Charlton Heston

Robert Young

Nicole Maurey

Thomas Mitchell

Glenda Farrell

Michael Pate

Leon Askin

William Henry

Kurt Katch

Edward Colmans

Yma Sumac

Alvy Moore

Marion Ross

Mel Epstein

Ranald MacDougall

Sydney Boehm

Boehm Maximum

David Buttolph

Jerry Hopper

Lionel Lindon

John P. Fulton

Hal Pereira

Sam Comer

Daniel McCauley

Edith Head

Tambi Larsen

Frank R. McKelvy

Eda Warren

John Cope

Wally Westmore

Harry D. Mills

Action

Adventure

Secret of the Incas

Paramount Pictures

United States of America

**_Indiana Jones three decades before the character existed_**

An American adventurer in Cuzco, Peru, halfheartedly works as a tour guide, but his real interest is a priceless Incan artifact. He schemes to steal a Romanian official’s plane to make it to the lost city of Machu Picchu in the remote high country of the Andes, where he’s surprised to discover an archaeological dig is taking place. Robert Young plays the leader of the scientists.

"Secret of the Incas" (1954) is an adventure flick that became the blueprint for Indiana Jones in the 80s, the first film of course being the exceptional “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” While Harry Steele (Heston) certainly dresses like Indiana Jones, he’s not a noble professor; he’s a cynical and avaricious treasure hunter, not to mention opportunist. In the last act there is a tomb sequence featuring a revealing shaft of light similar to the Map Room scene in “Raiders.”

Being shot in 1953, this naturally has a quainter tone by comparison. The first 45 minutes, for instance, entirely take place in a remote Andes town with a lot of talk and little action, which might turn off fans of Indiana Jones. But I enjoyed Heston’s towering presence and nonchalant mojo. His character, Harry Steele, is similar to Taylor in “Planet of the Apes” (1968), just fourteen years younger.

The Andes sequences are scenic and striking Peruvian vocalist Yma Sumac plays the role of Kori-Tica with a couple of extraordinary singing sequences. Meanwhile Nicole Maurey is sharp as the Romanian defector, Elena.

The film runs 1 hour, 41 minutes, and was shot in Peru at Cuzco and Machu Picchu with (obvious) studio scenes done at Paramount Studios in Hollywood. The studio sets are surprisingly well done and convincing enough.

GRADE: B-/B