
Where are you headed, mister?
It's none of your concern.
You didn't buy that map in Skagway, did you?
-No. -That old fairy tale.
Lost cabin.
-(SLED RATTLES) -(MERCEDES GASPS)
River of gold?
You're setting off too far into the spring.
Half that trail is on the river.
Well, that leaves half the trail fit for travel.
Oh, it means the ice is gonna break up
with your companions and the dogs on it.
Why don't you lay over till the spring thaw?
Save your dogs
and your companions the suffering.
And let some old prospector beat us to the gold?
I'm not a prospector.
No, thank you.
I paid a fortune for this team.
They'll pull my sled.
They're good dogs, sir. They'll pull your sled.
They'll pull your sled till they die.
(SLAMS ON SLED)
Thank you.
Let's go.
CHARLES: (TAPS ON SLED) All right, let's go.
And...
mush!
(DOGS BARKING)
(CROWD MUTTERING)
CHARLES: You lazy mutts!
MERCEDES: I'm not so sure about those dogs.
Maybe you should've bought a different team.
CHARLES: Maybe we should feed them.
We should've stayed on the trail.
Mush!
(GRUNTING)
(ALL GASPING)
MERCEDES: Make it stop!
-(HAL GRUNTING) -(MERCEDES SCREAMING)
(HAL GROANS)
(HAL YELLING FRUSTRATEDLY)
(BUCK PANTING)
CHARLES: Maybe they need a little encouragement.
-(DOGS WHIMPERING) -HAL: Mush!
-(WHIP STRIKING) -Mush!
MALE NARRATOR: For the first time,
Buck knew more than his masters.
(BARKS)
-HAL: Mush! -(WHIP CRACKS)
MALE NARRATOR: But the whip...
offered him no choice.
(BRANCHES RUSTLING)
(ICICLES SMASHING)
(GRUNTING)
Son of a...
(DOGS WHIMPERING)
HAL: Well, now...
we're going across.
Move!
(HAL GRUNTING)
-(BUCK WHINING) -(BOTH BARKING)
I say you go.
Hal, he can't.
Move.
(HAL GRUNTS)
(DOGS BARKING)
Don't you dare.
-Hey! -(MERCEDES GASPS)
(DOG BARKS)
That river ice is gonna break up any minute!
You fool!
That dog is trying to help you keep your life!
MERCEDES: Hal!
(MERCEDES GASPS)
Why are you so keen to stop us?
You know where the gold is, don't you?
(GUNSHOT)
You keep your filthy hands off of my dogs.
Hal.
(SNARLING)
(DOGS BARKING)
Hal, he said we shouldn't cross.
CHARLES: Hal, are you sure? Maybe we just leave the dogs?
HAL: I know what I'm doing.
Mush!
(GRUNTS)
Mush!
(DOGS PANTING HEAVILY)
(DUB WHIMPERS)
Don't do this.
Not to them.
HAL: Mush!
(BIRDS CHIRPING)
What am I gonna do with you?
(PANTS)
(WHIMPERS)
(WHIMPERING)
They're not here.
They're gone.
You've been sleeping for two days...
in my bed.
I'll be back.
(BOTTLE CLINKS)
(BLOWS)
Stay. Go.
Do what you want.
(BUCK WHINES)
(HOWLING)
-(MUSIC PLAYING) -(LAUGHTER AND CHATTER)
Whiskey.
(MUFFLED MUSIC PLAYING)
-(MUSIC CONTINUES) -(CROWD CHATTERING)
I want the bottle.
(DOOR OPENS)
-(GRUNTING) -(PEOPLE EXCLAIMING)
They're all gone!
My dogs ran off.
My fortune lost.
You called it a fairy tale.
(GRUNTS)
You didn't want me finding the gold.
(BUCK GROWLS)
-(HAL GRUNTING) -(BARKING)
Easy, Buck, easy.
Buck.
-Easy. -HAL: Well, you all saw.
This man and I had business
and the dog went for my throat.
-Probably rabid. -(GROWLS, BARKS)
(CROWD GASPS)
You leave that dog alone!
-Buck, settle! -(BARKING)
You see?
I say it gets put down here and now.
-MAN: No. Come on, mister. -You don't touch him!
MAN 2: No one puts any creature down.
Until we hear all the facts.
The man sucker punched me.
(PEOPLE EXCLAIMING)
-(BARKING) -(HAL WHIMPERS)
Buck, easy.
What might you have on that belt, friend?
(GROWLS)
(PEOPLE GASPING AND EXCLAIMING)
(HAL GRUNTING)
MAN 3: No guns on the premises!
