A Prize of Gold

This Mark Robson's film produced in England is more European than American. Only Widmark brings the US touch. This is not a bad film though, just common, without any more ambition to entertain and bring something unusual. I can't say any harm about it, but nothing exciting either. What can I say? In terms of heist film, there were dozens of this kind better than this one, for instance THE DAY THEY ROBBED THE BANK OF ENGLAND, directed by John Guillermin and also starring an American actor - Aldo Ray - for this British film too. Both films, however, show some similarities. Same kind of ending for instance.

Richard Widmark gets to play a sympathetic role for once in this early heist thriller in which nearly ten years before producer Cubby Broccoli made 'Goldfinger' Widmark was already trading in Nazi gold in this smuggling yarn based on a novel by Max Catto to be cherished for the opportunity to see the likes of Mai Zetterling, Nigel Patrick at his most jauntily amoral, George Cole (speaking with an outrageous Scots accent), Donald Wolfit, Erich Pohlman and Olive Sloane in glorious Technicolor.

Boasting its own title song, with a score by Malcolm Arnold that's noisy even for him. Shot by future Bond cameraman Ted Moore it all looks terrific although the cute little red bubble car in which Widmark nips about Berlin is hardly 007's Aston Martin.

I suppose everyone makes at least one indie European flick during his career. Montgomery Clift made The Big Lift, Kirk Douglas made The Juggler, Burt Lancaster made The Leopard, and Richard Widmark made A Prize of Gold. The story is both common and fresh, and Dick adds great energy to the film, especially because he doesn't usually get to have a love interest. He plays an American soldier stationed in post-war Germany, and when he falls in love with Mai Zetterling, plans for his future change. Mai works in an orphanage, and she wants money enough to transport the kids to a safer country. Dick is poor, and her boss is wealthy; true love isn't enough to buy airfare.

So, Dick turns to a life of crime. It's very sad to see him turn to the dark side because of a woman (and does she even feel the same way, or is she playing him to get money?), especially since he's so conflicted about it. But he does a good job, and even though this movie feels distinctly indie and European, it is entertaining if you're a Widmark fan. Everyone else can probably skip it and just rent their favorite actor's European corresponding adventure.

This was part of Watwick deal with Columbis,where they made made films in the UK with an American star,normally in colour.This was one of their lesser films.There is a good cast,but sadly the film misfires.Part of the problem was the necessity to provide a happy ending.This requires some twists of the plot which are totally unbelievable.

Strong points of this film are scenes of Berlin, still showing signs of the war, and glimpses of London back streets in the mid-1950s, plus a strong cast, with Widmark, Patrick and Wolfit having the most striking screen presences.

APOG started off slowly, then became more interesting as the plot to steal the gold developed. But the last 30 minutes or so saw some implausibilities, not least in the actions of a couple of the characters, their changes of heart and the coincidental meeting right at the end.