Gold (1974)

Interesting action-thriller concerning a private syndicate conspiring to influence the price of gold on the stock market, by flooding a mine under the control of one its members. Roger Moore plays Rod Slater the newly appointed mine GM, enlisted by owner Bradford Dillman to ostensibly carry out a plan to drill into an underground reservoir in which there are untapped gold deposits. Of course, Moore isn't in on the ruse to affect the stock market, and both he and his employees risk becoming collateral damage unless Dillman's plan can be foiled.

Top-notch cast features Ray Milland as the mine's board director, his daughter played by Susannah York is Dillman's neglected wife who finds comfort in Moore's embrace, and Sir John Gielgud is the scheming syndicate boss, ruthless and double crossing in the extreme. Although Gielgud's role takes place in the boardroom back in London, his presence permeates the entire movie, such is his cold, sinister dominance. Gielgud's callous greed is shockingly immortalised in the scene in which he arranges for a Christmas 'present' to be sent to a betraying syndicate member that ends with catastrophic results.

Long but relatively taut thriller has the ingredients for success, with realistic looking set design, commanding score, competently handled action sequences and stunt-work, and a plot that weaves an engaging tale of sinister ambition and double cross. Considering all its elements (brassy theme tune, comic book villains, Maurice Binder's title sequence), "Gold" is something of a Bond surrogate, leveraging off Moore's alter ego at the time, and incorporating all the villains and motifs appropriate for a 007 adventure - by any other name. Great cast, highly entertaining.