Estouffade à la Caraïbe (aka The Looters)

Former safecracker Sam Morgan has bought himself a motor yacht with the money. With the 'Ipanema' he cruises cigar-smoking millionaires for deep-sea fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. In the end, the obvious ladies' man gallantly helps the tanned millionaire's wife, who is obvious very taken with him, off the boat. Actually shot at the marina of Port Pierre Canto at Cannes, Côte d’Azur, where to the left in the far distance the Esterel mountain range can be recognized.

The millionaire's wife, in turn, shows Morgan her gratitude by discreetly handing him a $10 bill, with the handwritten note "HILTON App=nt 205 - 16H30" upon it.

After Morgan's sidekick remarks, with a knowing air, that he wouldn't push her off the edge of the bed either, Morgan, clearly a man of principle, presses the ten-dollar bill into his buddy's hand and says that she’s not exactly a shy wallflower. Shot at the parking lot of Port Pierre Canto, with the apartement buildings along Boulevard de la Croisette visible above.

Instead of the Hilton hotel, Morgan cheerfully makes his way to his local pub. Facing south from 10 Rue Henri Biais, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Côte d’Azur. (SR)

In the alleys of the old town, a blond lout, harassing a young blonde, bumps into Morgan from behind. Shot by the archway at Rue Baron de Brès in Villefranche-sur-Mer. The same spot also appears in 'A Certain Smile' (see Capture 43).

Of course, our hero rushes to the aid of the damsel in distress and beats up the uncouth fellow. The stairway is leading up to Saint-Michel church.

The gorgeous blonde turns out to be Colleen O'Hara and lets Morgan invite her to the bar. Morgan then insists on accompanying Colleen to the harbour where her yacht is moored. Quai Max Laubeuf in Cannes.

As the camera pans, the yacht turns out to be a magnificent schooner, which is why Morgan gladly accepts Colleen's invitation for a drink on board – something he would have been better off not doing. In the background the Croisette shoreline is visible.

Drugged and shanghaied Morgan wakes up the next morning with splitting headache and discovers that the yacht is on its way to the Caribbean. The upcoming establishing shot, filmed from the Convento de Santa Cruz de la Popa, shows Cartagena de Indias, located in the Bolívar department, Caribe region, Colombia, and standing in as Maatan City, capital of the fictional island state of Caribo. In the far right Puente Jimenez, crossing Caño de Bazurto, which connecting Ciénaga de las Quintas, to the left, and Laguna de San Làzaro. On the horizon, beyond Bahia Interior, Isla Tierra Bomba can be recognized.

The armored state limousine forces its way through the crowd, ...

.. carrying ruthless Colonel Targo (Fernand Bellan) as Head of the Paramilitary police forces in the backseat. So far unknown street in Cartagena, seen in one of the very few rear projections.

A reverse inside shot shows the motorcycle escort ahead chasing the town people off the road. Still unknown street in Cartagena.

The 1961 Dodge Dart Phoenix continues along the street towards the government district ...

.. where the state limousine stops in front of the Presidential palace, but in fact it's the Palacio de la Proclamación in Cartagena.

In the inner courtyard, Colonel Targo takes the stairs to the upper floor, where the chambers of His Excellency are located.

Disturbed by gunfire during his siesta, former mobster Patrick O'Hara is looking down from the balcony of his modest villa ...

.. towards the modest swimming pool, where a certain Clyde shoots at clay discs to kill time. So far unknown location.

While Dietrich (yes, the blond guy from Capture 6) sets off into the jungle in the Jeep, O'Hara accompanies Morgan up to the estate.

Meanwhile, Colleen has already reached the top and discovered O'Hara's mistress Estella in the hammock to the right.

After Morgan learns of O'Hara's true intentions, which also involve his former buddy Clyde, he has to assume that he is surrounded by complete fools. At the first opportunity, he grabs the Ford Mustang parked in front of the house and speeds off to the capital on Calle 30, where the monument 'Los Zapatos Viejos', made in 1957 by sculptor Héctor Lombana and one of Cartagena's distinctive landmarks, comes into view.

Morgan drives his 'rental car' directly down into the harbour district ...

.. gets out of the 'Pony' at the quay and asks about the next ship leaving the island. But without success.

