Haunted Gold (Full Frame)

VHS, 57 minutes, MGM

Alarming shadows, clutching hands, trap doors, secret passages and eerie phantoms abound in this entertaining mix of mystery and western action starring a youthful, athletic John Wayne. When in 1932 Warner Bros. decided to remake six of Ken Maynard's silent westerns, they searched for an actor bearing a resemblance to the original star so that action footage from Maynard's films could be reused. Chosen was 25-year-old John Wayne, who not only looked like Maynard, but could also do his own stunts! In "Haunted Gold," Wayne - assisted by his trusted white horse, Duke, and partner, Blue Washington - unravels the mystery of a deserted gold mine located beneath a ghost town. Look for the statue of the Maltese Falcon that appears in one scene (where heroine Sheila Terry plays the organ) and for the long shots of Maynard which Warner Bros. salvaged from the original film. For buffs of trivia, mystery, western and Wayne, this film is truly worth its weight in gold!.