Flaming Gold
Brief Synopsis
Two friends working a jungle oil field clash when one marries a lady of the evening.
Cast & Crew
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Ralph Ince
Director
Bill Boyd
[Dan] Manton
Mae Clarke
Claire [Gordon Manton]
Pat O'brien
[Ben] Lear
Robert Mcwade
[Bill] Conway
Helen Ware
Tampico Tess [Terrill]
Film Details
Also Known As
Fire-Eaters
Genre
Drama
Release Date
Sep
29,
1933
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
Distribution Company
RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
Country
United States
Technical Specs
Duration
54m
Sound
Mono (RCA Sound System)
Color
Black and White
Film Length
6 reels
Synopsis
Because they refuse to give in to their competitors, who want them to shut down their modest oil drilling operation in Mexico, Dan Manton and Ben Lear's oil well becomes the target of sabotage. During the sabotage maneuver, however, the competitors' oil fields catch fire and their entire set of rigs is threatened. Although the opposition's leader offers Dan and Ben, who are experts at controlling oil fires, $5,000 to help subdue the blaze, the proud duo rejects their rival's money. Impressed by Dan and Ben's spunk, Tampico Tess Terrill, a former prostitute who runs the local saloon, insists that they help her to develop some rich oil land that she owns, and sends Dan to New York to ask businessman William Conway, a former admirer, for a loan with which to start drilling. Out of nostalgic gratitude to Tess, Conway gives Dan $50,000 to begin drilling and then asks his secretary, Dill, to arrange a date for his visitor. Dill contacts a professional "escort" agency and pays Claire Gordon to spend an evening with the unsuspecting Dan. After two romantic days with Claire, who maintains that she is a friend of Dill's, Dan asks her to come to Mexico with him. Nervous about her past, Claire at first rejects Dan, but finally agrees to marry him. By the time they reach Tess's oil fields, however, Ben has learned through Conway the truth about Claire's employment. Although he reveals nothing to Dan, Ben snubs Claire and insults her repeatedly in front of Dan. When Dan then leaves the remote fields to secure the company payroll, Ben rudely confronts Claire with her past and accuses her of being a gold digger. Furious at Ben's insinuations, Claire declares that she married Dan only for love and dares him to tell Dan the truth. Ben, overwhelmed by Claire's obvious sincerity, apologizes to her and, by the time Dan returns, becomes her chief ally. Although glad that his partner and wife have called a truce, Dan grows increasingly jealous of their sudden friendship and finally confronts them with his suspicions. To protect Claire, Ben refuses to explain his change of heart to Dan. Claire, however, confesses her past to her stunned husband, then announces that she is leaving. As Claire cries into her pillow, Dan and Ben's well suddenly strikes oil, and a forgiving Dan begs his wife to remain his "partner."
Director
Ralph Ince
Director
Cast
Bill Boyd
[Dan] Manton
Mae Clarke
Claire [Gordon Manton]
Pat O'brien
[Ben] Lear
Robert Mcwade
[Bill] Conway
Helen Ware
Tampico Tess [Terrill]
Rollo Lloyd
[Harry] Banning
Crew
W. G. Boles
Chief Electrician
Malcolm S. Boylan
Screenwriter
Houston Branch
Story
Carroll Clark
Settings
Cecil Cooney
Assistant Camera
Merian C. Cooper
Executive Producer
George Crone
Editing
John Goodrich
Screenwriter
J. C. Grubb
Rec Assistant
Fred Hendrickson
Still Photographer
Fred Hynes
Rec Assistant
Sam Jaffe
Associate Producer
Rollo Lloyd
Dialogue Director
Bob Margolis
Assistant Director
Desmond Marquette
Assistant Editor
Van Nest Polglase
Settings
Frank Redman
Camera Operator
Charles Rosher
Photography
Sammy Ruman
Chief propman
Marvin Wilson
Chief grip
Earl A. Wolcott
Recording
Film Details
Also Known As
Fire-Eaters
Genre
Drama
Release Date
Sep
29,
1933
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
Distribution Company
RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
Country
United States
Technical Specs
Duration
54m
Sound
Mono (RCA Sound System)
Color
Black and White
Film Length
6 reels
Articles
Flaming Gold -
A tale of wildcat oil drillers in Mexico, RKO's Flaming Gold (1933) was described by reviewers as two different movies pasted together. Directed by early film pioneer Ralph Ince, the story begins as a critique of big business, with the large World Wide Oil Company attempting to sabotage the independent drilling outfit of Dan and Ben (William Boyd and Pat O'Brien). An arson fire instead burns up the WWO's much larger oilfield. As Dan and Ben are the only experts on the scene, their competitor has no choice but to ask them to take on the job of extinguishing the well fires. That story comes to an abrupt end and is replaced with the boys' search for a new well. Saloon keeper 'Tampico Tess Terrell' (Helen Ware) sends Dan to New York to secure funds from an old friend, who also sets Dan up with a call girl, Claire (Mae Clarke). The pair marry and return to Mexico, where Ben tries to break up the marriage. Romantic leading man William Boyd would soon devote himself exclusively to his 'Hopalong Cassidy' western series, while freebooting actor Pat O'Brien settled in as a Warner Bros. contract player. Critics noted that the real Standard Oil Building on Broadway in NYC, stood in for the headquarters of the film's predatory World Wide Oil Company. Although the film's original title was Fire Eaters the boys turn down the firefighting job, and the tale of cutthroat business becomes a buddy picture, with a good-bad girl trying to convince her husband's pal that she married for love. Reviewers did point out one thing in Flaming Gold that they thought was innovative: a concluding scene that shows the boys covered with oil as their well comes in. Apparently that particular visual wasn't yet established as a cliché.
Flaming Gold -
A tale of wildcat oil drillers in Mexico, RKO's Flaming Gold (1933) was described by reviewers as two different movies pasted together. Directed by early film pioneer Ralph Ince, the story begins as a critique of big business, with the large World Wide Oil Company attempting to sabotage the independent drilling outfit of Dan and Ben (William Boyd and Pat O'Brien). An arson fire instead burns up the WWO's much larger oilfield. As Dan and Ben are the only experts on the scene, their competitor has no choice but to ask them to take on the job of extinguishing the well fires. That story comes to an abrupt end and is replaced with the boys' search for a new well. Saloon keeper 'Tampico Tess Terrell' (Helen Ware) sends Dan to New York to secure funds from an old friend, who also sets Dan up with a call girl, Claire (Mae Clarke). The pair marry and return to Mexico, where Ben tries to break up the marriage. Romantic leading man William Boyd would soon devote himself exclusively to his 'Hopalong Cassidy' western series, while freebooting actor Pat O'Brien settled in as a Warner Bros. contract player. Critics noted that the real Standard Oil Building on Broadway in NYC, stood in for the headquarters of the film's predatory World Wide Oil Company. Although the film's original title was Fire Eaters the boys turn down the firefighting job, and the tale of cutthroat business becomes a buddy picture, with a good-bad girl trying to convince her husband's pal that she married for love. Reviewers did point out one thing in Flaming Gold that they thought was innovative: a concluding scene that shows the boys covered with oil as their well comes in. Apparently that particular visual wasn't yet established as a cliché.
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working title of this film was Fire-Eaters. RKO borrowed Mae Clarke from M-G-M for this production. According to a Hollywood Reporter news item, Edward McWade was signed for a role in the film, but his participation in the final film has not been confirmed.
