Far from Perfect, Far from Terrible

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

There's a lot to like here.First, the film is based on a real legend of the West -- the Lost Dutchman's Mine, and parts of the movie were filmed in the Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix.There's also a few things not to like here...like alternating shots that clearly were filmed in the mountains, and then shots of mountains that were so fake looking that it was almost laughable. Like the frequency at which boulders were falling on people (although the earthquake scene is quite good). And if you think...could there really be that many rattlesnakes? Well, that answer is apparently yes.Ida Lupino, never one of my favorites, is quite good here as the mastermind behind stealing Glenn Ford's gold. The only problem is that Glenn Ford (as the Dutchman) is just about the worst villain you can imagine...so quite a different role for him. Gig Young as Lupino's husband is no gem either. I didn't think I was familiar with the "hero" of the film -- William Prince -- but later realized that I knew him for his much later, work as an older character actor; he was quite good here; surprised he didn't go further in film. Edgar Buchanan has a small role here, and it seems as if his voice-overs may have been done by someone else. Will Geer is another bad guy, while Paul Ford is a good guy sheriff. Jay Silverheels has a significant role, but was uncredited for his work.I'm not saying this is one of the great American westerns, but it's very interesting and worth watching.

William Prince (Barry) goes in search of gold in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona. He is the grandson of Glenn Ford (Dutch) who discovered the Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine located there in the 1880s. Before that the Indians had sealed it up after the Spanish had discovered it. To the Indians, the area represents a sacred ground dedicated to the "Thunder God" as there are many storms in the area.Well, Willy Prince follows another explorer Hayden Rorke (Buckley) who claims he knows where the mine is located, only Rorke doesn't make it as he is shot by a sniper. It seems that a sniper has been killing anyone who gets close to this particular gold mine. Prince rushes back to report the crime to Sheriff Paul Ford (Lynn) and Deputies Will Geer (Ray) and Jay Siverheels (Walter). The rest of the film is told in flashback as we learn of the history of Ford's discovery of the mine and his association with crafty baker Ida Lupino (Julia) before we return to solve the outstanding mystery of who the killer is. And whether or not there is any gold for the taking.As regards the cast, the acting is OK with a few faults along the way. Ida Lupino starts well but ends up overdoing the melodrama while Glenn Ford is clearly no good at all with a German accent. Thankfully, you don't really notice at first - he sort of slips in and out of something that isn't really German anyway. And his singing in a saloon sounds more Russian to me. Lupino does impress when she speaks in German to him, though. I actually found myself in sympathy with the character of Gig Young (Pete) who plays Lupino's husband, even though he isn't very nice. William Prince is a bit naïve and his narration at the beginning is fairly monotonous. My personal triumphs in this film include the following 2 moments - 1) spotting tarty saloon girl Myrna Dell (Lucille) who I have just seen in another western from the same year entitled "Roughshod" which is as good as this film, and in which she has a more substantial role, albeit a tragic one; 2) correctly naming the killer at the beginning of the film.The storyline is nicely layered with different sections and you find yourself siding with different characters at different times even though you are aware that nobody is particularly likable in this film. It's still very watchable, though. Anyway, I'm off for another visit to Arizona. The plan is to stay up in the Superstition Mountains for a year just watching the moon. I'll hopefully crack this case once and for all. This film has been really useful for my preparation. I'll be taking plenty of water, some rattlesnake anti-venom serum, an umbrella for shelter from the storms and falling rocks from earthquakes, some gumdrops and lots of meat to feed the mountain lions (although the film didn't mention these).

Lust For Gold is one of those movies where the title tells the story. Everyone in this story from the leads down to the most insignificant extra is just eaten up with a mad, insatiable obsession with gold. I should say everyone in both stories, since this movie presents a story within a story. The modern (1949) story starts with a murder mystery, not resolved until the last reel, after a flashback to the 1880's which takes up most of the running time.This is a well filmed, well directed, and well acted picture with an intriguing story line, yet it fails to be truly entertaining because it lacks a single well developed character who is likable. The three principle players of the Old West story, Glen Ford, Ida Lupino, and Gig Young are absolutely unredeemable, cruel, wicked scumbags willing to lie, steal, cheat, betray, commit murder and adultery to get the gold and keep it. Even the bland, young hero of the New West story, played by William Prince, though basically decent, seems foolish and unpleasant because of his single-minded obsession with finding the lost gold mine. In the Old West story every minor character is portrayed as vicious, snippy, gossipy, and above all greedy. There is some suspense in the story, or at least it holds your attention and keeps you interested in what happens next. Yet it is not truly suspenseful, because that requires that you care about what happens to the characters. And you can't care about the type of lowlifes who inhabit this unremittingly grim picture. If there had been just one major character I could have cared about, I would have rated Lust For Gold a star higher. As is, it is a very unsatisfying movie.It's probably a coincidence the producers of this movie decided the print it in sepia tone, but it provides the appropriate look for the type of person who views life thru feces-tinted lenses. Lust For Gold will thoroughly validate this this type's nihilistic philosophy. Those with a happier outlook on life may wish to skip it.

An excellent movie with a complicated plot. The story starts & ends in the present (1948); a long flashback sequence in the middle describes the time period 1880-1887. The grandson of the rediscoverer of the richest goldmine in America (worth $20 million back in those days!) goes to search for the mine, but becomes involved in a series of unresolved murders. The stars of the movie (Ford, Lupino, & Young) are all part of the flashback sequence. There's mystery, action, murders, romance, treasure, singing, double-crossing & more in this exciting western. All the actors do a fine job (Edgar Buchanan is great in a small role & we get to see Jay Silverheels just before he started doing Tonto in the Lone Ranger TV series). The plot is long & winding & holds the viewer's interest, & the conclusion is highly ironic & oh-so frustrating! Highly recommended for western & treasure & romance fans. This one rates a 10!