The Golden Head (1964)

A British police detective (Douglas Wilmer) is on holiday in Budapest, Hungary with his three children (Jess Conrad, Lorraine Power, Denis Gilmore). While he is attending an international convention of criminal investigators, his children get involved in their own adventure when two art thieves (George Sanders, Buddy Hackett) steal a priceless gold bust from a cathedral. Loosely based on the novel NEPOMUK OF THE RIVER by Roger Windle Pilkington and directed by Richard Thorpe (KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE). The last film designed to be shown in the Cinerama format, it was never released in the U.S. and only briefly in Europe. With a couple of light sexual innuendos removed, it could easily pass as one of those live action Walt Disney capers from the 1960s, it's that family friendly. It's a piffle really and slightly overblown with its roadshow trimmings (overture, intermission, entr'acte, exit music). This being Cinerama, much of the film serves as a travelogue of Hungary and we even get performances by the Hungarian Opera Ballet and the Hungarian Folk Dancers troupe. It's not until the movie's chase finale does the film take advantage of the depth of the Cinerama process. The unusual teaming of Sanders and Hackett have them channeling Abbott and Costello! Mildly entertaining and gorgeous to watch. With Cecilia Esztergalyos and Robert Coote.