River of Gold

Two American adventurers on a Mexican island find themselves swept up in the search for the fabled RIVER OF GOLD.

This made-for-TV feature is an enjoyable tale, offering plenty of fisticuffs and romantics. Although the plot is a bit more convoluted than the film's 74 minutes can handle, there is still entertainment in enjoying the action, puzzling out the meaning of a mysterious poem (don't try) and enjoying the antics of a good cast.

Playing an evil millionaire who won't shirk at murder, Ray Milland acts properly villainous in his three scenes. Lovely Suzanne Pleshette is completely fetching as an eagerly amorous young widow. As the buddy duo sailboating around the world, sensitive Dack Rambo & stalwart Roger Davis make an energetic team--it's too bad the ratings didn't warrant producing more of their exploits.

From the first edition of his 1974 autobiography, Wide-eyed In Babylon, it is obvious that Milland despised this film and had contempt for his two male costars. The name of the guys' sailboat, the Fred C. Dobbs, was Bogart's shiftless character in THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE (1948).

Handsome beach drifters Roger Davis (as Marcus McAllister) and Dack Rambo (as Riley Briggs) take their boat down the coast of Mexico, to look for pretty women and sunken treasure. While Mr. Davis spies on a nearby yacht party, Mr. Rambo goes scuba diving. Rambo surfaces without treasure, and the two watch jet-setters arrive at the party via helicopter. The men are shocked when a beautiful woman drops from the helicopter and disappears into the ocean. While Rambo goes underwater to look for her, Davis is nearly killed by a ship helmed by sinister Ray Milland (as Evelyn Rose).

Soon, Mr. Milland fishes both men out of the water. Milland is somehow connected to the lost lady, and wants Davis and Rambo to stop searching. The duo manage to escape Milland's clutches with a clue - the missing woman's compact. This leads them to widow Suzanne Pleshette (as Anna), who was married to the lover of the missing woman. Davis falls in love with Pleshette, which irks Milland crew member Jorge Luke (as Tomas). And, Rambo becomes obsessed with finding the woman they saw disappear into the ocean…

Rambo and Davis keep it going, but this high-rated "ABC Movie of the Week" doesn't end up being very compelling. Although they are higher billed, Milland and Pleshette are supporting players. Milland had just had a late career peak in "Love Story" and Pleshette would soon hook up with Bob Newhart. Rambo was coming off "The Guns of Will Sonnett" and Davis was in between "Dark Shadows" and "Alias Smith and Jones". All very likable performers. Watch for Rambo to call Pedro Armendáriz Jr. (as Angel) by his real name, and be corrected - the two actors handle the name confusion smoothly.

***** River of Gold (3/9/71) David Friedkin ~ Dack Rambo, Roger Davis, Ray Milland

The endless reworking of the Butch Cassidy buddy movie theme continues with this modest film. Roger Davis and Dack Rambo play bickering sailors who sail their boat into tropical Mexican waters, encountering local boss Ray Milland and widow Suzanne Pleshette. Along the way the sailors battle Milland and his henchmen while romancing the lovely Pleshette, leading to an unconvincing ending which really doesn't explain much about the story.

After a promising start, the second half of the movie disintegrates into the usual buddy shenanigans as the pair fight unconvincing battles with Milland's thugs. The action scenes are poorly done and by the end the film seems to have no point at all as the heroes escape via helicopter with an angry Milland watching them leave with a scowl on his face.

If you're excited about seeing Pleshette and Milland, forget it. Even though they are top billed, they both have fairly minor roles in this movie. There's one unintentionally funny party sequence and the scenery is beautiful, but that's about it.