GOLDEN SALAMANDER (director/writer: Ronald Neame; screenwriters: Lesley Storm/based on the novel by Victor Canning; cinematographer: Oswald Morris; editor: Jack Harris; music: William Alwyn; cast: Trevor Howard (David Redfern), Anouk Aimee (Anna), Walter Rilla (Serafis), Herbert Lom (Rankl), Wilfrid Hyde-White (Agno), Miles Malleson(Douver), Eugene Deckers (French Chief of Police), Jacques Sernas (Max), Peter Copley (Aribi); Runtime: 96; MPAA Rating: PG; producer: Alexander Galperson; Odeon Entertainment (Eagle Lion Classics); 1950-UK)
“Predictable and tedious adventure tale.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
Ronald Neame(“Hopscotch”/”The Man Who Never Was”/”The Horse’s Mouth”) co-writes with Lesley Storm and directs this predictable and tedious adventure tale that’s based on the novel by Victor Canning.
David Redfern (Trevor Howard) is an archeologist connected with the British Museum, on a mission to bring back Etruscan relics. He is staying in a hotel-bar in a remote village in Tunis, when he encounters gun running smugglers and, at first, tries not to get involved. When a young man is killed by the smugglers, David gets involved and his life is in danger. The atmospheric film, with well photographed location shots, ends with a wild boar hunt.
Anouk Aimee is the pretty 17-year-old exiled French woman owner of the place where David resides. Herbert Lom is the violent gunman for the smugglers, Jacques Sernas is also a smuggler, and the oily Walter Rilla is the village head who is the boss of the mob. Wilfrid Hyde-White plays the bar’s piano player.
REVIEWED ON 8/26/2015 GRADE: C+
Dennis Schwartz: “Ozus’ World Movie Reviews”
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