Gold (2013)

The story of seven German immigrants bound for the distant Klondike gold fields in the 1890s.

At least three of them have responded to an ad Wilhelm Laser placed in a New York newspaper, promising a safe overland trip to Dawson and the gold fields.

The contingent includes a journalist named Muller, a former hand maiden named Emily and a man named Rossman who’s determined to find a better life for his wife and children than living in a dark, dank apartment in the city.

Carl Boehmer is their wrangler; the Dietzes will be their cooks.

That overland route to Dawson proves not so easy after all. Especially when Rossman loses his bearings.

There are all sorts of ominous signs that the group should turn back.

But they’re determined to continue their quest for gold, even after Laser proves himself a fraud by trying to steal their money.

Marko Mandic as Carl Boehmer, who becomes the de facto leader on the journey in Gold (2013)

Nina Hoss as Emily Meyer, pleased that the most difficult part of the trip appears to be over in Gold (2013)

Review:

A German-made film that scores points for its authentic feel, even if that does cause the film to drag at times as the tedium of their journey is pressed home for viewers.

Unfortunately, it also suffers from the English dubbing and some plot holes. Boehmer is on the run from a killing he committed during a run-in with rustlers in Virginia (?). And somehow this down-on-their-luck group managed to save wads of cash to finance this journey to Dawson?

Nina Hoss plays the former handmaiden and now divorced Emily Meyer. Maria Dietz predicts having a single woman along will cause problems among the men. To the contrary, Emily proves one of the toughest of the bunch, even if she is a novice when it comes to life on the frontier.

Uwe Bohm as Gustav Miller, encouraging his traveling companions not to give up in Gold (2013)

Peter Kurth as WIlhelm Laser, showing off nuggets he promises his companions can find at the end of their trip in Gold (2013)

Directed by:
Thomas Arslan

Cast:
Nina Hoss … Emily Meyer
Marko Mandic … Carl Boehmer
Peter Kurth … Wilhelm Laser
Uwe Bohm … Gustav Muller
Rosa Enskat … Maria Dietz
Wolfgang Pakchauser … Otto Dietz
Lars Rudolph … Joseph Rossman
Terry Lewis … Vengeance seeker
Steve Thackray … Vengeance seeker

Runtime: 101 min.

Rosa Enskat as Maria Dietz and Wolfgang Pakchauser as her husband Otto, facing the difficult decision to turn back in Gold (2013)

Lars Rudolph as Joseph Rossman and Uwe Bohm as Gustav Muller, hunting for something more appetizing to eat in Gold (2013)

Memorable lines:

Muller: “Let’s drink to a successful voyage.”
Laser: “Muller, we agreed on a bare minimum of provisions.”
Muller: There’s no need for pettiness, Laser. No one could object to a good beer. The sooner we’ve drunk it, the lighter my load will be.”

Boehmer: “Leave that horse be. He’s doesn’t like strangers touching him.”
Emily, who’s gotten a gruff welcome from the wrangler: “I suspect he’s yours?”

Mark Mandic as Carl Boehmer, wounded but still able to defend himself in Gold (2013)

Nina Hoss as Emily Meyer and Lars Rudolph as Joseph Rossman, realizing a fellow traveler is in danger in Gold (2013)