The Golden Head

It’s hard to see why Richard Thorpe’s 1965 adventure film—a pleasant, family-friendly romp that mixes light comedy with charming travelogue panoramas—was shelved after its London premiere and not released to U.S. theaters. A Scotland Yard officer in Hungary for an international convention of criminal investigators is distracted with his work while his three young children get mixed up with a pair of art thieves (George Sanders and Buddy Hackett) who seek to steal the golden bust of Saint László from the Cathedral of Gyór. A great deal of commotion and confusion ensue as the thieves try to frame the children for the crime and the youngsters tap into their own investigative skills to retrieve the priceless object. The urbane Sanders and raucous Hackett are delightful as mismatched scoundrels, but the real star of this film is Hungary’s countryside and cities as framed in the widescreen Super Technirama 70mm cinematography, which sparkles in this magnificently restored presentation. Admittedly, the film offers a non-political tourist’s view of Hungary, complete with a folk dancing segment and visit with the Budapest Ballet but no acknowledgement of the Soviet-era Communist government. Still, it is a charming diversion that deserves to be seen. Extras include two restored 70mm short films—the once-lost John Hubley-animated The Tale of Old Whiff (1960) and a paean to the Swiss military called Fortress of Peace (1964)—as well as restoration featurettes, an image gallery, and a booklet. Recommended. (P. Hall)