This week’s mystery movie was the 1953 Twentieth Century-Fox film “Treasure of the Golden Condor,” with Cornel Wilde, Constance Smith, Finlay Currie, Walter Hampden, Anne Bancroft, George Macready, Fay Wray, Leo G. Carroll and Konstantin Shayne.
Screenplay by Delmer Daves based on a novel by Edison Marshall. Color by Technicolor, consultant Leonard Doss.
Musical direction by Alfred Newman, music by Sol Kaplan, photography by Edward Cronjager.
Art direction by Lyle Wheeler and Albert Hogsett, set decorations by Thomas Little and Paul S. Fox, edited by Robert Simpson, wardrobe direction by Charles Le Maire, costumes designed by Dorothy Jeakins, orchestration by Edward Powell, makeup by Ben Nye, special photographic effects by Ray Kellogg, sound by Alfred Bruzlin and Harry M. Leonard.
Produced by Jules Buck. Directed by Delmer Daves.
“Treasure of the Golden Condor” is available on DVD from TCM.
I received a request for a “treasure map movie,” so here we are. “Treasure of the Golden Condor,” as Howard Mandelbaum pointed out, a remake of “Son of Fury,” a 1942 movie with Tyrone Power, Gene Tierney, George Sanders and Frances Farmer. It’s not a must-see, but more of a glad-I-saw film.
I chose it by going through the trades, based on the review in Film Bulletin (Feb. 23, 1953):
“Treasure of the Golden Condor” is not the usual derring-do costume melodrama that has become so familiar to moviegoers. It is solid, off-the-beaten track adventure that should register with most of the discriminating moviegoers as well as action fans. Cornel Wilde, as a rebellious bondsman seeking a treasure in the Guatemalan wilds to restore his rightful heritage as a Marquis, ripples his muscles, wrestles with a boa constrictor and performs other feats of heroism that should sit well with the ladies. Enhancing the production is the beautiful color photography, well-paced direction and a topflight supporting case. While the tale occasionally stretches credibility, it maintains interest throughout and should be well received generally.
Murray Horowitz, writing in Motion Picture Daily (Jan. 21, 1953) said:
High adventure, plus color by Technicolor, is offered in “Treasure of the Golden Condor” and film audiences who wish to escape from the cares of everyday life should find it very enjoyable. Wrapped up in this Jules Buck production is a tempestuous romance, a son seeking to regain his rightful title, fisticuffs, a treasure hunt into Guatemala, a picturesque, philosophical Scotsman and added ingredients which lift this film above others of its type.
H.H.T., writing in the New York Times, (May 23, 1953) said:
On the surface, Twentieth Century-Fox’s “Treasure of the Golden Condor,” which arrived yesterday at the Globe, follows the pattern of innumerable other costume swashbucklers.
Once more the agile Cornel Wilde leads a game cast through a reminiscent eighteenth-century tale of genealogical intrigue and revenge, with enough flying muscularity to saturate audiences who demand nothing more. Filmed in the splashiest kind of Technicolor amid eye-filling backgrounds, this Jules Buck production stacks up as any respectably wrought adventure romp should — pretty and constantly on the go.
This time there is more, thanks to the crisp pungency of Delmer Daves’ script, his own elastic direction and at least two excellent performances by Leo G. Carroll and Mr. Wilde, no less.
…. Mr. Daves and his camera are primarily responsible for the tastiest corn in a blue moon.
For Monday, we have a mystery lad. Back of the Head Guy, for once, is not the leading man so I left him in the shot.
Update: This is Jerry Hunter with George Macready as Back of the Head Guy.
For Tuesday, we have a mystery chap. And another out-of-focus Back of the Head Guy, who will appear Friday.
Update: This is Walter Hampden with Cornel Wilde as Back of the Head Guy.
For “Hm Wednesday,” we have this elegant mystery woman. She (and I know this will come as a shock) does not approve of such goings-on.
