Secret of the Incas

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Secret of the Incas
Directed by Jerry Hopper
Produced by Mel Epstein (associate)
Hal B. Wallis (executive)
Written by Sydney Boehm
Ranald MacDougall
Boehm Maximum
Starring Charlton Heston
Robert Young
Nicole Maurey
Thomas Mitchell
Yma Sumac
Music by David Buttolph
Cinematography Lionel Lindon
Irma Roberts
Editing by Eda Warren
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date(s) June 6, 1954
Running time 100 min.
Country Flag of the United States United States
Language English
IMDb profile

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

Contents

[edit] Cast

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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.[1] The film also featured the Peruvian singer Yma Sumac as Kori-Tica. The film caused a surge in tourism to Peru in 1954.

[edit] 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.[2]

Charlton Heston and Nicole Maurey
Charlton Heston and Nicole Maurey

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."[3]

[edit] 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.[4]

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Production Notes - Secret Of The Incas @ TCM Database
  2. ^ Review @ TheRaider.Net
  3. ^ Mike French & Gilles Verschuere. "Debora Nadoolman interview", TheRaider.net, 2005-09-14. Retrieved on 2008-04-07. 
  4. ^ Production Notes - Secret Of The Incas @ TCM Database

[edit] External Links


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