Secret of the Incas

Though this isn't a perfect movie, it's a fun adventure. The huge tidbit to know about this movie is that it MUST have been the inspiration for Indiana Jones and his adventures. Same hat and jacket, looks for ancient treasures, is double-crossed, steals an airplane, rides down rapids in a raft, has a romance and several more similarities. I never knew about this. Hey, credit where credit's due.

I would rate this much higher if not for the extremely unlikely & purposely vague ending. I only watched it to see how it influenced Raiders of the Lost Ark & was surprised to find a very compelling story. There's basically zero action compared to ROTLA but there's lots of great noirish private dick style dialogue & banter; a hero & damsel in distress who are both untrustworthy & even a genuinely good guy thrown in to make you unsure of how it will end. Unfortunately the ending blew it for me.

Not good, but worth seeing--and hearing--if only for Yma Sumac, a remarkable Peruvian vocalist of Inca heritage with an astonishing five octave range. (Or maybe she's just a Jewish girl from Brooklyn. There's a difference of opinion on this one.)