Eureka (1983)

Arctic prospector Jack McCann, after fifteen years of solitary searching, becomes one of the world's wealthiest men when he literally falls into a mountain of gold in 1925. Years later, in ... See full summary »

Director:

Nicolas Roeg

Writers:

Marshall Houts (book), Paul Mayersberg (screenplay),

Stars:

Gene Hackman, Theresa Russell, Rutger Hauer

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gene Hackman	...	Jack McCann
Theresa Russell	...	Tracy
Rutger Hauer	...	Claude Maillot Van Horn
Jane Lapotaire	...	Helen McCann
Mickey Rourke	...	Aurelio D'Amato
Ed Lauter	...	Charles Perkins
Joe Pesci	...	Mayakofsky
Helena Kallianiotes	...	Frieda
Cavan Kendall	...	Pierre de Valois
Corin Redgrave	...	Worsley
Joe Spinell	...	Pete
Frank Pesce	...	Stefano
Michael Scott Addis	...	Joe
Norman Beaton	...	Byron Judson
Emrys James	...	Judge

Storyline

Arctic prospector Jack McCann, after fifteen years of solitary searching, becomes one of the world's wealthiest men when he literally falls into a mountain of gold in 1925. Years later, in 1945, he lives in luxury on a Caribbean island that he owns. But his wealth brings him no peace of mind as he copes with Helen, his bored, alcoholic wife; Tracy, his dear, but headstrong, daughter who has married a dissolute, philandering social-climber; and Miami mobsters who want his island to build a casino. His life is entangled with the obsessions of those around him with greed, power, and debauchery against a background of occult symbolism.

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Plot Keywords:

island | wealth | greed | alcoholic | casino | 

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

May 1983 (UK)

Also Known As:

Blestemul aurului

Filming Locations:

EMI Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

JF Productions, Recorded Picture Company (RPC), Sunley Productions Ltd.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

130 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Publicity for this picture stated that the film's "Eureka" title is derived from the Greek language's word "Heureka" which translates as "I've got it!" or "I have found it!". Moreover, Archimedes is said to have shouted "Eureka" when he found that the displacement of water by a metal object like gold could determines its weight.

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Goofs

When Jack is run off his motorbike by Charles and Jack gets into Charles's car, a person in a yellow raincoat is reflected in the window of the car.

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Quotes

Tracy: You know, yesterday, last night, was the most extraordinary day of my life. There will never be another day or night like it. Ever. I've never been so happy. So miserable.

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Connections

References The Gold Rush (1925)

User Reviews

Great start, but promises more than it delivers.

I too first saw this in London when it came out May 1983, at the Screen on the Hill. It was my O-level year, and I was a skinny, awkward 15-year-old, desperately trying to get into my first 18-rated film. It worked. But was it worth it? The film has an extraordinary opening section, as Gene Hackman finds the gold under the snow-encrusted earth, culminating in a spectacular, slow-motion explosion of rock and snow. Set to extracts of Wagner's DAS RHEINGOLD, it's unforgettable, thrilling cinema, and had my jaw dropping into my cappuccino. We also have the sight of a dying, half-frozen man blowing his brains out again and again, bringing to mind the disjointed, hallucinatory quality one recognises from the director of THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH and DON'T LOOK NOW. Stunning, disturbing stuff.

Unfortunately the momentum quickly slackens as we cut forwards in time to a rather dull, plodding melodrama about a Kane-like man who in his anguish says, "Once I had it all...now I only have everything." (Coming after the prologue, this also applies to the film itself.) There's some nasty scenes involving voodoo and Rutger Hauer doing something rather strange with a python, some gut-wrenching violence involving a blow-torch and the contents of a pillow, and a soap-opera court-room finale that feels as if it's wandered in from an entirely different film altogether. There are rumours of a different film lurking in this exuberant mess: one of the film's stars has hinted that it was not Roeg's final version that we saw. But I couldn't call this a success. Roeg fans should check it out as an oddity, but be warned: after the brilliant beginning, it's downhill all the way.