(HAL GRUNTS)
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
You okay, John Thornton?
Yeah.
I'm fine.
(BUCK SNIFFING)
JOHN: What?
What are you looking at, huh?
You got something to say?
(SETS GLASS DOWN)
(BUCK GRUMBLING)
Buck!
That's not very nice.
What did you do that for?
Hey, Buck!
Buck, what...?
Buck?
Bring that back.
Now what are you gonna do, huh?
Buck? What are you doing?
Bring that back.
Buck, don't do this.
That's mine.
I need that.
Don't do this to me.
What'd you do? Where is it?
Just, would you...
(GRUNTING) Get off.
Get off.
Buck.
Darn, you're big.
(SIGHS)
This was his birthday.
My son.
After he died, his mom and I...
we just grew apart.
She didn't wanna be around me...
I didn't wanna be around anybody.
So, I came up here.
Then I met you.
(OWL HOOTING)
Hell.
-It's around here somewhere. -(OBJECT THUDS)
Good, you're awake.
-I put it... -(YAWNING)
Here it is.
Something I want to show ya.
Come here.
This is a map of the Yukon.
My son was always reading adventure stories...
and he was crazy about the news
coming out of the Yukon.
It wasn't the gold. He didn't care about that.
It was the mountains.
He spent all day looking at maps
and at pictures of the mountains.
Dreaming about what was on the other side.
Places no one had been.
Wild places.
"Let's go," I said.
He said, "Yeah, Pop."
We'd start there...
but then he grabbed a pencil...
and he drew a line off the map...
and he said, "But let's go there.
"Off the map. Where no one's been."
It's... It's a trip he would've loved.
A real adventure.
We could go.
You and me.
See what's out there.
What do you think?
It's a canoe, Buck. We're gonna ride in it.
(JOHN EXCLAIMING)
Settle. Sit. Sit. Sit, Buck.
(CHUCKLES) Good. Good boy.
Ha. What are you doing?
Begging?
You're not my pet.
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
Are you comin'?
(BUCK WHIMPERS)
Get in here.
(BIRDS SQUAWKING)
(BARKING)
JOHN: (SINGING) Row your boat
Gently down the stream
Merrily, merrily merrily, merrily
Life is but a dream
Come on, Buck. Give us a song.
(BAYING)
Maybe not.
(PLAYING HARMONICA)
(PLAYS RANDOM NOTE)
(RESUMES PLAYING)
(MOOSE GRUNTING)
(WATER RUMBLING)
(SCREAMING)
(BUCK GRUNTS)
JOHN: Whoa!
(BUCK BARKING)
Whoa! (GRUNTS)
(BARKING)
I'm glad you're enjoying this. (PANTING)
(BARKING)
(JOHN SCREAMS)
Oh, you like that, huh?
I guess we walk from here.
(BIRD SCREECHING)
(BREATHING HEAVILY)
(OBJECTS CLATTERING)
JOHN: Your ancestors used to roam here.
And mine.
Back when we were wild.
(BIRD SQUAWKING IN DISTANCE)
We come and go, don't we?
This is always here.
(BARKING)
What?
I don't know. Which way? You tell me.
Go on. You lead.
-(BARKING) -(JOHN CHUCKLING)
(SNIFFING)
-(BUCK BARKING) -Buck?
(BUCK BARKS)
Ah. Look what you found.
(BUCK BARKING)
(JOHN CHUCKLES)
(DOOR BANGS)
Boy...
-Look at this, Buck. -(BARKS)
I don't think we're off all maps.
(BARKING)
A prospector, I guess.
Trash.
-Trash. -(GRUNTING)
Trash.
(JOHN EXCLAIMS)
Treasure.
(BUCK GRUNTS)
This is mine. All right?
Just leave it alone. It's mine.
(GRUMBLES)
(JOHN GRUNTING)
(BARKING)
(CRICKETS CHIRPING)
Good day.
(HOWLING IN DISTANCE)
It's your ancestors.
Wolves.
(WOLVES CONTINUE HOWLING)
(WATER SPLASHING)
(BARKS)
(JOHN PANTING)
(CHUCKLING)
(BARKS)
(PANTING)
(CHUCKLES) That's good, Buck...
but more like this, huh?
Damn fairy tale's true.
That's more like it, Buck.
Attaboy!
(CHUCKLING)
(SNIFFING)
What? What you looking at?
Go take a look.
Go on.
Go on. (CHUCKLES)
Just be back before dark!
