The Clash of the Wolves (1925)
A wolf-dog hunted for bounty is nursed back to health by a prospector, and later saves his rescuer's life and reputation by exposing a scheming rival.
The Clash of the Wolves showcased Rin Tin Tin at the peak of his stardom, with reviewers of the day praising his performance over that of his human co-stars. Long available only from a print recovered in South Africa, it joined the National Film Registry in 2004.
Background
The Clash of the Wolves showcased Rin Tin Tin, a German Shepherd who became one of the biggest box-office draws in Hollywood during the silent era, at the peak of his stardom. Reviewers at the time reportedly praised his performance over that of his human co-stars, a reflection of just how popular and bankable the dog had become for Warner Bros. during this period. The plot follows a wolf-dog hunted for bounty who is nursed back to health by a prospector and later repays the favor by saving his rescuer’s life and reputation.
What to watch for
Watch for how the film is built almost entirely around Rin Tin Tin’s physical performance and screen presence rather than its human cast, an unusual structure that reflects how central the dog actor had become to the studio’s commercial fortunes at the time. For years the film was available only from a print recovered in South Africa, a reminder of how fragile the survival of even commercially successful silent films could be, before it was added to the National Film Registry in 2004.
