GOLD

Germany, 2013, 112 minutes, Colour.
Nina Hoss, Marko Mandic.
Directed by Thomas Arslan.
Competition.

Years ago, there was a 1950s Cinemascope western, The Way to the Gold. Not everybody got to the gold. A lesson there about motives, greed, dangers, treasury, and for what?
This is a lavishly-made German production, filmed on location in British Columbia, taking advantage of spectacular scenery and dangerous terrain. It is set in the summer of 1898, two years after discoveries of gold in the Klondike. This is a journey saga, a long trek, 1500 km to Dawson.

A motley group of Germans from the United States answer an advertisement for a guided journey to the gold. As they travel (and it also seems a long journey for the audience), they have some of the expected mishaps, a destroyed wagon wheel, a fall from a horse and an injury. But, the further they go, the more alien the landscapes, although passing Indians show them the way for cash, the atmosphere affects them all. It is a slowly diminishing group that dares to go on from the relative security of the town of Hazleton.

Apart from the experience of the journey, it is the characters that are of the most interest. At the centre is a very dignified German woman, popular actress, Nina Hoss,. There is an arrogant leader, tall hat, coat and cravat, seemingly invincible but doomed to disaster. A New York journalist who wants to photograph and record the journey for his paper accompanies the group, and there is a father of four wanting a better life for his family, a married couple who have sold their restaurant and who are the expedition cooks, and a trader and packer with a past.

In retrospect, the plot and the characters a familiar but, with the locations and the drama, the film is often quite striking.

The film handles language questions very well, English for English-speaking characters and responses to them, German for the Germans speaking among themselves. This gives an authentic feel to the film.

1. Stories of the gold rushes, the late 19th century in Canada? The Klondike?

2. The use of locations, the isolated towns, the variety of scenery, mountains, Rivers, forests, planes, glaciers?

3. The epic scale of the film, the trek through the wilderness? Strong score?

4. The title, the gold in the credits? The prologue, the trek of the pioneers, the men and the woman, the discovery? The nuggets? Gold as a quest?

5. Emily, arriving on the train, asking questions in the town, the warning from the local man? Her life in Chicago, after Bremen, as a maidservant, her marriage, divorce, wanting to move away from her past? Her age? Having the money for the payments? Wanting to travel, the mystery of her life, the curiosity of the other members of the journey? The couple, the wife and her curiosity? Laser as the leader, organizer, Emily’s response to him? Her response to the packer, his abruptness, apology, her helping with wiping down the horses? Response to Mueller, his story, photographs, helping with the tent? Her riding, the experience, the food, washing her clothes? The hardy experience?

6. Lazar, top hat, cravatt? Pompous, taking the money, giving orders, leading the group, making decisions, despising the advice of the Indians, finally getting lost, stealing the money, his excuses, being caught, the group wanting to the lynch him, tying him up, Emily freeing him, his escape? The con man?

7. The packer, the film showing the two men in pursuit, asking questions of the man in Ashcroft? Their pursuit? The packer, working for Laser, Laser putting him down? Not taking advice? His work with the horses? Friendship with Emily? The collapse of the wagon, re-packing the horses? In Hazleton, the advice of the Hudson Bay man, the dangers? The couple pulling out, the rest going on, the horses, Rossman and his disappearance? With Emily, the bonds, travelling together, the Indians showing them the way to Telegraph Creek? Staying with Emily? The men catching up, the shootout, his death, his grave?

8. Mueller, his story, writing for a German magazine, New York, his camera, the photos, taking notes and his journal, helping Emily with the tent, going to hunt and failing? His antagonism towards Laser, wanting to be the leader, the others not following him? His being caught in the bear trap, his pain, the wound, the amputation and his suffering, giving the nuggets to Emily, his death?

9. The couple, selling their restaurant, going for the gold, providing the cooking, the wife and her dislike of Emily? Her husband’s fall from the force? Breaking his collarbone? The loss of the wagon, giving up their belongings? The decision to stay in Hazleton, The strong minded wife? The plans to begin again?

10. Rossman, his story, his family, the hardships in New York, timid, playing the banjo, the hymn at the funeral, helping, the decision to go on, seeing the hanged man, Emily reading his despairing note? His decision to die, stripping his clothes off and running into the forest?

11. The men from Virginia, the packer and his killing their brother, pursuit, vengeance, their deaths?

12. The Canadian Indians, at the railway station, giving information about crossing the river, asking for cash, being despised by the superior Germans? The
giving advice, not taking it, Miller and his despising of the heathen burial rites? The explanation of the burial rites, the corpse, the mourning woman? The final showing them the way to Telegraph Creek?

13. Emily and her letters, posting the notebook to New York? Her going on to Dawson?

14. The pioneer towns, the settlers, the ethos? The end of the 19th century? Expeditions in the 19th century? You’re the guy feel of this journey, the towns, the speaking of English, the German speaking German amongst themselves? A film of German heritage?