The Gold Bug
A SALUTE TO EDGAR ALLAN POE
The Gold Bug is one of the least adapted Poe stories, which is ironic because it was the most widely read of his tales during his lifetime and earned him the most money — $100 when it won the grand prize in a writing contest sponsored by the Philadelphia Dollar Newspaper. This ABC Weekend Special version appeared in 1980 and merits a second look.
Besides a fine performance by a 12-year-old Anthony Michael Hall, making his screen debut, the drama also benefits from the eerie presence of Geoffrey Holder and Roberts Blossom as obsessed treasure hunters. It’s given an atmospheric treatment by British-born director Robert Fuest, who previously worked with Vincent Price in the Dr. Phibes horror movies.
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