Morgan tries his luck in one of the busy squares downtown, actually Plaza de los Coches, with Calle Portocarrero to the right. But here too, no one can or wants to help him ...

... as later on the street, where the poster sticker in response to Morgan's question disappears without any words. Shot along Carrera 3, by the corner with Calle 33 heading off to the left.

As Morgan continues walking to the right on Calle de la Inquisición, he notices three boys fiddling with the president's previously hung election poster and the wanted poster of the rebel leader Kosta.

Suddenly a Police patrol appears from Carrera 3 and tries to arrest the three boys, who have meanwhile swapped the lower parts of the two posters.

Morgan witnesses one of the fleeing boys being shot in the back. Our hero not only has principles but also a heart of gold. Without hesitation, he attacks the second Police officer.

Morgan manages to temporarily incapacitate the two Police officers, but they are already hot on his heels. In the background the clock tower of the San Augustin University is visible. Coming from Calle de la Estrella reaching the corner with Calle de Don Sancho and Calle de la Inglesia.

A 1953 Ford Customline suddenly stops at the next street corner. Morgan has no choice but to accept the stranger's offer in order to shake off his pursuers.

Looks like 'Group Portrait with Lady' – You know, by Heinrich Böll – as almost all 'The Looters' are gathered in front of O'Hara's villa: Valdés (Paul Crauchet), Sam Morgan (Frederick Stafford), Manolo (Cissé Karamoko), Clyde (Serge Gainsbourg), Patrick O'Hara (Mario Pisu) and Colleen O'Hara (Jean Seberg).

O'Hara's men, now with Morgan also on board thanks to Valdés, meet with rebel leader Kosta in the hide out in the middle of the jungle. Certainly just a movie prop. To find out why, see Captures 51 to 53.

Sultry Estella (Maria-Rosa Rodriguez) wants nothing to do with revolution, but wants to return to Mataan City as quickly as possible. While Clyde assists her with her makeup, Valdés warns her not to show her face on the streets of the capital and suggests she go into hiding in the provinces.

Meanwhile, the river steamer chugs on Canal de Dique downstream, past a previously unknown village. And also past this poor donkey, which is obviously tied up so that it cannot run out of the picture to escape the scorching heat, as actually the film works on location started on August 1966. By the way, also called Totten Canal, the current route of Canal de Dique was opened originally in 1851 after six years of construction under the direction of the North American civil engineer George Muirson Totten, connecting Río Magdalena with the Bahia de Cartagena.

Another establishing shot by the Cartagena harbour district, with the view towards Puerta del Reloj, former Boca del Puente, completed in 1738 as original entrance of the fortified town and later crowned with the Torre del Reloj (clock tower) as the main gate to the now Centro district.

Our quartet disembarks, while the cupola of Santuario de San Pedro Claver can be recognized in the far background, ...

... and heads towards the central bus station at Avenida Blas de Lezo, next to Plaza de Independencia.

After Estella has boarded the just departing Unitransco bus with her makeup case, filled with jewellery by O'Hara, Clyde says: "I bet you, this girl will die rich". While Morgan can't suppress a grin, Valdés seems rather skeptical ...

... as the bus rumbels out of the city. In reality, however, the 1954 Chevrolet Advance-Design type serves the districts of Torices and Crespo in Cartagena. In the far background the bell tower of Catedral de Santa Catalina de Alejandria can be recognized.

During a cocktail party, Morgan and Clyde uninvitedly visit the mansion of the US Construction contractor, who had built the vault inside the fortress, in order to steal the blueprints, which are located in his bedroom safe, of course. So far unknown location, perhaps shot also at the French Riviera.

Meanwhile, the Police are already on Estella's trail and she is arrested shortly afterwards and interrogated by Colonel Targo. So far unknown street in Cartagena.

According to Valdés, Morgan and Clyde are supposed to meet his middleman in the arena who will take them back to Kosta's village.

The arena turns out to be a bullring, now used as an open-air cinema theatre. And the waiting middleman turns out to be quite dead.

Colonel Targo's tried-and-tested interrogation methods also work on Estella. And so the two buddies suddenly find themselves surrounded by Paramilitary forces. Shot in the former Serrezuela bullring, which was constructed in 1893 and had a capacity of 3,500 spectators.

