50th anniversary of the premier of “Challenge to White Fang”

 

Today marks the 50^th anniversary of the premier of “Il ritorno di zanna bianca” (Challenge to White Fang) directed by Lucio Fulci and starring Franco Nero, Virna Lisi, John Steiner and Raimund Harmstorf. It tells the story of a dying old miner who wills his newly discovered gold mine to his grandson Bill Tarwater (Renato Cestiè. When Beauty Smith (John Steiner), an evil businessman, finds out about the mine he tries to claim it for himself. When Sister Evangelina (BVirna Lisi) comes up with evidence to prove Smith has committed a list of crimes, he has her mission burned down killing her in the process. Journalist Jason Scott (Franco Nero) now takes up her cause and with the help of White Fang races to the mine to stop Smith.

 

Il ritorno di zanna bianca – Italian title

Le retour de Croc Blanc – French title

Le retour de Buck le loup – French title

Die Teufelsschlucht der wilden Wölfe – German title

Wofsblut 2 – Dutch title

Wolfsblut kehrt zurück – Dutch title

Valkohampaan kosto – Finnish title

Powrót Bialego Kla – Polish title

La carrera del oro – Spanish title

Varghundens utmaning – Swedish title

White Fang to the Rescue – English title

The Return of White Fang – U.K. title

Challenge to White Fang – USA title

 

A 1974 Italian, French, West German film co-production [Oceania Produzioni

     Internazionali Cinematografiche (Rome), Les Productions Fox Europa (Paris), I.C.I.

     (Munich)]

Producer: Ermanno Donati

Director: Lucio Fulci

Story: Roberto Gianviti, Alberto Silvestri

Screenplay: Lucio Fulci, Roberto Gianviti, Alberto Silvestri

Cinematography: Silvano Ippoliti [Eastmancolor, Panavision]

Music: Carlo Rustichelli

Running time: 102 minutes

 

Cast:

Jason Scott - Franco Nero (Francesco Sparanero)

Sister Evangelina - Virna Lisi (Vivian Pieralisi)

Kurt Jansen - Raimind Harmstorf (Raimund Harmstorf)

John Tarwater - Harry Carey Jr. (Henry Carey)

Bill Tarwater - Renato Cestiè (Massimo Conti)

Beauty Smith/Charles Forth - John Steiner

Lieutenant Charles Leclerc - Renato De Carmine

Carol - Yanti Somer (Kirsti Somersalo)

Carter - Rolf Hartmann

Ted - Paolo Magalotti

Jane Leclerc - Hannelore Elsner (Hannelore Elstner)

Harvey - Werner Pochath (Werner Pocath)

Colonel - John Bartha (János Barta)

Liverpool - Donald O’Brien (Donal O’Brien)

Gambler - Ezio Marano

Gambler’s associate - Antonio Basile

Beauty Smith henchman - Sergio Smacchi

Saloon patrons - Goffredo Unger, Pietro Torrisi, Riccardo Petrazzi, Rinaldo Zamperla

Mr. Forth's secretary - Romano Targa

Photographer - Iolanda Fortini

Party guests - Margarete Horowitz, Anna Maria Perego, Richard Dunne

Townsman – Franz Colangelo (Francesco Colangelo)

With: Stanislaus Gunawan, Vittorio Fanfoni, Carla Mancini

Stunt coordinator: Goffredo Unger