Black Gold (1947 film)


Black Gold is a 1947 American drama film directed by Phil Karlson and starring Anthony Quinn. Karlson says it was Monogram's most expensive film til that time. It was the first Monogram Pictures film released under the Allied Artists banner.
It was also the first leading role for Anthony Quinn.

Premise

A native American Indian trains a horse for the Kentucky Derby.

Cast

The film was based on the true story of the horse Black Gold, which won the 1924 Kentucky Derby.
Karlson later said "I made such a strong statement that the Indian nations all picked it up. They realized what we were saying in there. The average guy that would go see a motion picture in those days went to see entertainment. We weren't making statements, we were making cops 'n' robbers and good guys and bad guys. But to look at something and see the truth, for a change, was something that was unusual in those days."
Karlson says the film took a year to make because "I wanted the seasons. I went to Churchill Downs for the Derby and had to do the races here, and I had to get some desert scenes... a lot of time lapses in the picture." He said he made four other movies while making Black Gold.