Plunder of the Sun (1953)

An American insurance adjuster, stranded in Havana, becomes involved with an archaeologist and a collector of antiquities in a hunt for treasure in the Mexican ruins of Zapoteca.

Director:

John Farrow

Writers:

Jonathan Latimer (screen play), David Dodge (based on the novel by)

Stars:

Glenn Ford, Diana Lynn, Patricia Medina

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Glenn Ford	...	Al Colby
Diana Lynn	...	Julie Barnes
Patricia Medina	...	Anna Luz
Francis L. Sullivan	...	Thomas Berrien
Sean McClory	...	Jefferson
Eduardo Noriega	...	Raul Cornejo
Julio Villarreal	...	Ulbaldo Navarro (as Julio Villareal)
Charles Rooner	...	Captain Bergman
Douglass Dumbrille	...	Consul (as Douglas Dumbrille)

Storyline

An American insurance adjuster, stranded in Havana, becomes involved with an archaeologist and a collector of antiquities in a hunt for treasure in the Mexican ruins of Zapoteca.

---

Plot Keywords:

treasure | antiquities | havana cuba | oaxaca mexico | dodgy deal | 

---

Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Thriller

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 August 1953 (USA)

Also Known As:

Das geheimnisvolle Testament

Filming Locations:

Churubusco Studios, Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico

Company Credits

Production Co:

Wayne-Fellows Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The lines spoken by Berrien, "For my heart thy breast is enough/ For thy liberty my wings are enough" are from 'Your breast is enough' , from Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair by Pablo Neruda.

---

Goofs

At Mitla, Colby shows Julie a hole, indicating that it was a place for offerings to the gods, including human sacrifices. In central America, cenotes (or sinkholes) were used by the native population as water sources and also were used for offerings of human sacrifices and objects. However there are no cenotes at Mitla.

---

Quotes

Al Colby: Drink's alright, just so it doesn't take you in the wrong direction.

---

Crazy Credits

Plunder of the Sun was filmed in its entirety in Mexico in the Zapotecan ruins of Mitla and Monte Alban. We wish to express our gratitude to the wonderful people of Oaxaca, Veracruz and the Churubusco-Azteca Studios in Mexico City for their help and cooperation.

---

Soundtracks

"Sin ella"
Written by Enrique Fabregat
Sung by an unidentified singer in the saloon

User Reviews

Theme Of Archeology

Illegal looting of ancient human artifacts is the unusual theme of this adventure story, set mostly in Mexico. Told in flashback, the lead character is a man named Al Colby (Glenn Ford) who gets involved in intrigue when he agrees to deliver a small packet from Cuba to a Mexican destination via ship.

Assorted characters complicate Colby's courier task. But none of these characters are interesting, least of all the flippant Jefferson (Sean McClory), with his crew cut and awful glasses. Indeed, the main problem with the film is the script, with its contrived and hokey premise, and the Jefferson character as a villain.

On the other hand, the tours of the various archeology sites are fascinating. And if the script had dumped some of the characters and focused more on the treasure hunt, the film would have been better.

The B&W cinematography is quite good, with its dark shadows and strange camera angles. It's almost noirish. Filmed on location in Mexico, the outdoor visuals convey a sense of grand scope and historical authenticity.

Francis L. Sullivan is well cast as a shady businessman. And lovely, exotic Patricia Medina is ideal as the mysterious and sultry Anna Luz. But Glenn Ford is a poor choice for the lead role. Had he been any less animated, he could have passed for one of those stone statues at the ancient ruins.

The film is worth watching once, mostly for the outdoor visuals and the small part of the plot that deals with characters using clues to find missing treasure. But the film could have been so much more entertaining with a more adventure-minded actor in the lead role, and a plot geared more to the frustrations and unknown dangers linked to the task of finding buried treasure.