A less than ethical adventurer (Charlton Heston) works as a tour guide in a secluded but picturesque village of Cuzco in Peru. What he's really interested in though is a bejeweled gold relic buried in a tomb in the Andes. Accompanied by a Romanian refugee (Nicole Maurey), he steals a plane and they make the treacherous climb to Machu Picchu where the tomb is located but they find an archaeological expedition already there digging for the tomb. Great fun! Clearly the source of inspiration of Spielberg's
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, the similarities are too striking to overlook. Especially Heston's costume of a brown leather bomber jacket and fedora hat! The movie isn't laden with the special effects of Spielberg's film, its simple pleasures coming from an often subtly humorous script, Heston's devil may care hero and exotic Peruvian locations. The popular (at the time) Peruvian singer Yma Sumac has a small role and sings two songs in her four octave range (when she hit her high notes, my cat's ears started quivering!). Directed by Jerry Hopper. With Robert Young, Thomas Mitchell, Glenda Farrell, Marion Ross and Michael Pate.
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