Acapulco Gold (1976) User Reviews

Ho hum

[Leofwine_draca · 4/10 · 25 February 2022]

One of those cheap 1970s thrillers that seems to have been shot in its entirely in the sunny outdoors in order to cut down on costs. Not much in the way of scenery changes or plotting, just the mildly creepy Marjoe Gortner getting involved in a heroin smuggling plot in Hawaii, of all places. Sadly the sun is the best thing about this ho-hum effort.

Whoa... What Did I Just Watch?

[vnssyndrome89 · 4/10 · 21 May 2023]

Ok, here's the deal, this movie is a bunch of decent actors, in decent scenes, thrown together, making no sense at all! I kept watching, because there are several good scenes that draw you in, like the opening scene at the airport. A kid, gets thrown a pinata by a nun at the airport, then there's a shootout, the nun, the cholo, and various other bad guys get killed, and the clueless kid is left holding the heroin filled pinata. I'm in, right? There's another hilarious scene where the ship's captain gets arrested for riding a mule into a Mexican bar. Another decent scene, but as a whole, this is just craziness!

There are many decent character actors here, that you will recognize if you watched TV and movies in the 1970's. But, overall, the disjointed story is a mess. Maybe you need to be smoking Acapulco Gold to get this, but still not a terrible 70's exploitation drive in movie.

Barely released would be action, or was it comedy?

[Serpent-5 · 9 November 1999]

This film barely played anywhere (bottom half of UP IN SMOKE in Los Angeles in most theatres) as it features Marjoe Gortner as a guy who is framed as a drug smuggler, gets help from a town drunk (Robert Lansing) and gets mixed up in a middle of a drug deal in Hawaii. Intresting original songs are featured in this PG film with very little of anything. From the company that brought you DOGS and later turned into the late American Cinema in the 80's. Not recommended.

A nifty 70's tongue-in-cheek drug deal flick

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 21 February 2007]

Affable insurance agent Rolph (a solid and engaging portrayal by the always cool Marjoe Gortner) gets sent to jail on a phony drug smuggling charge. He escapes from the pokey with the help of grubby drunken charter boat captain Solborg (a delightfully hammy Robert Lansing), who's hauling a freight of high grade marijuana to Hawaii for nefarious dope dealer Frye (a nicely smarmy John Harkins). Director Burt Brinckerhoff maintains a steady, but leisurely pace throughout and effectively creates a charmingly casual laid-back tone. Robert Steadman's pretty, picturesque cinematography captures the breathtakingly beauteous tropical Hawaiian scenery with exquisite clarity. Craig Safan's funky, syncopated score likewise hits the spot. Popping up in nifty substantial supporting roles are Ed Nelson as ramrod DEA agent Hollister, lovely blonde onetime top fashion model Randi Oakes as Frye's sweetly ditsy girlfriend Sally, and Lee Frost film regular Phil Hoover as Frye's intimidating brutish flunky George. The appealingly easy'n'breezy chemistry between Gortner and Lansing is a real treat to watch. A lively and sidesplitting car chase between two golf carts rates as the definite comic highlight. An amiably slight, silly and innocuous romp.