Secret of the Incas

Infobox Film
name = Secret of the Incas


director = Jerry Hopper
producer = Mel Epstein (associate)
Hal B. Wallis (executive)
writer = Sydney Boehm
Ranald MacDougall
Boehm Maximum
starring = Charlton Heston
Robert Young
Nicole Maurey
Thomas Mitchell
Yma Sumac
music = David Buttolph
cinematography = Lionel Lindon Irma Roberts
editing = Eda Warren
distributor = Paramount Pictures
released = June 6, 1954
runtime = 100 min.
language = English
country = USA
imdb_id = 0047464|

"Secret of the Incas" (1954) is an adventure film starring Charlton Heston as adventurer Harry Steele, on the trail of an ancient Incan artifact.

Cast

*Charlton Heston as Harry Steele, adventurer
*Robert Young as Stanley Moorhead
*Nicole Maurey as Elena Antonescu
*Thomas Mitchell as Ed Morgan

Plot summary

An Incan legend states that the Inca Empire was destroyed by the gods when a gold and jeweled starburst was stolen from the Temple of the Sun centuries ago, and that the ancient civilization will be reborn once the treasure is returned. Harry Steele (Charlton Heston), an American adventurer, is seeking the artifact, as is his nemesis Ed Morgan (Thomas Mitchell), along with Elena Antonescu (Nicole Maurey), an Iron Curtain refugee.

Production

"Secret of the Incas" was filmed by Paramount Pictures on location in Peru at Cuzco and Machu Picchu, the first time that a major Hollywood studio filmed at this archeological site. Five hundred native Indians were used as extras in the film. [ [http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=89450&category=Notes Production Notes - "Secret Of The Incas"] @ TCM Database] The film also featured the Peruvian singer Yma Sumac as Kori-Tica. The film caused a surge in tourism to Peru in 1954.

Influence

The film is often cited by film buffs as a direct inspiration for the Indiana Jones franchise of films, with many of the scenes in "Secret of the Incas" bear a striking resemblance in tone and structure to scenes in "Raiders of the Lost Ark". Throughout "Secret of the Incas", the main character, Harry Steele, can be seen wearing the "Indiana Jones" outfit - brown leather jacket, fedora, tan pants, an over-the-shoulder bag, and revolver. [ [http://www.theraider.net/information/influences/secret_of_incas.php Review] @ TheRaider.Net] "Raider's" costume designer Deborah Nadoolman Landis noted that the inspiration for Indiana's costume was Charlton Heston's Harry Steele in "Secret of the Incas": "We did watch this film together as a crew several times, and I always thought it strange that the filmmakers did not credit it later as the inspiration for the series." [cite news | author = Mike French & Gilles Verschuere | title = Debora Nadoolman interview | publisher = TheRaider.net | date = 2005-09-14 | url = http://www.theraider.net/features/interviews/deborah_nadoolman.php | accessdate=2008-04-07]

Other Media

On December 14, 1954, Charlton Heston and Nicole Maurey reprised their roles in a "Lux Radio Theatre" version of "Secret of the Incas". [ [http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=89450&category=Notes Production Notes - "Secret Of The Incas"] @ TCM Database]

ee also

* Indiana Jones
* Indiana Jones franchise
* "Raiders of the Lost Ark"

Notes

External links

*imdb title|id=0047464|title=Secret Of The Incas
*tcmdb title|id=89450|title=Secret Of The Incas
*http://www.secretoftheincas.co.uk
* [http://www.theraider.net/information/influences/secret_of_incas.php Review] @ TheRaider.Net
* [http://www.t-g.com/blogs/brianmosely/entry/17975/ "Indiana Heston" by Brian Mosely] - "Times-Gazette" - Shelbyville, Tennessee - Posted Sunday, April 27, 2008, at 5:03 PM
* [http://www.cinematical.com/2008/04/08/charlton-heston-the-first-indiana-jones/ "Charlton Heston: The First Indiana Jones?" by Richard von Busack] - Cinematical.com - Posted April 8, 2008 12:32 PM
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBnFtBwiUTE Video Clip # 1]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NveefDpjK6k Video Clip # 2]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeFy9S0MKp4 Video Clip # 3]