Golden Rendezvous

Date: 1977
Director: Ashley Lazarus
Production Company: Film Trust S.A.

Stars: Richard Harris, Ann Turkel, Gordon Jackson, John Vernon, David Janssen, Burgess Meredith. Leigh Lawson, Robert Flemyng, John Carradine, Dorothy Malone
Location(s): Set in the Caribbean but filmed in South Africa.

Region(s):

Storyline:

Based on MacLean novel’s The Golden Rendezvous, terrorists overrun a cruise ship inhabited by a stellar cast in a plan to steal gold bullion at sea and detonate a nuclear bomb. SJ

Additional Information:

Manuel Gurtner set to work to discover the main location of the film, namely the ship itself. He likens it to searching for a needle in a haystack but the information he dug up meant another exclusive for Reelstreets. And so he provided a few additional stills along with some copyrighted images (hence not posted) proving the existence of “MSC Rafaela”.

Can you help:

If you have any information regarding this production, the locations or, even better, some comparison shots please contact us. Images submitted must be in Landscape orientation, as would be seen on the cinema screen, not Portrait.

We are aware that there are films on the site that were added when the criteria for the inclusion of locations was very different from today and, as a result, there may be scenes missing from some productions. Please do not forward additional screen captures to us but bring the detail to our attention, for we do, and are, 're-addressing' these older entries as time allows.

  • Capture 1
  • 'Now' required

The first shot of the opening titles shows the cargo vessel "Caribbean Star" from port/larboard, moored at the fictional "island port of Carracio".

  • Capture 2
  • 'Now' required

According to the plot, the former merchant ship has become a floating casino with luxurious cabins, on which millionaires cruise through the Caribbean. In fact, we see the general cargo liner "Rafaela", the former flagship of the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), from starboard. Launched in 1951 by Orenstein-Koppel & Lübecker Maschinenbau in Lübeck, Germany and delivered as "Magdeburg" to HAPAG in 1952. Purchased by MSC in 1971 and renamed "Rafaela", the vessel was broken up in Belgium in 1978 shortly after the film works.

  • Capture 3
  • 'Now' required

Turkel's taxi arrives just before the dock train... which gives Manuel Gurtner a first clue about the location. Because we see a shunting steam loco of South African Railways, probably a SAR Class 24 2-8-4, because of the Type MY tender (similar in appearance to the North American Vanderbilt type tender).

  • Capture 4
  • 'Now' required

Harris greets Turkel at the cruise ship's gangway. It's called the Caribbean Star; does the taxi have a Venezualan numberplate? ... In Manuel's opinion, the 1967 Chrysler Valiant Signet has a poorly fake license plate due to incorrect format and incomplete lettering, at least for Venezuela. By the way, official South African license plates were yellow (with black lettering) or black (with white lettering) until 1994.

  • Capture 5
  • 'Now' required

A view from the MSC Rafaela/Caribbean Star, as an "ambulanzia" approaches. It may say Caracas on the sidedoor of the vehicle though it is set at the "island port of Carracio." However this is Mossel Bay, Western Cape, South Africa... Manuel adds, "Nowadays the dockside tracks (in cape gauge) at Mossel Bay Harbour are no more in use, but the other facilities like the large store house are still there."

  • Capture 6
  • 'Now' required

The rest of the film is set at sea, where the "Caribbean Star" has the Rendezvous with the Gold bullion vessel. Actually filmed just a few miles away from Mossel Bay Harbour.