Since Targo's order is clear – to capture Morgan and Clyde alive – the two manage to leave the arena unscathed. With a rickety Pick-Up Clyde has borrowed from somewhere at Calle de la Serrezuela, which leading along the city wall, called Las Murallas de Cartagena, ...

.. the two escape finally by the gateway at the corner with Calle 39, where the waters of Laguna del Cabrero can be seen in the background. But both gradually realize that Estella may have been snatched by the police and since has pretty spit out the beans.

The 1954 Ford F100 will take far too long to get back to the remote village, so a faster vehicle is needed. While Clyde lures the parking lot attendant of the 'Residencia del Oro' away with a fake breakdown, Morgan lurks at the resort entrance, ready to slip inside unnoticed.

Morgan has opted for a brand new Ford Falcon Futura Sports Coupe, which they are now running at high speed towards the city limits. Shot next to the Las Bóvedas de Santa Clara, former dungeons from the 18th century, located at the most northern part of the walled city.

Meanwhile, Colonel Targo is already on the way trough the mountainous hinterland to Kosta's hideout with a commando unit.

By the accelerator depressed, the Falcon soon catches up with Colonel Targo's motorcade

Targo's Land-Rover 88" in the lead tries to intercept the Falcon, but fails due to Morgan's spectacular driving skills. But Colonel Targo fires after it, causing the car to skid, veer off the road, plunge down a steep river bank and finally explode, though our two heroes are just barely able to save themselves.

Startled by the explosion, the residents escape in all directions, while O'Hara and Kosta's men entrenche themselves on a nearby hill. The paramilitary forces set the huts on fire ...

.. or blow them up by hand grenades. While Colonel Targo attacks the hill with the other part of the commando unit.

Sam frees Colleen from the clutches of two uniformed henchmen, who want to get into her underwear, and then hijacks a Land Rover, allowing them to escape the inferno. A really lovely couple, indeed, even if they seem a bit stressed at the moment.

The rebels are gathering on the coast, where final preparations are being made in an abandoned beach house. Using a mobile laboratory, Morgan mixes a highly explosive substance intended to blow up the steel ceiling of the vault. For Czech-born actor Frederick Stafford, who also happens to be a PhD chemist, this was of course child's play.

Rebel leader Kosta (Vittorio Sanipoli) and Valdés, the intellectual head of the rebellion, inspects a shipment of weapons by supporters from the province towns. Shot at one of the beaches north of Santa Marta, located in the Magdalena department, Caribe region.

The next day, at 5 a.m. sharp in Caribo's capital, Mataan City, but actually Cartagena with Santuario de San Pedro Claver, ...

… a man walks across Plaza de San Pedro Claver to the church, takes the side entrance …

… and joins the other worshippers at the exceptionally well-attended early morning mass. However, the worshippers turn out to be partisans, who, along with Manolo in the red T-shirt, are waiting for the two leaders of the rebellion, as the interior shot at San Pedro Claver church shows.

While Kosta equips those present with rifles and ammunition, Manolo leaves the church by Calle de San Juan de Dios on Valdés' orders to notify Morgan and Clyde in their hideout that it's about to begin soon.

After turned left at the corner Manolo sprints down Calle San Pedro Claver ...

... and then turns into Calle de Amargura, where the fortress wall can already recognized in the background.

Manolo has now reached the completely deserted Plaza de la Aduana, where Morgan and Clyde are hiding just around the corner ...

... on the upper floor of a restaurant.

The rebellion begins with the blowing up of a pipeline near the oil refinery outside the city. The Cartagena Refinery was built by Intercol in 1956 and purchased by Ecopetrol in 1976.

The lookout post, who is positioned high above the city onto the mighty tower of the San Augustin University, waves towards the then Plaza Fernández de Madrid, formerly known as Plaza de los Jagüeyes, ...

.. where shortly afterwards, two 1966 Ford F100 trucks appear, coming from the fortress barracks and heading towards the refinery.

Using the faked wreck of a donkey cart, the trucks are initially brought to a standstill. Facing through the windshield in direction of the corner with Calle del Santísimo.

This ruse allowing the rebels to intercept the paramilitaries and take them out of traffic.

