Post by Brad Nelson on Jul 27, 2020 14:49:42 GMT -8
Lust for Gold is the type of movie that makes old movies fun to watch. This being a treasure-quest movie, that’s appropriate to the pursuit.
This is two movies in one. You start off in the “modern day” as enthusiastic yute, Barry Storm (William Prince), is interested in finding his uncle’s lost goldmine. We spend some time in the present looking, and complications ensue. We then flashback to a retelling of the story of his uncle’s goldmine by one of the locals.
One-third (or more) of the movie is spent in this Ida Lupinoland flashback. We see how Jacob “Dutch” Walz (Glenn Ford) originally came into possession of the gold. Everyone wants a piece of the action including Julia Thomas (Ida Lupino). But Julia has a more subtle plan than just trying to follow Dutch Walz to his mine. She and her husband, the wonderfully weak-spined doofus, Pete Thomas (Gig Young), plan on using the charms of boom-boom Julia Thomas to reel him in as her husband.
She’s already married to weak-spined doofus Pete Thomas, of course. But what Glenn Ford doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Much. But then weak-spined doofus Pete Thomas starts getting jealous of all the attention that Dutch Walz is receiving from boom-boom Lupino. He can’t stick to the plan for more than 5 minutes before he’s threatening to upset their little plan of larceny.
Meanwhile, it seems as if boom-boom is starting to gain real affection for Dutch Walz. Complications ensue. Lupino is 100% terrific in this. And this part of the film is A #1.
But then we eventually flash-forward to the idiotic, but enthusiastic, yute, Barry Storm (having now heard more of the story of his uncle’s lost mine) reinvigorated to go in further search of the lost gold mine. Complications ensue. And I won’t give anything away, but I was howling in laughter watching this putz get the snot kicked out of him by someone who will remain unnamed.
This is two movies in one. You start off in the “modern day” as enthusiastic yute, Barry Storm (William Prince), is interested in finding his uncle’s lost goldmine. We spend some time in the present looking, and complications ensue. We then flashback to a retelling of the story of his uncle’s goldmine by one of the locals.
One-third (or more) of the movie is spent in this Ida Lupinoland flashback. We see how Jacob “Dutch” Walz (Glenn Ford) originally came into possession of the gold. Everyone wants a piece of the action including Julia Thomas (Ida Lupino). But Julia has a more subtle plan than just trying to follow Dutch Walz to his mine. She and her husband, the wonderfully weak-spined doofus, Pete Thomas (Gig Young), plan on using the charms of boom-boom Julia Thomas to reel him in as her husband.
She’s already married to weak-spined doofus Pete Thomas, of course. But what Glenn Ford doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Much. But then weak-spined doofus Pete Thomas starts getting jealous of all the attention that Dutch Walz is receiving from boom-boom Lupino. He can’t stick to the plan for more than 5 minutes before he’s threatening to upset their little plan of larceny.
Meanwhile, it seems as if boom-boom is starting to gain real affection for Dutch Walz. Complications ensue. Lupino is 100% terrific in this. And this part of the film is A #1.
But then we eventually flash-forward to the idiotic, but enthusiastic, yute, Barry Storm (having now heard more of the story of his uncle’s lost mine) reinvigorated to go in further search of the lost gold mine. Complications ensue. And I won’t give anything away, but I was howling in laughter watching this putz get the snot kicked out of him by someone who will remain unnamed.
But it all works. The “modern” (non-flashback) part is more than a little corny. But it’s mixed in with a hell of a good Ida Lupino/Glenn Ford gritty Western. It’s just an odd mix. But then that’s half the fun of finding some of these old gems.
