Film: Gold

Film Title: Gold

Award Designation: Love Unlimited Film Festival & Art Exhibition Award Winner.

Director: Bob Levis

Cast: Garry Goodrow (Lead Actor), Funky Sam Ridge (Lead Actor), Carolyn Parr (Lead Actor), Del Close (Lead Actor), Orville Schell (Lead Actor), Dorothy Schmidt (Supporting)

Country: USA

Category: Experimental Film

Short Synopsis: In 1968 gold is once again discovered in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. A train full of fellow travelers set out for gold country but a corrupt cop and a politician with a wandering eye conspire to take control. A tag-a-long trickster the 'Hawk' with the help of the town drunk thwart their plans.

Detailed Synopsis: Gold is discovered in the foothills of the Sierra Mountains. A cop, Captain Harold Jinks of the State Police, and a politician, Verbal Talkingham, conspire to take control of what promises to be a lucrative haul but unbeknownst to them they are overheard by a bumbling loser, the Hawk.Following the gold craze a rag tag group of vagabonds boards a train headed for the gold strike. More interested in a good time than pursuing the glittering ore the crowd quickly crosses over to what the cop, a law and order freak, considers anarchy. He calls in the militia to subdue the unruly party folks shortly after his colleague the politician has satisfied a wandering eye. The party people head for the hills where they encounter a grueling trek. The Hawk, who has been harassed by the cop lingers behind and much to his surprise comes across a group of mud nymphs who seem to have lived in and around the lakes from the beginning of time. The Hawk warns them that the cop may be up to no good and no sooner has he said this than we see the cop driving around in a hearse arresting any one he sees swimming in the nude. He also calls for a town meeting where speeches are given both by the politician who call for a Common Sense Party and Roy Acorn, the town drunk. The people seem to favor Roy because he poses no threat but the cop distracts the crowd with a busty dancer so he can rig the election and pounds on poor old Roy Acorn, the people's choice. Poisoned by power the cop, having no more use for the topless dancer, beats her up in a macabre display of sadism. He then proceeds to evict a family from their burned out dwelling but notices his colleague cavorting in the woods with a local lady. He confronts his one time co-conspirator in a junkyard and warns him to stop his escapades. The politician laughs at him and threatens to walk down town naked. The cop shoots and kills the politician. Once again, the Hawk is on the scene and observes from nearby. The cop goes downtown with a coffin and lectures to the townsfolk about law and order. He invites the people to file past the coffin but when he opens the lid he sees the Hawk! Ruffled, the cop slams the coffin shut. The next morning the Hawk, while burying the politician, bumps into the town drunk, Roy Acorn. Neither know what's going on. The Hawk heads for the town fair where he drifts into a dream during which time the nude politician turns over the reins of power to the Hawk and urges him to lead a revolution. Snapped out of his dream by a mischievous clown the Hawk finds a new born burst of energy and runs back to find Roy Acorn and enlist him in the revolution. The two of them begin building weapons from parts found in the junkyard. They read and study revolutionary tracts and assemble molotov cocktails. Meanwhile, the cop has hoarded everybody else into a barbed wire makeshift jail where the inmates preserve their humanity through touching and feeling rather than succumb to the punishment proscribed for them by the killjoy cop. Ready for the final assault, the Hawk and Roy Acorn have morphed into Che Guevera and Fidel Castro. They fire off rounds from a cannon they have built and start downhill in their rattletrap buggy. Quickly, they gain speed and Roy Acorn loses control hurtling into a bull dozer conveniently parked in a ravine. The Hawk immediately recognizes the potential and jumps onto the bull dozer shouting, 'Viva La revolution!' but notices his motionless dear friend and revolutionary cohort. He runs to Roy's aid but is too late. Roy Acorn is dead. The Hawk releases a mournful cry that reverberates throughout the hills but remembering his revolutionary oath he steadfastly pushes ahead. He mounts the bull dozer and jerks his way down to the concentration camp jail and blasts through the fence where he is greeted by roars from the prisoners. Not content with freeing the townsfolk the Hawk puts the bull dozer back in gear and smashes the guard house. The cop just barely escapes but in hot pursuit are the Hawk and the town's people. But the people soon tire and collectively decide that rather than seeking revenge they would like to get back to enjoying their swimming hole. Not so, the Hawk. He tracks the cop to an old mine shaft and captures him. The Hawk leads the cop back to the swimming hole where his pants are forcibly shed revealing long underwear. And, underneath the underwear is a mason's shield covering up his private parts. Completely nude the cop is gently pushed off the dock and into the water. All is forgiven. The people can now swim in the buff without fear of being bothered by a deranged officer of the law. The nymphs of the mud mysteriously reappear. And, it is presumed that everybody lives happily ever after.


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