13 quotes
Conflict Over Crossing the Icy Terrain
Hal
Oh no. We're going across. Move! I say you go!
Mercedes
Hal, he can't!
Hal
Move.
Mercedes
Don't you dare!
John Thornton
HEY!
John Thornton
The river ice is gonna break up any minute, you fool! That dog is trying to help you keep your life!
Hal
Why are you so keen to stop us? Oh, you know where the gold is, don't you? YOU KEEP YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF OF MY DOGS!
[searches in the snow for his gun as Thornton cuts Buck from the harnesses and Hal fires a shot]
Mercedes
Hal.
Mercedes
Hal, he said we shouldn't cross.
Charles
Hal, are you sure that maybe we couldn't just leave the dogs.
Hal
NO! I CAN'T DO IT! MUSH!
Hal
MUSH!
John Thornton
Don't do this! Not to them.
Hal
MUSH!
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Questioning Intentions in the Wilderness
John Thornton
Where are you heading, mister?
Hal
None of your concern.
John Thornton
You didn't buy that map in Skagway, did you?
Hal
No.
John Thornton
An old fairy tale, lost cabin. River of gold. It's not too far into the spring. Half that trail is on the river
[lifts up the sled]
Hal
Well, that leaves half the trail fit for travel.
John Thornton
No, that means the ice is gonna break up with your companions and the dogs on it. Why don't you lay over until the spring will thaw? Save your dogs and your companions are suffering.
Hal
And let some old prospector lead us to the gold.
John Thornton
I'm not a prospector.
Hal
No, thank you. I paid a fortune for this team. They'll pull my sled.
John Thornton
Your dogs will pull your sled, pull your sled until they die.
Hal
Thank you. Let's go. Alright, let's go!
Charles
And... mush!
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
The Journey of Finding One's True Self
John Thornton
Some say that's the legend. Not so. You see, I knew him once, when he was just a dog at a men side. And even all 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.
[last lines of the film; narrating]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Promises and Expectations in Harsh Conditions
Hal
I promised you, didn't I? And here we are.
Mercedes
You promised me gold. Where is it? In the dogs?
[laughs]
Hal
Let's get this sled loaded. Time to state our claim. Let's go. And... mush!
Hal
MUSH!
Mercedes
Are they broken?
Hal
No, they're just lazy.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Wisdom of the Wilderness and Its Creatures
John Thornton
There's a place in these mountains where a new breed of timber wolf roams, wiser than men or wolf, because of the dog that runs at the head of a pack. Now... they live without fear, raise their young and flourish.
[narrating]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Conflict Over a Lost Fortune and Dog
Hal
THEY'RE ALL GONE! MY DOGS RAN OFF! MY FORTUNE LOST! YOU CALL IT A FAIRY TALE?! One won't be finding the gold!
[kicks Thornton]
John Thornton
Easy, Buck! Easy! Buck! Easy.
Hal
Now, you all saw! This man and I had business and the dog went for my throat. Probably rabid.
John Thornton
Leave that dog alone!
Hal
I say he gets put down here and now.
John Thornton
You don't touch him!
Edenshaw
No one puts any creature down... til we hear all the facts.
John Thornton
The man sucker punched me!
John Thornton
Buck, easy.
Edenshaw
What might you have on that belt, friend?
Bartender
No guns allowed, BRUNT!
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Dreaming of Wild Adventures in the Yukon
John Thornton
This is a map of the Yukon. My son was always reading adventure stories, crazy about the news coming out of the Yukon. Wasn't the gold, he didn't care about that, it was the mountains. He spent all day looking at maps and pictures of the mountains, dreaming about was on the other side, places no one had been, wild places. We could go, you and me, see what's out there. What do you think?
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Leadership in a Pack Dynamics
John Thornton
A pack can only have one leader. Spitz has had enough.
[about Spitz]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Doubts About the Dog Team's Performance
Charles
Lazy mutts!
Mercedes
I'm not so sure about those dogs. Maybe we should have bought a different team.
Charles
Maybe we should feed them.
Mercedes
Maybe we should have stayed on the trail.
Hal
MUSH!
Mercedes
Ah! No! Make it stop!
Hal
GAAAHHH!
[yells in frustration]
Hal
Maybe a little encouragement. MUSH! MUSH!
[whips the team and the dogs yelp; whips again]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Desperation for Wealth in the Wilderness
Hal
I came all the way out here! You knew something, didn't you? You wanted it all for yourself! Where is it? Where's the gold?
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
The Call of the Wild - Hal
Hal
Oh, you know this, do you? Good. You see it, boy? You see it? Good.
[last words before his death]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Tensions Rise Over Dog Sledding Decisions
Hal
Charles, persuade him, please.
Mercedes
Not the pup. Charles, put that down or I'll... I won't go a step! Charles!
John Thornton
Remember me? Yeah, I know. Your rudders are frozen. If you help your dogs, it might allow you to take the gee pole and break them out.
[walks over to Hal]
Hal
Gee pole?
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Celebrating the bond with a snow dog
John Thornton
but now I say that you are a wonderful snow dog. you are now part of the pack
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.