Le trésor du Guatemala

Delmer Daves has assembled an impressive cast but they all rather just go through the motions in this routine swashbuckler. Cornel Wilde takes top billing as the dispossessed "Jean-Paul" who finds himself robbed of his inheritance. He has but one chance to avenge things - and that is to head to remote Guatemala and seek out a treasure that, Monte-Cristo style - will help him right the wrongs done to him. Were it ever to have escaped the confines of the studio, then perhaps it might have delivered a bit better but the action scenes are all too stage-bound and the jungle looks no more authentic than the greenhouse at Kew. Anne Bancroft brings some glamour as the "Comtesse" and George Macready some menace as the scheming "Marquis" but it's all rather too predictable and Wilde is nowhere near his charming, charismatic - or acrobatic - best. It's watchable and as a fan of the genre i still quite enjoyed it - but it isn't very good and is, frankly, instantly forgettable.

Lovely to watch and very difficult to spot those who would become a lot more famous later in their film careers. A familiar plot similar to that of the repetitive Mills and Boon series of period romantic novels. Mr. Waverley from The Man From Uncle looked odd in this as he is so used to being seen in that role, I kept expecting him to mention "channel D". No expense spared on costumes and scenery and it looks great with a nice story line and good acting. Well worth watching and if you spot a young Anne Bancroft very well done as she looks nothing like she does about 15 years later in The Graduate.

This film was the Indiana Jones of the fifties. I cannot recall much of the film except remembering Jean Paul in the cave during the final scene and he battles the condor and the roof of the cave comes crashing down. This was an exciting picture and I remember wishing that I could see it again but poverty prevented me from doing so. It was a thrilling film- from the beginning to the end. Its really amazing how, although it was filmed without the modern gadgetry and the computer, we were entertained with some of the finest films of which this was one. I wish I could see it again and show my children that after fifty years, the only thing that has invaded our screen is the lack of real heroism and the glorification of sex.

Here is some trivia on "Treasure of the Golden Condor" (which is by the way a remake of Fox's "Son of Fury". It's by now a well-known fact that Otto Preminger directed some retakes on that film. That was indicated to me by producer Paul Buck, on the set of Preminger's film "Rosebud". (Buck was also Peter O'Toole's producing partner).Preminger had mentioned it to me earlier, in Paris. He did not remember the title, but gave me enough indications to find out that it was "Teasure of the Golden Condor". He said at that time that he only worked on one short scene "dealing with a snake" (of which he was terribly afraid). The extent of Preminger's contribution however is not clearly established, as Buck seemed to indicate that it went a bit further than just one day.

The location of the injustice is changed from 18th century Great Britain to 18th century France and the treasure is emeralds and not pearls found now in Guatemala instead of the South Seas. But the plot of Treasure Of The Golden Condor is easily recognizable as that of Tyrone Power's Son Of Fury. Cornel Wilde who was another of those standbys for Power in both their times at 20th Century Fox in the Forties when Zanuck's favorite star was otherwise occupied stands in well for Power when Zanuck decided to remake the film.

The story is that of a man deemed illegitimate because no proof of a marriage can be found and disinherited from title and lands by a cruel and avaricious uncle George MacReady. George Sanders played the uncle in the original and both Sanders and MacReady were first rate cads.

The women in Wilde's life are Constance Smith the daughter of Finlay Currie his partner in fortune hunting and Anne Bancroft whose got a yen buzzing for her cousin Wilde. Bancroft in her third feature film is MacReady's daughter, she's quite the vixen.

Wilde was always one of the best action adventure stars of his days, but he never got to the top tier level. Instead of going to television as so many of his contemporaries did he went into production of his own films that usually played as B pictures. In terms of quality they varied greatly. This film is an opportunity to see him at his swashbuckling best as he was one of the best at the fencing game. He was a member of the 1936 US Olympic team.

In the supporting cast note Leo G. Carroll as the lawyer who aides Wilde in proving his lineage, a sincere but cynical performance. Also Fay Wray as MacReady's wife, a most unhappy woman. Just married to George MacReady is reason enough.

Cornel Wilde's fans should be pleased. Technicolor as well.