This is Fay Wray.
Brain Trust roll call: Jenny M. (mystery movie and both mystery guests), Howard Mandelbaum (Tuesday’s mystery gent, wrong movie), B.J. Merholz (Tuesday’s mystery gent, wrong movie), Mike Hawks (mystery movie, mystery guests and Monday’s Back of the Head Guy) and Sheila (Tuesday’s mystery guest).
For “Aha Thursday,” we have a mystery map.
This is, as requested, the treasure map.
We also have this not terribly mysterious gent.
Update: This is Leo G. Carroll.
And finally, Monday’s mystery lad has some mystery companions with varying degrees of mysteriousness.
Update: This is Jerry Hunter, Robert Blake and George Macready.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Jenny M. (Wednesday’s mystery woman), Mike Hawks (Wednesday’s mystery woman), L.C. (mystery movie and mystery cast) and Thom and Megan (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mystery gent and Wednesday’s mystery woman).
For Friday, we have this mystery woman.
Update: This is Constance Smith.
We also have this slightly less mysterious woman.
Update: This is Anne Bancroft.
We also have this mysterious gent.
Update: This is Finlay Currie.
And finally our mysterious leading man.
Update: This is Cornel Wilde.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mystery guests), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie, Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mystery guests), Tucson Barbara (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Floyd Thursby (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mystery gent, Wednesday’s mystery woman and Thursday’s mystery man No. 1 and mystery youth), Sylvia E. (mystery movie and all mystery guests, plus mystery hand on mystery treasure map), Jenny M. (Thursday’s mystery guests), Anne Papineau (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery woman and Thursday’s mystery gents), Sheila (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery woman and Thursday’s mystery man No. 1), Mike Hawks (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery lad and Thursday’s mystery guests), Gary (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery lad and Thursday’s mystery gent No. 1), Roget-L.A. (mystery movie, Thursday’s mystery man No. 1 and mystery youth), Blackwing Jenny (mystery movie, Thursday’s mystery man No. 1 and mystery youth) and Sue Slutzky (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery woman, Thursday’s mystery man No. 1 and mystery youth).
ladailymirror.com 
Appears to be a youthful Russ Tamblen. Reign of Terror(?) (1949)
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That’s a great guess! But alas, I’m afraid not.
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Richard Beymer in Johnny Tremain?
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Wow! We are two for two on “West Side Story” alums. Alas, our mystery lad did not appear in “West Side Story.”
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Or Twin Peaks.
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No guesses from me, other than it looks like the characters are either on a bus or a tram of some kind.
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All will become clear soon enough. 🙂
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Jerry Hunter and Walter Hampden in The Treasure of the Golden Condor.
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Walter Hampden in SOMBRERO (1953)
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I’m guessing Walter Hampden in The Adventures of Mark Twain.
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George MacReady, Jerry Hunter and Walter Hampden in TREASURE OF THE GOLDEN CONDOR.
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THE SILVER CHALICE 1955
Monday:Peter Raynolds
Tuesday: Walter Hampden
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Walter Hampden for Tuesday?
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THE TREASURE OF THE GOLDEN CONDOR. Jerry Hunter Monday, Walter Hampden with BOTH guy Cornel Wilde Tuesday, and Fay Wray today.
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Fay Wray
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Fay Wray is looking good.
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If this is The Silver Chalice, I remember cringing during Newman’s Performance, and laughing wildly at Palance’s death dive. Then, a few years later, Newman apologized in Daily Variety for his performance. And if this isn’t The Silver Chalice, I appreciate the stirring of its memory.
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Glad to stir memories. Mr. Newman is nowhere near our mystery film.
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Guessing Tuesday’s gent is Noel Purcell in THE CRIMSON PIRATE 1952…
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An interesting guess and it’s the right era! But another studio.
