Caboblanco. Where legends are born.
1980-03-13
$10.0M
87 min
Giff Hoyt, a cafe owner in Cabo Blanco, Peru after World War II is caught between refuge-seeking Nazis and their enemies. After the murder of a sea explorer is passed off as accidental death by the corrupt local police, Giff becomes suspicious. The police chief also intimidates a new arrival Marie, and Giff intervenes to help her. Giff suspects Beckdorff, a Nazi refugee living in the area. Beckdorff, it emerges, is seeking to uncover sunken treasure.
Unfortunately, with the possible exception of "Death on the Nile" (1978), the presence of Simon MacCorkindale is rarely a portent for a good movie, and here is no different. When a diver is found drowned off the coast of Caboblanco, Peru, the official line is that is was accidental. Local taverna owner "Giff Hoyt" (Charles Bronson) smells a rat, and that smell gets stronger when "Marie" (Dominique Sanda) arrives in town and falls foul of the local authorities that seems a little too beholden to local German businessman "Gunther Beckdorff" (Jason Robards). Something is afoot - and it doesn't take them long to suss out that there might be gold on a wreck just off the coast. Comparisons with "Casablanca" (1942) are certain to be drawn but though there are plot similarities, the comparison ends pretty sharpish - this is simply nowhere near as good. There is far too much dialogue, a distinct lack of subtlety and style as the story develops and a paucity of action as Bronson is clearly just interested in collecting his fee. The ending is brash and garish too and this whole adventure offers precious little to engage the audience. Forgettable film, that, luckily, is easy to forget.
