The Golden Mask (1953)
"South of Algiers" (original title)

Archaeologist Dr. Burnet, his daughter Anne and newspaperman Nicholas Chapman set out to search for the priceless golden mask of Moloch, believed to be in a lost tomb. Two crooks, Kress and... See full summary »

Director:

Jack Lee

Writer:

Robert Westerby

Stars:

Van Heflin, Wanda Hendrix, Eric Portman

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Van Heflin	...	Nicholas Chapman
Wanda Hendrix	...	Anne Burnet
Eric Portman	...	Doctor Burnet
Charles Goldner	...	Petris
Jacques François	...	Jacques Farnod
Jacques B. Brunius	...	Kress (as Jacques Brunius)
Aubrey Mather	...	Professor Young
Alec Finter	...	Workman
Noelle Middleton	...	Stewardess
Rene Leplat	...	Doctor Farnod
Simone Silva	...	Zara
Pierre Chaminade	...	Concierge
Marne Maitland	...	Thankyou
George Pastell	...	Hassan
Arnold Diamond	...	Spahi Officer

Storyline

Archaeologist Dr. Burnet, his daughter Anne and newspaperman Nicholas Chapman set out to search for the priceless golden mask of Moloch, believed to be in a lost tomb. Two crooks, Kress and Petris, use schemes, tricks and ruses to raise havoc in order to get the mask for themselves.

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Plot Keywords:

daughter | crook | archeologist | treasure

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Taglines:

From the fabled mines of the ancient kings to the treacherous tombs of the emperors...they hunted the golden "Mask of Terror"!

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 March 1954 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Golden Mask

Filming Locations:

Algeria

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mayflower Pictures Corporation, Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Nicholas Chapman: [as he approaches Dr. Burnet, who is busy inspecting a serious crack on an ancient Roman statue] I brought back a statue from Peru one time, that got banged up like that. They told me, "One more crack like that and you're fired."

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Soundtracks

"Yalli Ghadi"
(uncredited)
Music by Mustapha Skandrani

User Reviews

routine action filler with all usual stereotypes

I watched this film for Van Heflin and Eric Portman; both usually excellent when given some half decent material. Here they floundered, unable to make something of the dreary dialogue and predictable plot. There was jerky editing of the film, with obvious back projection and use of actors' doubles on location, as well as location shooting cut in from another (bigger) budget film (maybe Portman's and Thorold Dickinson's earlier 'Men of Tomorrow') mixed up with studio close ups. The mix is very uneven and after a while it becomes part of the entertainment to spot whether it's a) studio b) location c) doubles etc Van Heflin does his best, trying to instill some oomph into his supposedly devil may care risk taker entrepreneur character. Trouble is Heflin looks as though he checks the risk percentage on ev ery step he takes. Portman has to watch endless tribal singing and dancing, probably taken from that other African film cut into this one. Wanda Hendrix has so little to do she could have phoned her performance in. However it passed away an hour or so on a wet winter's evening.