Secret of the Incas (1954)

Director:

Jerry Hopper

Writers:

Sydney Boehm (story)
Ranald MacDougall (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

6 June 1954 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure

Plot:

An adventurer searchers for hidden treasure in the Peruvian jungles.

Plot Keywords:

Inca | Native | Hidden Treasure | Peru | Beautiful Woman

Cast

Charlton Heston	...	Harry Steele
Robert Young	...	Stanley Moorehead
Nicole Maurey	...	Elena Antonescu
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
Yma Sumac	...	Kori-Tica
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Booth Colman	...	Juan Fernandez (uncredited)
Miguel Contreras	...	(uncredited)
Delmar Costello	...	(uncredited)
Martin Garralaga	...	(uncredited)
Geraldine Hall	...	Mrs. Richmond (uncredited)
Rodolfo Hoyos Jr.	...	(uncredited)
John Marshall	...	Charlie (uncredited)
Alvy Moore	...	Young man at bar (uncredited)
Anthony Numkena	...	Runner (uncredited)
Rosa Rey	...	Mother of Kori-Tica (uncredited)
Grandon Rhodes	...	Mr. Winston (uncredited)
Carlos Rivero	...	(uncredited)
Marion Ross	...	Miss Morris (uncredited)
Dimas Sotello	...	(uncredited)
Harry Stanton	...	(uncredited)
Robert Tafur	...	(uncredited)
Moises Vivanco	...	Musician, "Earthquake" (uncredited)
Zacharias Yaconelli	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Jerry Hopper

Writing credits
Sydney Boehm		(story)
Ranald MacDougall		(screenplay) and
Sydney Boehm		(screenplay)
Boehm Maximum		story "The Legend of the Incas" (uncredited)

Produced by
Mel Epstein	....	producer

Original Music by
David Buttolph

Cinematography by
Lionel Lindon		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Eda Warren

Art Direction by
Tambi Larsen
Hal Pereira

Set Decoration by
Sam Comer
Frank R. McKelvy

Makeup Department
Wally Westmore	....	makeup supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Daniel McCauley	....	assistant director

Sound Department
John Cope	....	sound recordist
Harry D. Mills	....	sound recordist (as Harry Mills)

Special Effects by
Farciot Edouart	....	process photography
John P. Fulton	....	special photographic effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Irmin Roberts	....	photographer: Peru

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Edith Head	....	costumes

Music Department
Moises Vivanco	....	composer: songs
Yma Sumac	....	singer (uncredited)

Other crew
Dr. Albert A. Giesecke	....	technical advisor (as Dr.Albert A. Giesecke Former President, University of Cuzco)
César Miro	....	technical advisor (as César Miró)
Richard Mueller	....	technicolor color consultant

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1954) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1966) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Darker Images Video (2005) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Capitol Records  Yma Sumac recordings (as Capitol Records, Inc.)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Quechua | Romanian | Spanish

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:G (Manitoba) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | USA:Approved (MPAA rating: certificate #14852) | UK:U | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Peru

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

"Secret of the Incas" was the final theatrical film of veteran actor Robert Young, who thereafter moved exclusively into television, where he enjoyed a highly successful career for over 30 years.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The "Starburst" is the size of a dustbin lid, several inches thick and made of solid gold. Yet, not only can an old man with altitude sickness run around holding it with one hand, but Pachacutec at the end can seemingly hold it up above his head indefinitely.

Quotes:

Miss Morris: Most men don't enjoy taking money from women.
Harry Steele: I do. It's the hardest to get, and it smells so good.

A film that beckons you to the lost city of the Incas.

Secret of the Incas proved to be Peru's best wind fall for increased tourism in 1954. The one element that made this an excellent film was the shroud of mystery that the photography captured (especially night scenes) of a really spiritual place. The exotic sounds of Yma Sumac along with the photography made this film almost spooky. That was the feeling I had coming out of the theater in 1954 when I was just 14 years old. This knock off of the book, "Secret of the Andes" (very little similarity), kept enough of the archaeological flavor (discovery of Incan mummy burial sites)to make it scantly believable. I have seen this film a total of three times and would own a VHS or DVD copy if there was one. To date I have yet to find any copy available. Maybe cable TV will air this fine old movie treasure.