Copyright 1957 by Regal Films, Inc. Released through 20th Century- Fox Film Corp. No New York opening. U.S. release: October 1957. U.K. release: No recorded release date. Reviewed in the Monthly Film Bulletin: February 1958. Australian release: 24 April 1958. 6,875 feet. 76 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: A TV adventurer searches for hidden treasure off the coast of South America.
NOTES: The dean of American film editors, Merrill G. White was known by his peers as "The Wizard of the Cutting-Room".
COMMENT: Despite the credits announcement that this Regal effort was co-written and directed by none other than Merrill G. White, this is a most disappointing support. To my utmost surprise, "the wizard of the cutting-room" (as he was often titled) betrays not the slightest hint of talent in any of his writing, directing and editing capacities (except for one single, totally irrelevant shot in a swimming pool with the camera half-submerged beneath the water).
However, there is an unconscionable amount of aimless threshing about in the studio tank. 2nd unit director Paul Stader's instructions doubtless included such items as: Ten shots of a man diving overboard from the rigging of a skiff.
Something might have been made of the ghost diver, but the directors approach even this incident not only with a conspicuous lack of imagination, but even of elementary know-how.
SYNOPSIS: A TV adventurer searches for hidden treasure off the coast of South America.
NOTES: The dean of American film editors, Merrill G. White was known by his peers as "The Wizard of the Cutting-Room".
COMMENT: Despite the credits announcement that this Regal effort was co-written and directed by none other than Merrill G. White, this is a most disappointing support. To my utmost surprise, "the wizard of the cutting-room" (as he was often titled) betrays not the slightest hint of talent in any of his writing, directing and editing capacities (except for one single, totally irrelevant shot in a swimming pool with the camera half-submerged beneath the water).
However, there is an unconscionable amount of aimless threshing about in the studio tank. 2nd unit director Paul Stader's instructions doubtless included such items as: Ten shots of a man diving overboard from the rigging of a skiff.
Something might have been made of the ghost diver, but the directors approach even this incident not only with a conspicuous lack of imagination, but even of elementary know-how.