A Máscara de Ouro

Writer Nicholas Chapman (Van Heflin) teams up with archaeologist Dr. Burnet and his pretty daughter (Eric Portman, Wanda Hendrix) to search for golden mask of Moloch. Two thieves (Jacques Brunius and Charles Goldner) try to sabotage the expedition to get the mask for themselves. Tomb-raiding adventure film is very dry and very dull. Forced romance between Van Heflin and a girl young enough to be his daughter doesn't help. Partially shot on location in Algiers but there's still plenty of poor rear projection effects. Ultimately, it's an avoidable film that is lacking adventure or suspense -- two prerequisites for movies of this type.

Watchable. Interesting footage of actual local culture, journeys through the desert. Lacks character development, apart from Van Heflin's character, and one poignant scene between Wanda Hendrix and Jacques, Heflin's rival for her affection.

I like to research backgrounds to films after I watch them, so some actual history would have given the film a bit more depth for me. I looked up the character Marcus Manilius- there was a famous poet/astrologer by that name, and one famous general with a similar name, but no connection to the plot here. Same with the places Rifka and Sadamis- nothing turns up.

I watched this film for Van Heflin and Eric Portman; both usually excellent when given some half decent material. Here they floundered, unable to make something of the dreary dialogue and predictable plot. There was jerky editing of the film, with obvious back projection and use of actors' doubles on location, as well as location shooting cut in from another (bigger) budget film (maybe Portman's and Thorold Dickinson's earlier 'Men of Tomorrow') mixed up with studio close ups. The mix is very uneven and after a while it becomes part of the entertainment to spot whether it's a) studio b) location c) doubles etc Van Heflin does his best, trying to instill some oomph into his supposedly devil may care risk taker entrepreneur character. Trouble is Heflin looks as though he checks the risk percentage on ev ery step he takes. Portman has to watch endless tribal singing and dancing, probably taken from that other African film cut into this one. Wanda Hendrix has so little to do she could have phoned her performance in. However it passed away an hour or so on a wet winter's evening.

The thing that struck me about this movie was how much it set itself apart from similar 'treasure hunt' movies of its day. None of the acting was so overdone that it became unbareable. And the authenticity of the setting and location were extremely refreshing, peeking through the dusty cotton print that has survived. Van was actually cool. He didn't do any big cliches that was criminal. The Egyptian cast was first rate. No Peter Lorre's and miscast Europeans playing the native tongue to the ground. Jack Lee. BAM.

Doctor Burnet (Eric Portman) is an archaeologist from the British Museum. He is searching for the Golden Mask of Moloch and reluctantly takes along adventure writer Nicholas Chapman (Van Heflin) who offers to work for free. They are joined by Burnet's daughter Anne and followed by unscrupulous treasure hunters.

The real life street footage in Algiers is interesting. The Arab women seems to be conservatively dressed and the men are wearing fez hats. The dude doing the belly dancing is weird but I'm guessing that a female performer would never do it in the streets although a girl does do a fun dance in the desert. Let's be frank. The story is a bland Indiana Jones in a suit and tie. The local colors are much more interesting and the locations are great. Sadly, this chocolate covered confection has a bland chalky white center as in the white characters are all very bland.