In the captured Land Rover by Morgan, Valdés, disguised as an Army officer, arrives at the Presidential Palace and claims to be on behalf of Colonel Targo.

After the palace guards are neutralized, Valdés places fireworks, shot again at the inner courtyard of the Palacio de la Proclamación. The loud bangs lead startled President Cuevas (José Noguéro) to suspect an assault on the palace and prompt him to reach for the telephone receiver.

Led by Colonel Targo, the mobile Praetorian Guard leaves the fortress barracks on its way to the Presidential Palace. The long building behind the Cristóbal Colón monument is the Alcaldía de Cartagena (town hall). To the left of it, a huge backdrop structure has been built along the historic city wall especially for the film works.

Back in the church, Valdés at the side entrance gives the signal for the two Pick-up trucks, disguised as the president's campaign vehicles, to depart towards the fortress.

The two then brand-new Ford F100 trucks of the rebels, modified only slightly but efficiently by armored superstructures with firing ports under the black cargo bed cover, pass the Cristóbal Colón monument and approach the guarded citadel gateway unhindered.

With Valdés at the wheel and Kosta in the passenger seat, who eliminates the gate guards, the lead vehicle smashes through the gate of the citadel, which serves as a barracks and military prison, at full throttle. Once arrived in the courtyard, the rebels open fire with automatic rifles on anyone, wearing a uniform. Shot at the inner courtyard of Fuerte de San Fernando de Bocachica, built from 1753 to 1759 and located on the southern tip of Isla Tierra Bomba.

Meanwhile, the majority of the completely overwhelmed fortress troop have surrendered. Thanks to the looted weapon arsenal, Kosta and Valdés can provide covering fire for Morgan, Clyde, and Manolo, while Colonel Targo takes up a position in the rear. Filmed from on the already mentioned huge backdrop structure, facing towards Plaza de la Aduana with the bell towers of the San Pedro Claver church visible in the far background.

Morgan, Clyde and Manolo are brought to the top area of the citadel with heavy equipment, including a complete welding torch system. Shot onto Castillo San Felipe de Barajas, located on the San Lázaro hill in the La Boquilla district of Cartagena. Only a fraction of the gigantic fortress, whose construction began in 1657 and was expanded again in 1763, can be seen in the film, and is considered the most impressive defensive complex of Spanish military architecture.

After reaching the uppermost area of ​​the fortress, the men arrive at the access that leads down to the steel vault containing the gold bars. However, the actual vault door proves to be an insurmountable obstacle, which is why Morgan has to come up with something very quickly. The entrance shown actually exists and is part of a complex labyrinth of tunnels and passages that runs through the entire fortress.

Meanwhile Colonel Targo has requested reinforcements from the Army, which has just arrived by two 1960 Ford F500 trucks and also includes two armored vehicles. A merciless race against time begins.

After repelling the first wave of attackers, Colonel Targo orders the use of grenade launchers, forcing the rebels to retreat from the courtyard. Under the cover of the two armored vehicles, the soldiers are launching their next attack on the fortress.

Morgan has finally found a way to get to the gold bullion, and so the bars are now being shipped directly from the battlements using an improvised cable car ...

.. to the yacht, which, as the camera pan shows, is anchored beneath the fortress. Again shot at Fuerte de San Fernando de Bocachica, while in the top left distance Fuerte de San José can be recognized.

Under fire from mortar shells, the two-masted vessel sets sail with a gold bullion worth $100 million, while the breakwater of Fuerte de San José glimpses on the right background. In summary, it can be said that the entire heist sequence around the Fortress, apart from the elaborate interior shots which were filmed in Rome's Cinecitta, consists of a virtuoso combination of three different filming locations, and clearly shows the signature of producer André Hunebelle, known as the director of the Fantômas films.

Back again at the coast, probably Cabo San Juan in the Tayrona National Park, where ...

.. under the watchful eyes of the Looters, the gold bullion is handed over to the representatives of the transitional government, which now has the support of the Army forces after Colonel Targo was killed, ...

.. while the population in the capital celebrates the abdication of President Cueva and thus the end of the dictatorship. The final scene was taken once again from above the backdrop structure, located at the easternmost corner of Plaza de la Aduana.