(BEAR GRUNTS)
(BEAR GROWLING)
(SNIFFING)
(SNARLING)
(BUCK WHIMPERS)
(WOLF HOWLING)
(HARMONICA PLAYING)
(RESUMES PLAYING HARMONICA)
Buck!
(SNIFFING)
(SNARLS)
(GRUNTING)
(WHIMPERING)
(BARKS)
(WOLVES BARKING)
(BARKING)
(WHIMPERS)
(BUCK BARKS)
(BARKS)
(GRUNTS)
(WOLF WHIMPERS)
(LOG CREAKING)
(WHINES)
(GROWLING)
(GRUNTS)
(PANTS)
(PANTING TIREDLY)
JOHN: Here, so far from home...
I can see a change in Buck.
Something's pulling him into the forest.
Into the hunt.
(BIRDS CHIRPING)
That's beautiful, Buck.
Beautiful.
He's still the same dog with me...
but I find it hard to imagine him...
back in civilization.
Is there any house big enough to hold him?
(BARKS)
(LAUGHING)
This journey seems to be leading Buck to his destiny.
Where is it leading me?
(BEAR GROWLS)
(GROWLING)
(SNIFFING)
Not this time.
Long after dark.
You've been staying out later and later every day.
Yeah, I know, there's a lot to explore...
but world's a dangerous place.
You never know what's coming.
(SIGHS) You never know.
Fever took Timmy in two days.
(GRUNTS SOFTLY)
(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)
Hell.
Okay, Buck.
(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)
(JOHN SIGHING)
(BUCK GRUNTS)
It's been a beautiful summer.
You know what, Buck?
I've been thinking.
I might buy myself a railroad.
Is that my hat?
That's my hat. Come on.
(CHUCKLING) Give me my hat.
Give me my hat.
(PLAYFULLY) Give me my hat. Give me my hat.
Buck!
Come on.
(CHUCKLING) There you go.
Ooh.
Timber wolf.
Beautiful.
This is their domain.
They own these hills.
You wanna go?
Go.
Just...
be careful.
(DISTANT BARKING)
He had been both spoiled...
and he'd suffered...
at the hand of man.
Now, Buck found himself...
with his own kind.
How far he has traveled to find his home.
How far I have traveled from mine.
(JOHN CHUCKLING)
Here, look, Buck.
Groceries.
For life.
No man needs more than that.
It's time for me to go, Buck.
Go home.
Whatever's left of it.
Pick up the pieces...
or at least try.
(BARKS)
(WHINING)
No.
I'm not asking you to come with me, Buck.
You got something here.
Something important.
Hang onto it.
I'm leaving in the morning.
Come say bye.
You're a good dog, Buck.
You're a good dog.
(BIRDS SQUAWKING)
(CRICKETS CHIRPING)
(SOFT RUSTLING)
(GUNSHOT)
(GUNSHOT ECHOES IN DISTANCE)
(OBJECTS CLATTERING)
(PANTING)
(BOTH GRUNTING)
-(GUNSHOT) -(JOHN GRUNTS)
(JOHN GASPING)
You came all the way out here.
You knew something, didn't you?
Easy.
You wanted it all for yourself.
Where is it?
Where's the gold?
It's everywhere.
Take it.
Take it all.
It won't change anything.
It won't bring back the dead.
(BARKING)
-(GROWLING) -(HAL GRUNTING)
(GROWLING)
(PANTING)
HAL: Ah.
You know this, do you?
-Good. -(WHIMPERS)
You see it, boy?
You see it?
-(WHINES) -Good.
(BUCK GROWLING)
(HAL GRUNTING)
(JOHN BREATHING LABORIOUSLY)
(BUCK WHINES)
Buck.
Yeah.
You came back.
(JOHN SIGHS)
(BREATHING LABORIOUSLY)
(BUCK WHINING)
Wow, Buck.
(SUCKS TEETH)
What an adventure, huh?
(BUCK WHINES)
It's okay, boy.
(JOHN BREATHING DEEPLY)
You're home.
(BIRDS CHIRPING)
JOHN: There is a place in these mountains...
where a new breed of timber wolf roams...
wiser than man or wolf...
(PUPPIES BARKING)
...because of the dog
that runs at the head of the pack.
Now they live without fear...
raise their young, and flourish.
(GROWLS)
(ROARING)
(ROARS)
(BARKS)
(PUPPIES BARKING)
Some say it's just a legend.
Not so.
You see, I knew him once...
when he was just a dog at a man's side.
And even though this land is his...
every summer...
when he comes down to the valley...
he remembers kind hands...
and old masters.
Before he went to his own...
became his own master.
Before he heard...
the call.