With film profits stuck in the U.K. under post-WWII financial protection policies, Hollywood used the embargoed cash to make more movies there. It’s why you find M-G-M turning to a series of British historicals starting with IVANHOE/’52 or Disney making a series of family-suitable/live-action Classics like TREASURE ISLAND/’50, the one with Robert Newton. The Disney run uniformly successful. So when they wound down production, a little company like Mid-Century stepped into the breach. (Too late for Mid-Century who disappeared after this.) In spite of its title, look not for Alexandre Dumas' COUNT*, instead, an ‘original’ 1800s treasure map adventure, the old saw about four strangers, each holding one part of a map promising millions, forced to come together to find out where X Marks the Spot. (That joining up a mid-point climax all but missed in Leon Griffiths' script.) Rory Calhoun is pleasant company, but hopelessly American as an honorable Brit stepping in to help a Lady-in-distress whose father was just killed over his piece of the map. Three others join them while two villains (and a lady adventuress) await up ahead. All second-rate actors to be sure, but the production (by Robert S. Baker & Monty Berman who produce, direct and photograph per the opening credits) is quite handsomely shot and believably mounted. (Though one exterior courtyard seems to get reused once or twice.) And, of course, there’s a loyal servant for lame comic relief before he turns into a courageous ace-in-the-hole. No great shakes, but not so far off the Disney model.
DOUBLE-BILL: *From France, two new versions of the Dumas CRISTO just out: one a feature film/one a mini-series. Both well received but neither yet showing up with English subtitles.
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