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Treasure of the Golden Condor (1953) w/Cornel Wilde, Fay Wray, Finley Currie, Anne Bancroft, Leo G. Carroll, Robert Blake, Jerry Hunter…
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Our movie is Treasure of the Golden Condor with Fay Wray for today, and I think, Walter Hampden for Tuesday.
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Leo G. Carroll, Jerry Hunter, Robert Blake, and George Macready.
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TREASURE OF THE GOLDEN CONDOR
Fay Wray; Leo G. Carroll; Jerry Hunter; Robert Blake; George Macready.
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Well, well, well.. so much for buses and trams. Very helpful images for Thursday. Leo G. Carrol will be my guide. I still don’t know the picture but look forward to finding out more.
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“Treasure of the Golden Condor”
Jerry Hunter, Walter Hampden, Fay Wray, Leo G. Carroll, Bobby Blake, George Macready
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For Tuesday we have Walter Hampden; for Wednesday, Fay Wray; for Thursday, Leo G. Carrol and Bobby Blake. The movie is “Treasure of the Golden Condor.”
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My guess for the movie is “Treasure of the Golden Condor” 1953
That map seems to have Mayan or Aztec icons on it, so a treasure hunt is likely, yes? The kid facing camera looks like “Bobby” Blake and since the previously guessed, Mr. Carroll is also in that film I’m hoping it’s a good shot. The BOTHG from Wednesday must be Cornel Wilde.
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Leo G. Carroll, Robert Blake, Jerry Hunter and George Macready.
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Fay Wray, Leo G. Carroll and George Macready in “Treasure of the Golden Condor”
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Fay Wray, Leo G. Carroll, ‘Treasure of the Golden Condor’
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Leo G. Carroll, Jerry Hunter, Robert Blake and George MacReady in TREASURE OF THE GOLDEN CONDOR.
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How about The Treasure of the Golden Condor with Leo G. Carroll and Jerry Hunter.???
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Leo G. Carroll and Robert Blake in Treasure of the Golden Condor (1953)
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I see Leo G. Carroll and Robert “Bobby” Blake-“Treasure of the Golden Condor”!
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In follow up to the follow up…
Mon – Jerry Hunter is the youthful version of Cornel Wilde. The hand on Jerry’s screen right shoulder is his screen grandfather, Walter Hampden and the BOTHG is his evil uncle, George Macready.
Tues – Walter Hampden again (but aged) and the BOTHG is Cornel Wilde, the grown up Jerry Hunter.
Weds – Fay Wray
Thurs – image #1 the hand on the Mayan treasure map belongs to Konstantin Shayne (Father Benoit)
image #2 – is Leo G. Carroll
image #3 – Jerry Hunter is in profile, Robert ‘Bobby’ Blake and George Macready
Friday – my guess for the future: Cornel Wilde, Finlay Currie, Constance Smith and Anne Bancroft
This movie had great location shots and fight scenes. Looking forward to the Saturday breakdown to learn more.
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Treasure of the Golden Condor, 1953
Wed: Fay Wray, Thurs: Leo G. Carroll, Robert Blake. I’m working on Monday’s guest and the other Thursday guests.
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Constance Smtih, Anne Bancroft, Finlay Currie, and Cornel Wilde. Mike was the first or second to get the mystery movie on Tuesday, he shouldn’t be in the box for getting it yesterday.
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Friday’s leading man: Cornel Wilde?
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Constance Smith, Anne Bancroft; Finlay Currie; Cornell Wilde.
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Thurs Leo G Carroll, George Macready, Robert Blake
Movie is Treasure of the Golden Condit
Fri. Cornell Wilde, Constance Smith, Anne Bancroft, Finlay Currie.
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Monday Jerry Hunter
Tue Faye Wray
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Fri Konstintine Shayne Not Finlay Currie
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Constance Smith, Anne Bancroft, Finlay Curry and Cornel Wilde
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Constance Smith, Anne Bancroft, Finlay Currie and Cornel Wilde.
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