Although this film and the subsequent TV series is popularly thought to be inspired by Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), the script was actually inspired by Only Angels Have Wings (1939) and was pitched to television networks a year before the Spielberg/Lucas film was released and they turned it down. However, after the Indiana Jones film became a major success, the ABC television network decided to revisit the "Gold Monkey" script to exploit the apparent interest in 1930s period adventure stories.
Many aspects of this show were duplicated in the animated series TaleSpin (1990). Baloo is a bush pilot in the South Pacific (even wearing the same outfit), and flying a similar plane. Baloo has a friend named Louie who runs a bar, a slow mechanic and a female lead, who's his boss. Only the time period has changed.
Ron Moody played the part of saloonkeeper Bon Chance Louis in this TV movie, but the role was taken over by Roddy McDowall for episodes of the TV series, Tales of the Gold Monkey (1982).
The establishing shot for Baku, island of the gold statue and guardian monkeys, shows a very tall waterfall. That is actually Angel Falls, the 3212 foot waterfall in Venezuela.
Despite the opinion that this show was not inspired by the blockbuster success of Raiders of the Lost Ark, the femme fatale mentions the "Lost Ark of the Covenant" alongside the "Gold Monkey" (both thought to be treasured myths). Also, many of Stephen Collins clumsy yet heroic timing is extremely similar to that of Harrison Ford, more than Cary Grant.