Treasure of the Golden Condor (1953)

Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

Excellent, a Must See

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

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.

Ultimate douchebag the Marquis de St. Malo (George Macready) locates his dead brother's son and forces him into a life of servitude. The boy grows up to become Cornel Wilde and runs off to find treasure. Routine costumer is a remake of Son of Fury, which starred Tyrone Power. That was a better film. This one's kind of dull. Wilde is fine, as is Macready as the villain. Fay Wray plays Macready's wife and I almost didn't recognize her. This was her first film in over a decade. This is also an early role for a very pretty Anne Bancroft. Despite how it seems early on in the film, she won't be Wilde's love interest. That honor goes to Constance Smith. Ernest Borgnine has a bit part. Robert Blake play a stable boy...badly. Not a terrible film to pass a little time with if you see it on TV, but nothing to go out of your way for.

The movie was broadcast this afternoon on french TV (France 3). Never heard about it before. The action takes place half in a fake Hollywood France of the "XVIIIème siècle", half on location in the real beauty of Guatemala. Delmer Daves is for sure a professional entertainer (see "Broken Arrow"), and the movie follows the best tradition of US (almost B) movies in costume, like Fritz Lang masterpiece "Moonfleet". The typography of the production credits and cast is great (in the "Drums Along the Mohawk" style, though inferior), the colors amazing, and the scenes shot in the ruins and landscapes in Guatemala - with the locals Indians - are truly beautiful. The political message against "money for money" and for freedom (Jean-Paul, the hero, is a "slave" in the French society of that time) is naive but OK. Cornel Wilde is a strange actor, but not as bad as I fear. He's good in action scenes, and can be stirring when the camera is close to his virile face. Not that sexy, but he is "un bel homme" as old French ladies would say. He and Delmer Daves must have been very proud of his great body : he's half naked twice (in 1953!), and not just a second. Anne Bancroft was a débutante, but she's very courageous in her part, a bitchy and cynic Marquise. The only problem is Constance Smith. Because she is not Debra Paget, the incredible actress of "Das Indische Grabmal". She is so not pithy, and that's a thousand pities.

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.