This film displays the "hot actor" principle pretty well. First, a lesser-known actor (in this case Robert Hays) has a smashing role in a popular movie or TV show; then that actor shows up in a lot of films and TV shows for a year or two; then the actor slowly fades away with occasional appearances in TV shows and TV movies. This film was released in 1981 right after Hays' appearance in AIRPLANE! And during his "hot actor" period (although it had been filmed 2 years before).
Hays plays a writer who comes west during the 1849 California gold rush. The script throws in just about everything: a flood, a little kid, grizzled old miners with hearts of gold, claim-jumping, Mexican bandits, the list goes on and on. The movie is notable for the appearance of many western actors including John Dehner, Ken Curtis, Henry Jones, Don Haggerty, and others. The cinematography features beautiful views of the northern California mountains. Hays also provides narration for the film.
CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH is easy to take but you've seen this kind of thing hundreds of times before. It's worth catching if you like watching old western character actors playing the same roles they've done for 50 years.
