A Maldição do Ouro

I was very surprised when I saw this film. After all, by the time they made "Gold", South Africa was already being roundly condemned by many nations for its apartheid policies. In fact, soon film projects in the country would be a thing of the past and the fact that American and British actors appeared in the film and that much of it was filmed in South Africa surprised me. Perheps, however, they studio chose such a project because it really made the mine operators look like scum...and thereby was a criticism, indirectly, of apartheid.

The bosses at a gold mine in South Africa have a reprehensible scheme. They know that an underground lake is very close to one of their mines. And, if they accidentally drill too close, it will flood the mine and kill a lot of workers. BUT, it will also make the price of gold shoot to the moon...making them even richer! The problem is that the General Manager of the mine is killed in a mining accident and they trust that the new GM, Rod Slater (Roger Moore) will play along with their scheme. As for Slater, what he seems mostly interested in during most of the film is stupping the boss' wife (Susannah York).

To me, a major defect in the picture is spending so much time on the affair. First, it really didn't make a lot of sense. Second, it really had little to do with the plot. Third, it just seemed like a lot of padding. And, fourth, you really don't care about these two...other than, perhaps, seeing it as a chance for Slater to do to his boss' wife what the boss plans on doing to everyone else!

Overall, a rather pedestrian handling of material that could have been a lot better. Not a bad film...but not a very good one either.

By the way, I have been to South Africa twice--spending about a month there. One thing I loved about the country were the lovely accents...none of which I heard during the course of "Gold"!

Like many movies from the 1970's and 80's, Gold was perhaps not fully appreciated for it's insight into the world of precious metal mining during the Apartheid era, based on Zambian born, Wilbur Smith's novel "Gold Mine"

Roger Moore is the eponymous hero of the film, as first The Underground Manager and later General Manager of a deep gold mine in South Africa. Susannah York provides classic English beauty in the form of the love interest and John Gielgud and Bradford Dillman exude villainy in it's most obtuse form. Simon Sabela is the quiet spoken, understated "Big King", a giant of a black miner and champion of workers treatment underground.

Filmed in 1974, this was Roger Moore's first film since his debut as James Bond in "Live and Let Die" and was sandwiched between his next outing in "The Man with The Golden Gun". It was also Susannah York's first film for two years since taking time out to have children. Producer Michael Klinger wanted to take another Wilbur Smith novel, "Shout at the Devil" to the screen but couldn't raise the finance so he made "Gold" first, which allowed him to raise the finance for the former.

This film is a fascinating insight into gold production and how both the price and availability of gold was strictly controlled and the lengths unscrupulous speculators would go to in order to cut production and increase the price. John Gielgud excels as the quintessential English financier, a role he played again in the same year in "11 Harrowhouse".

Bearing in mind that Moore was 46 years old, he makes a fine, handsome hero, as Rod Slater and the 35 year old Susannah York oozes class as Terry Steyner, the grand-daughter of mine owner Hurry Hirschfeld (Ray Milland). And a little golden nugget to boot is the performance of Tony Beckley, the mildly camp but almost psychotic geologist turned henchman. The action underground is first class and indeed quite gory in parts. It is perhaps. surprising that a film showing a miner having his face ripped off in an accident only has a 12 rating on DVD but then we live in different times.

The soundtrack for the film, composed by Elmer Bernstein, is both very "hip" for the period and has some beautiful orchestral pieces, particularly for the love scenes. Jimmy Helms' title track rendition is superb as are the two Don Black penned songs "Wherever Love Takes Me" (Oscar Nominated) and "Where Have You Been All My Life".

Finally, on a somewhat sombre note, virtually everybody of note from the actors and crew are sadly no longer with us. Only the writer, Wilbur Smith, lyricist Don Black and title song singer, Jimmy Helms remain. However, the film is a poignant reminder of a world where the colour of your skin literally determined your worth in life and in death.

Technically, "Gold" is rather uneven at best. There are quite a number of underground scenes that are simply too dark. Another problem is scenes that go on far too long drag on the film. The whirlwind romance between Roger Moore and Susannah York takes up too much time and could have been tactfully trimmed, thus tightening the overlong run time of 120 minutes. On the plus side, is an interesting plot to flood a South African gold mine, which would cut world production by 30%, and drive up the price of gold. Moore's heroic attempt to save the flooding mine and save 1000 trapped men provides plenty of excitement. .................. - MERK

Gold is a superb adaptation of Wilbur Smith's novel. The plot concerns a group of greed-driven businessmen conspiring to flood a South African gold mine.

Roger Moore is terrific as our mine manager hero (and unknowing pawn) and he shares an entertaining chemistry with co-star, Susannah York. Bradford Dillman also impresses in his role as one of the more conflicted of the conspirators. With Ray Milland, Sir John Gielgud and Simon Sabela supporting, it's a great cast all round.

Director Peter Hunt (On Her Majesty's Secret Service) ensures that the audience feels the ominous, claustrophobic atmosphere of the mine, and he doesn't shy away from showing the impact of a flood in such surroundings. Along with Hunt, many James Bond veterans worked on Gold, and this shows particularly in how smoothly the location work in South Africa has been integrated with the soundstage work at Pinewood.

Composer Elmer Bernstein uses Jimmy Helms' title song as an orchestral theme to stirring effect, while Maurice Binder (another Bond veteran) gets the ball rolling with his uniquely designed opening credits.

Gold comes highly recommended!

Despite the collapse of the gold price in recent months here is a movie whose value is assured. Taken from the novel "Gold Mine" by the one and only Wilbur Smith we get to see just how dangerous the world of mining is. Nerve splitting scenes in the aftermath of a rock fall, explosions, underground amputations, the calamity of an underground flood, deceit, conspiracy, loyalty, betrayl, murder, sex, tribal dance, heroics, more heroics (it was penned by Wilbur Smith) and the lengths to which men will go just to put a charm around a ladys' neck.