THE WAY TO THE GOLD

US, 1957, 94 minutes, Black and white.
Jeffrey Hunter, Sheree North, Barry Sullivan, Walter Brennan, Ruth Donnelly, Neville Brand.
Directed by Robert D. Webb.

An off-beat melodrama of the midfifties, filmed unusually in black and white and Cinemascope. it was directed by Robert D. Webb, who made many action adventures at 20th Century Fox at this time. Jeffrey Hunter is the lead and was prominent in the mid-fifties. Sheree North is the heroine. She was a singer and dancer who did not make her name in the fifties. However, she made an excellent character actress in many telemovies and films of the sixties and seventies. There is an interesting supporting cast led by Walter Brennan. The film traces the age old story of the greed driving people to search for hidden gold - and it ends with the usual fable ending: a warning against greed and the frustration of greed. It is not an outstanding example of its kind, but it retains the interest and actually captures the atmosphere of the small American town and its way of life in the fifties. Screenplay is by Wendell Mayes, a prominent writer of dramas over several decades.

1. The focus of the title, its tone? An adventure? Action film? The possibility of message and moral?

2. Black and white. photography, the use of Cinemas-cope? Musical score? The cast of the '50s?

3. How well did the film capture the atmosphere of a small American town in the '50s: jail, the diner, the boarding house and the types at the meal, the police? The events of life in the small town e.g. the caravan in the lake?

4. The initial set-up and the explanation about the gold? Audience interest, sympathy with Joe? The puzzle about finding the gold? Sharing ice's anticipation, waiting, searching for a way?

5. How well drawn was the character of Joe? The police captain's explanation of his background, reform school and manslaughter charge? His bitterness? Leaving and emerging into the world at the carnival? His decision to go to the diner and throwing his weight around, the remarks to Hank, wanting to dance, being drunk. getting mugged? His being pursued by the Williams brother? His being taken to the hospital, welcomed by Hank and the owner of the diner? The friendship with Hank and seeing her work, at the boarding house? His scouting out the terrain and the encounter with Uncle George throwing stones? His going to work and helping with the saving of the caravan, rescuing the dog, getting his photo in the paper and his delight in it? The interviews with the captain and testing out the fishing line? The outing with Hank, the discussion about the shoes, going on the lake? The discovery of his being followed.. the confrontation with the family? His making plans with Hank after his attacking her? The decision to find the gold, travelling in the jeep, discovering the highway, the family catching up and forcing them to take them to the site? The irony of the ending with the lake over the gold? The rescue by the policeman? The happy ending - a future with Hank? Worth more than the gold?

6. Hank as the type at the diner? Her carnival background? Saving money, being suspicious and yet trying to attract Joe? Her work for the Williams? Buying the shoes, leading him on. the boat ride? The humour of their trying to kiss in the hallway with the guests going past? Her not understanding his attack? Her decision to help, give her savings, getting the gear? Sharing the travel? The encounter with the family? The possibility of a future with Joe?

7. The police captain and his seeming to be after the gold, his following Joe and Hank, saving them?

8. The eccentric family ~ first appearances? The son at the carnival. the other son following and mugging Joe? Mum and the son being Mum's boy? Uncle George and his throwing stones? Their plans to recover the gold? The family council downstairs and the confrontation with Joe? Their going out on the road? Their disappointment in finding the gold under the lake?

9. The adventure in going through the terrain for the gold, the irony of the highway, of the lake?

10. Themes of gold and greed, crime, the rights to gold, the ironies in the message of who has the right to gold and what it does to people?