Gold (1974 film): Difference between revisions
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Casey, Kevin. The Irish Times (1921-Current File) [Dublin, Ireland] 07 Mar 1970: 10.</ref> |
Casey, Kevin. The Irish Times (1921-Current File) [Dublin, Ireland] 07 Mar 1970: 10.</ref> |
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Smith researched the book by working in a gold mine for a few weeks. "I was a sort of privileged member of the team, I could ask questions and not be told to shut up |
Smith researched the book by working in a gold mine for a few weeks. "I was a sort of privileged member of the team, I could ask questions and not be told to shut up," he says.<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/authorinterviews/11085608/Wilbur-Smith-interview-for-Desert-God-My-life-is-as-good-as-its-ever-been.html "Wilbur Smith interview for Desert God: 'My life is as good as it's ever been'" by Jake Kerridge ''Daily Telegraph'' 14 Sep 2014] accessed 27 Dec 2014</ref> |
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The story was based on a real-life flooding of a gold mine near Johannesburg in 1968.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51385617 |title='GOLD'. |newspaper=[[Australian_Women's_Weekly|The Australian Women's Weekly (1933 - 1982)]] |location=1933 - 1982 |date=23 October 1974 |accessdate=25 January 2015 |page=33 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> |
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Producer [[Michael Klinger (producer)|Michael Klinger]] bought the rights to it and ''[[Shout at the Devil (film)|Shout at the Devil]]''.<ref>Judas as Hero?: Will Judas Be the Hero? |
Producer [[Michael Klinger (producer)|Michael Klinger]] bought the rights to it and ''[[Shout at the Devil (film)|Shout at the Devil]]''.<ref>Judas as Hero?: Will Judas Be the Hero? |
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Revision as of 10:13, 25 January 2015
| Gold | |
|---|---|
.jpg?lang=en) Theatrical release poster by Tom Jung | |
| Directed by | Peter R. Hunt |
| Written by | Stanley Price |
| Produced by | Michael Klinger |
| Starring | Roger Moore Susannah York |
| Cinematography | Ousama Rawi |
| Music by | Elmer Bernstein |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Allied Artists (USA) |
Release date | September 5, 1974 |
Running time | 120 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | £1,000,000 (IMDB estimate) |
Gold is a 1974 thriller film starring Roger Moore and Susannah York and directed by Peter R. Hunt. It was based on the 1970 novel Gold Mine by Wilbur Smith. Moore plays Rod Slater, General Manager of a South African gold mine, who is instructed by his boss Steyner (Bradford Dillman) to break through an underground dike into what he is told is a rich seam of gold. Meanwhile he falls in love with Steyner's wife Terry, played by York. In the United States, the film was only released as part of a double bill.
Plot
The film begins with a tunnel collapse at the Sonderditch mine, in a scene that establishes the courage of Slater and his chief miner, 'Big King', and the bond of trust between them. This is contrasted with the contempt with which some other white managers treat the black miners. It is soon revealed that the collapse was no accident, but part of a plan by a London-based criminal syndicate, which includes the mine-owner's son-in-law Manfred Steyner, to destroy the mine so that the syndicate members can profit from share-dealing. This will be done by drilling through a deep underground wall or 'dyke' which is all that prevents an adjacent reservoir of water from flooding the mine.
The mine's General Manager, an accomplice in the plot, was killed in the tunnel collapse. Steyner interviews Slater, who at this stage is Underground Manager, for the now vacant post of General Manager, although the mine owner has another candidate in mind. At this point, Slater first meets Steyner's wife Terry and is attracted to her, but she does not return his interest. However, Steyner arranges for them to meet again, in the hope that Terry will influence her grandfather, the mine owner, in Slater's favour. The plan works, with two consequences: Slater becomes General Manager, and he and Terry start a love affair. Slater, unaware of the criminal plan, agrees to carry out the drilling but is cautious enough to plant a safety charge that will block the tunnel in case of a water leak. Steyner knows that Slater is having an affair with his wife, but allows it to continue because it will keep Slater away from the mine, so that the safety charge can be disabled without his knowledge.
While Slater and Terry are holidaying together, the final breach is made in the underground dyke and the mine begins to flood, trapping a thousand workers. Slater hears of the disaster on the radio news, and flies with Terry back to the mine. There is a tense scene in which Slater and Big King descend the mine, amidst rising flood waters, to repair the safety charge. They succeed, but only because Big King sacrifices his own life to detonate the charge, letting Slater escape. Meanwhile, Steyner is murdered by Marais, one of his accomplices, after they hear on the radio that their plan has unravelled, Marais also crashes and kills himself. This conveniently leaves Terry free to continue her relationship with Slater, as the film ends.
Cast
- Roger Moore ... Rod Slater
- Susannah York ... Terry Steyner
- Ray Milland ... Hurry Hirschfeld
- Bradford Dillman ... Manfred Steyner
- John Gielgud ... Farrell
- Tony Beckley ... Stephen Marais
- Simon Sabela ... Big King
- Marc Smith ... Tex Kiernan
- John Hussey ... Plummer
- Bernard Horsfall ... Dave Kowalski
- Bill Brewer ... Aristide
- George Jackson ... Mine Doctor
- Ken Hare ... Jackson
- Ralph Loubser ... Mine Captain
Original novel
| Author | Wilbur Smith |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Heinemann |
Publication date | 1970 |
| Publication place | South Africa |
The movie is based on a 1970 novel by Wilbur Smith.[1][2]
Smith researched the book by working in a gold mine for a few weeks. "I was a sort of privileged member of the team, I could ask questions and not be told to shut up," he says.[3]
The story was based on a real-life flooding of a gold mine near Johannesburg in 1968.[4]
Producer Michael Klinger bought the rights to it and Shout at the Devil.[5]
Academy Awards
| Award | Person | |
| Nominated: | ||
| Best Original Song (Wherever Love Takes Me) | Elmer Bernstein Don Black | |
Location
The film was controversially filmed in South Africa under the apartheid regime, with scenes shot at two large mines, Bufflesfontein and West Rand.[6] Some scenes were filmed at Pinewood Studios in London.
References
- ^ Gold Mine at Wilbur Smith's website
- ^ GOOD GOD! Casey, Kevin. The Irish Times (1921-Current File) [Dublin, Ireland] 07 Mar 1970: 10.
- ^ "Wilbur Smith interview for Desert God: 'My life is as good as it's ever been'" by Jake Kerridge Daily Telegraph 14 Sep 2014 accessed 27 Dec 2014
- ^ "'GOLD'". The Australian Women's Weekly (1933 - 1982). 1933 - 1982: National Library of Australia. 23 October 1974. p. 33. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link) - ^ Judas as Hero?: Will Judas Be the Hero? By A. H. WEILER. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 21 Feb 1971: D11
- ^ Gold mine adventure filmed in South Africa: Movie fan's travelguide Jim; Shirley Rose Higgins. Chicago Tribune (1963-Current file) [Chicago, Ill] 17 Nov 1974: c19.