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IMDbPro

Treasure of the Yankee Zephyr

Original title: Race for the Yankee Zephyr
  • 19811981
  • PGPG
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
981
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
48,711
13,014
Treasure of the Yankee Zephyr (1981)
ActionAdventureDrama
A drunken deer hunter, his pilot colleague and his daughter compete with a villainous treasure hunter to reach a lake nestled among the mountains of New Zealand, where a WWII-era plane wreck... Read allA drunken deer hunter, his pilot colleague and his daughter compete with a villainous treasure hunter to reach a lake nestled among the mountains of New Zealand, where a WWII-era plane wreck carrying a fortune in gold is submerged.A drunken deer hunter, his pilot colleague and his daughter compete with a villainous treasure hunter to reach a lake nestled among the mountains of New Zealand, where a WWII-era plane wreck carrying a fortune in gold is submerged.
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
981
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
48,711
13,014
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • David Hemmings
    • Writer
      • Everett De Roche(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Ken Wahl
      • Lesley Ann Warren
      • Donald Pleasence
    Top credits
    • Director
      • David Hemmings
    • Writer
      • Everett De Roche(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Ken Wahl
      • Lesley Ann Warren
      • Donald Pleasence
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 16User reviews
    • 20Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • Photos29

    Treasure of the Yankee Zephyr (1981)
    Treasure of the Yankee Zephyr (1981)
    Ken Wahl in Treasure of the Yankee Zephyr (1981)
    Donald Pleasence in Treasure of the Yankee Zephyr (1981)
    Treasure of the Yankee Zephyr (1981)
    Lesley Ann Warren in Treasure of the Yankee Zephyr (1981)
    Ken Wahl in Treasure of the Yankee Zephyr (1981)
    Donald Pleasence in Treasure of the Yankee Zephyr (1981)
    George Peppard and Donald Pleasence in Treasure of the Yankee Zephyr (1981)
    Donald Pleasence in Treasure of the Yankee Zephyr (1981)
    Donald Pleasence in Treasure of the Yankee Zephyr (1981)
    Treasure of the Yankee Zephyr (1981)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Ken Wahl
    Ken Wahl
    • Barney
    Lesley Ann Warren
    Lesley Ann Warren
    • Sally
    Donald Pleasence
    Donald Pleasence
    • Gilbert Carson
    George Peppard
    George Peppard
    • Theo Brown
    Bruno Lawrence
    Bruno Lawrence
    • Barker
    Grant Tilly
    • Collector
    Robert Bruce
    • The Bartender
    Harry Rutherford-Jones
    • Harry
    Tony Sparks
    • Brown's Henchman
    Clark Walkington
    • Brown's Henchman
    Frank Taurua
    • Brown's Henchman
    Steve Nicolle
    • Brown's Henchman
    Dick Jones
    • Brown's Henchman
    Dennis Hunt
    • Brown's Henchman
    Franklin D. Roosevelt
    Franklin D. Roosevelt
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • David Hemmings
    • Writer
      • Everett De Roche(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This movie is based on a true to life incident about the disappearance during World War II of an American DC-3 military airplane which was carrying the payroll for the American Pacific Fleet and crashed but was later found off Cape York in North Queensland, Australia. Screenwriter Everett De Roche has said he conceived the film from this story, which had been told to him by one of his neighbors in Mount Isa in Queensland, Australia.
    • Goofs
      When Brown's goons confront Barney at the farm, the chopper is running. He even throttles it up to make his point clear. However, when Brown and his goons drive away, Barney jumps into the chopper, which is no longer running.
    • Quotes

      Gilbert Carson: Yessir, big bucks. And nobody knows about it, but me.

      Barney: Good for you. You know, you're eatin' the cat food.

      Gilbert Carson: D'you know how much war medals is worth, to avid collectors?

      Barney: Big bucks?

      Gilbert Carson: Too darn right! You couldn't find 'em in a fit- cat food?

    • Crazy credits
      After the first unit credits, Theo Brown pops up in the lake, wearing an inflatable life vest and bellowing for help. He continues to call for assistance as the second unit credits roll.
    • Connections
      Edited into MacGyver: A Prisoner of Conscience (1986)
    • Soundtracks
      Beautiful Browneye
      (uncredited)

      Performed by Donald Pleasence and chorus

    User reviews16

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    5/10
    Great New Zealand Vistas, and daredevil helicopter stunt flying
    This is a nice campy little film that the whole family might enjoy IF you can find a copy anywhere. However there are many unrealistic "shoot em up" scenes, which may leave the young to think that gunplay has no consequences. I won't describe the plot as given elsewhere.

    There are two great helicopter chase scenes in the film (reminiscent of "the Gauntlet") that really show off some of the backcountry beauty of New Zealand that frankly, you would not be able to see without a helicopter.

    There are also many later scenes of "expert maneuvers" in helicopter, such as "quickstop-pedalturn-reverse heading", a "hammerhead pushover" or two, "sidewall dismount", and "confined spaces settling". The pilotage is excellent.

    The film also shows some of the wild ruggedness of New Zealand's South Island, where(at the time the film was made at least in 1981) the only paved roads are in larger towns and cities, and the country thoroughfares are primarily just "metal" (gravel roads) though always well maintained. And yes, the peaks really are that jagged. No special effects.

    Donald Pleasance, as a happy go lucky over the hill sot, plays his character to perfection. He makes numerous muttering quips similar to the humorous mutterings you hear in the vintage "a.a.p." Popeye cartoons. Unfortunately, many of these mutterings in RFYZ are unintelligible without multiple rewinds and equalizing to hear what is said. A bit frustrating, as there are probably a few lost jokes in there.

    George Peppard's accent is a very forced upper class snotty, which conforms to his portrayed character adequately.

    Ken Wahl and Lesley Ann Warren's characters play well off of each other to establish a typical independent rugged male vs. coddled entitled wenging female dynamic that would be "toxic" if not for nuances of a smoldering mutual sexual interest. There is one very brief fully clothed and appearing to have been intentionally directed "doggie style" movement between Wahl and Warren masked in a "struggling to escape" context that adds a subliminal mild eroticism to the play, but will go right over the heads of the kiddies. (Though may well spark Mom and Dad's fantasies once the kiddies have gone to sleep . . . .) There are no overt sexual references in the film that the kiddies would understand, however there is a brief "wet slip" scene which does faintly reveal the nature of LAW's upper "endowments".

    Shooting violence is significant, including use of assault weapons, but amazingly through the expenditures of hundreds of rounds of ammo, nobody ever gets hurt(hooray for Hollywood), nor is their accompanying gore.

    Conversational and expletive profanity (all but the F word and genital synonyms) are typical for middle class language, and would likely only be offensive to "devout" types, though may be inappropriate to guarded "inculcation" of pre-teens.

    Overall a fun "adventure" type film that all can enjoy as long as the young'uns are thoroughly coached or cognizant that in real life all the gunplay would really end up with lot's of dead people. And a must see for anyone interested in the wilds of New Zealand that could otherwise not be seen, or any student of rotor-wing aviation. Though all shots are exterior, so accurate control inputs are not shown. Choppers used are Hughes 269, Hughes 500C and Bell 206.
    helpful•8
    5
    • doc91555
    • Oct 5, 2008

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 13, 1984 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Australia
      • New Zealand
      • United States
    • Official site
      • IFM Film World Releasing Official Site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Race to the Yankee Zephyr
    • Filming locations
      • Queenstown, Otago, New Zealand
    • Production companies
      • Hemdale
      • Pact Productions
      • Fay, Richwite
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $6,000,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 31 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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