Description
Burning Daylight is a gripping adventure novel by Jack London, published in 1910, which was one of the best-selling books of that year[1] and it was London's best-selling book in his lifetime. The novel takes place in the Yukon Territory in 1893. The main character, nicknamed "Burning Daylight" was the most successful entrepreneur of the Alaskan Gold Rush. The story of the main character was partially based upon the life of Oakland entrepreneur "Borax" Smith.[2] The novel was subsequently filmed as a First National movie starring Milton Sills with Doris Kenyon. The novel was adapted for American films in 1914, 1920, 1928, and 2010. The 2010 film version was produced and directed by Sanzhar Sultanov. This version concentrated on the second half of the book, when the character goes to New York and plays on Wall Street.[3] The title character, Burning Daylight, was played by Robert Knepper. The film held its first public screening on August 9, 2010 in Jack London's hometown of Sonoma, California.[4] The film went on to be released theatrically and is available on DVD. Burning Daylight tells the story of an adventurer who went to Alaska and laid the foundations of his fortune before the gold hunters arrived. Bringing his fortunes to the States he is cheated out of it by a crowd of money kings, and recovers it only at the muzzle of his gun.