Black Gold (1947)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Phil Karlson

Writers:

Caryl Coleman (story)
Agnes Christine Johnston (writer)

Release Date:

16 September 1947 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot Keywords:

Native American | Mexico | Oil | Horse

Cast

Anthony Quinn	...	Charley Eagle
Katherine DeMille	...	Sarah Eagle
Elyse Knox	...	Ruth Frazer
Kane Richmond	...	Stanley Lowell
'Ducky' Louie	...	Davie Chung Eagle
Raymond Hatton	...	Bucky
Thurston Hall	...	Colonel Caldwell
Al Bridge	...	Dr. Jonas, Veterinarian
Moroni Olsen	...	Don Toland
H.T. Tsiang	...	Chung Lee - Davey's father
Charles Trowbridge	...	Judge Wilson
Norman Willis	...	Monty (as Jack Norman)
Darryl Hickman	...	Schoolboy
Clem McCarthy	...	Race Track Announcer
Joe Hernandez	...	Race Track Announcer

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Cinecolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #12177, General Audience)

Filming Locations:

Churchill Downs - 700 Central Avenue, Louisville, Kentucky, USA

Company:

Allied Artists Pictures

Quotes:

[Charley returns after a six month trip]
Sarah Eagle: Hello, Charley. Your dinner is on the table.
Charley Eagle: How come you always know when I'm coming home?
Sarah Eagle: Maybe I hear it on the wind.

A Different Kind of Western

Tony Quinn often wound up playing an Indian. In this film, a story based on a race horse saga, his wife at that time, Katherine DeMille played his wife. The setting is Oklahoma and Quinn plays an Indian who owns a remarkable race horse and takes in a young Chinese orphan who rides the horse to the winner's circle. I saw this film when I was a 10 year old kid. My old Irish mother was a fanatic on racehorses and knew much of the reported facts on the story of Black Gold, named for his color and a play on words on the discovery of oil on the land of Charley Eagle. The film is not too memorable with the exception of Quinn's character telling the oil men who come to drill on his land, "Look if you don't find anything, be sure and fill in any holes you dig so my horses won't break their legs." Now, there was a guy who had his priorities straight.

No DVD or video and not very likely one will appear real soon. Look for it on the late, late show sometime. It's good family viewing with a definite anti-racist message along with a bittersweet ending.