Secret of the Incas [Blu-ray]

Director: Jerry Hopper Jerry Hopper

Overview

Before Indiana Jones there was Harry Steele (Charlton Heston), an idealistic archaeologist determined to return an ancient Incan mask to the society from which it came. A greedy con-artist (Robert Young) has other ideas, though, and the two men race to fund an expedition to find the treasure, which has reportedly been buried by Spanish conquistadores somewhere in Machu Picchu. The con-artist (Young) seduces a beautiful tourist in order to reach his goal, leaving Steele (Heston) to locate the site through more honorable means. Twenty-seven years before directors George Lucas and Steven Spielburg collaborated to create Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jerry Hopper directed Secret of the Incas. ~ Tracie Cooper

Product Details

Release Date:	02/28/2023
UPC:	0738329261870
Original Release:	1954
Rating:	NR
Source:	Kl Studio Classics
Language:	English
Time:	1:40:00
Sales rank:	4,778

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Charlton Heston	Harry Steele
Robert Young	Stanley Moorehead
Nicole Maurey	Elena Antonescu
Yma Sumac	Kori-Tica
Thomas Mitchell	Ed Morgan
Glenda Farrell	Mrs. Winston
Michael Pate	Pachacutec
Leon Askin	Anton Marcu
William Henry	Phillip Lang
Kurt Katch	Man with Rifle
Edward Colmans	Col. Emilio Cardoza
Grandon Rhodes	Mr. Winston
Geraldine Hall	Mrs. Richmond
Harry Stanton	Mr. Richmond
Booth Colman	Juan Fernandez
Rosa Rey	Mother of Kori-Tica (uncredited)
Robert Tafur	(uncredited)
Martin Garralaga	(uncredited)
Alvy Moore	Young Man at Bar (uncredited)
Rodolfo Hoyos	(uncredited)
Zachary Yaconelli	(uncredited)
Marion Ross	Miss Morris (uncredited)
John Marshall	Charlie (uncredited)
Carlos Rivero	(uncredited)
Delmar Costello	(uncredited)
Dimas Sotello	(uncredited)
Miguel Contreras	(uncredited)
Earl Holliman	Actor
Rodolfo Hoyos Jr.	Actor
David Buttolph	Composer

Technical Credits

Sydney Boehm

Ranald MacDougall

Mel Epstein	Producer
Jerry Hopper	Director
Sydney Boehm	Screenwriter
Ranald MacDougall	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

The on location scenery in Secret of the Incas is gorgeous and at times breath taking. Cinematographers Lionel Lindon and Irma Roberts give the audience views of the Andes and its environs that are simply stunning and that capture a genuine feeling of mystery and majesty. It would be nice to report that Secret itself is full of the same mystery and majesty, but truth to tell, the film that all this glowing photography supports is a rather mundane, run-of-the-mill adventure tale. It's not bad, mind you. It has all the elements that one expects, from a hidden treasure that everyone is after to a lady who needs rescuing to a hero who must decide between the love of said lady and the desire for said treasure. But it doesn't really add much beyond what is expected. It does, granted, feature the unique singing of Yma Sumac, a minor cult icon of the 1950s, and that is definitely something. Nicole Maurey has some arresting moments, and there's more than decent work from Thomas Mitchell, Robert Young and others. And for those who want nothing more from a leading man than solidity, there's Charlton Heston. These make Secret perfectly fine, but it is only that marvelous photography that makes it special.

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler