Memorable, crazy movie

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Copyright 1955 by 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. New York opening at the Roxy: 7 October 1955. U.S. release: September 1955. U.K. release: December 1955. Australian release: 31 May 1956. 9,243 feet. 103 minutes.SYNOPSIS: A Spanish land and sea expedition is formed in Mexico City in 1769 to make haste to claim the territory of California for Spain and to locate the fabled Seven Cities of Gold. Captain Gaspar Portola (Anthony Quinn) and his lieutenant, Jose Mendoza (Richard Egan), rough and arrogant leaders of the land force, are angered at the assignment of a lame padre, Father Junipero Serra (Michael Rennie), to accompany them to found missions in the new land. Though Serra may be a religious, he soon proves to be a match for Portola and Mendoza. COMMENT: This religious film is not suitable for children, but it succeeds with adults despite its second-string cast. Michael Rennie comes off best. Jeffrey Hunter, although unrecognizable, also impresses. Quinn's performance is off-hand, but reasonably convincing. Least credible are Rita Moreno (fortunately, her role is small) and Richard Egan (though he does have his effective moments, particularly at the climax).For once, CinemaScope's width is forcefully used. Both the action and drama often comes across with surprising impact. Indeed CinemaScope, allied with natural locations and Webb's remarkably vigorous direction, gets considerable mileage and impact out of the emotionally moving Breen and Higgins script. Indeed, this one of Hollywood's few fully successful excursions into the realm of Christian religion.OTHER VIEWS: A spoken prologue assures us that the events of the story are, in essentials, those of history; and for once, what follows does occasionally seem to justify the claim. The failure of the expedition to achieve its main purpose is a circumstance that encourages belief. - J.W.

20th Century Fox's SEVEN CITIES OF GOLD (1955) is a handsome looking colourful adventure story set in early California in 1769. Yet it has been pilloried by some for not being more than it is. A pity really, for it is quite an enjoyable picture with great atmosphere nicely played by a committed cast and directed with good attention to detail by Robert D. Webb. This was another elaborate fifties Fox production photographed in beautiful Cinemascope and Delux color by the brilliant Lucian Ballard. It was produced for the studio by Robert Webb & Barbara McLean and was expertly written for the screen by Richard L. Breen and John C. Higgins from a novel by Isabelle Ziegler.A marvellous sense of time and place is established from the beginning as we follow the procession of the mighty Spanish Conquistators under Captain Portola (Anthony Quinn) in the quest for the famous seven deposits of gold the Indians had left behind. Accompanying the army is Father Junipero Serra (Michael Rennie) the revered Jesuit monk who founded the missions of San Diego and was responsible for making peace with the Diegueno Indians. One of Portola's young officers Jose Mendoza (Richard Egan) falls for the charms of a beautiful Indian girl Ula (Rita Moreno) and begins an affair with her. But when he tells her he cannot take her back with him she becomes offended, flees from him in a rage and accidentally falls to her death from a cliff top. The erstwhile peaceful Indians now want blood and vow to attack the Spanish stronghold unless Jose is handed over to them. At first Captain Portola will not adhere to the Indian demand but later Jose (just like Jeff Chandler's character in TWO FLAGS WEST) to allay any fear of an attack, sacrifices himself and to the ominous and incessant beat of the Indian war drums walks out of the fort gates to his preordained fate. The sequence is deeply moving and heartfelt!Performances are generally good throughout with Rennie being a standout in his best role since "The Day The Earth Stood Still" (1951). As the zealous Father Serra he is sincere and convincing. Good too is Richard Egan as the ill-fated Jose. A likable actor - Egan never got his fair dues for his screen efforts (He stole the acting honours from everyone around him in "Untamed" the same year). But the most disappointing bit of casting in SEVEN CITIES OF GOLD has to be Anthony Quinn. For an actor who has second billing in such a big production his part is not only poorly written but it is under written. He is hardly in the picture at all and when he does make an appearance his presence is merely perfunctory. Any of a dozen Hollywood bit players could well have played his part.One of the most stirring aspects of the picture is the extraordinary music by Hugo Friedhofer. A vital and arresting score full of appropriate Spanish, Mexican and Latin rhythms. The composer's vast knowledge of this music shines through. The main title is a broad passionate Granada-like Spanish cue with blazing trumpet that points up the all-conquering Conquistadors and is heard in different guises (including a spirited march variation) as the picture progresses. There is a religious theme for Father Serra as well as some wonderful mariachi cues and indigenous folk songs. One such song 'Senorita Carmelita' is sung by the troopers (including Egan) at an open-air feast. It is infectious and totally irresistible! SEVEN CITIES OF GOLD is Friedhofer's best and most enjoyable adventure score!SEVEN CITIES OF GOLD is a much better movie than its reputation reveals and deserves reappraisal for (1) Its authentic historical setting (How many movies besides "Captain From Castile" can you think of that covers the same period in American history?). (2) Its fine performances. (3) Its splendid Cinemascope/Color cinematography and (4) its rollicking musical score.

There's a mixture of interesting drama and camp in this story of Spanish conquest over California Native Americans. Egan and Quinn play Spanish officers who are on the lookout for the title cities, but who are saddled with priest Rennie who is along for the ride to build a mission. The men don't see eye to eye on how to handle the "Indian problem" and this lends itself to some nice discussion of and demonstration of the tactics used to control them. Eventually, the human elements of both the "whites" and the Indians begin to blend, but not without difficulty and eventually with great sacrifice. Contemporary audiences will be surprised that Egan is top-billed over Quinn and has the more substantial role. Even though Quinn is the authority figure in charge, the story is more about Egan. Quinn is believable as a Spaniard (as he was as so many other nationalities in his career!), but Egan is about as Spanish as William Bendix!! His flat American accent and obviously non-Latin coloring create a sensory paradox when he is onscreen. Rennie is also far from Spanish, but manages to pull it off better with a less distinct accent. All three male leads do a decent enough job acting-wise, but never really catch fire. The only other performers of note are Hunter and Moreno as natives. Hunter gives his usual impassioned performance (unfortunately covered in war paint most of the time) in one of many roles that were beneath his ability. Moreno gets very little to do, but tries to inject some emotion into the proceedings. While the Cinemascope lens captures some awesomely beautiful scenery, it also keeps the actors at a distance. Time and again, dramatic and emotional moments are played in practically long shots! There are very few close-ups in the movie. The two most beautiful cast members (Hunter and Moreno) get nothing closer than a two-shot. This puts a sort of wall up that detracts from the emotional investment in the story. Then there's the camp factor. It begins immediately with a hilarious voice-over that exclaims how accurate the story is and that the only change that was made is that the "words will be set in English." PLEASE! Moreno and Hunter, while compelling performers, are given ridiculous wigs and clothing to wear. Attempts at humor, handled adeptly by Hunter, seem to add a corny aspect to the otherwise serious film. There's a bizarre interlude with Egan and Rennie finding shelter in a sandstorm. The sword-and-sandal crowd may find themselves trying to spot Egan's winky as it veers to the left in his clingy green trousers (with oh-so-festive red cummerbund.) In all, it's a pretty, sometimes engaging movie, but rather silly at times and lacking any real emotional resonance.

Done on grand scale, this is the tale of Father Junipero Serra and the founding of the California Missions, in particular, the first at San Diego. Rennie, Quinn, and Egan turn in good performances and the story moves along quite well, even though history is played with fast and loose in this treatment. Of particular interest is the style and treatment of the Indians encountered by the mercenaries and the priest-there is much more realism than most films of this era. The action scenes are done well and the obvious, but inevitable conclusion makes the point. A good watch.