Interface structure and composition are critical factors in controlling the reliability of microcircuits with multilayer thin films and dissimilar material interconnects. The films have nanoscale structures and properties that vary markedly with changes in processing. In this paper we determine the effects of processing on structure-property relationships in gold films produced using two substrate preparation and deposition procedures. One procedure employed etchant cleaning and low power sputter deposition while the other employed a backsputter clean and high power sputter deposition. These two procedures created films with dramatically different structures, mechanical properties, and interfacial fracture resistance. When combined with fracture models, the results quantitatively define the relationship between processing, structure, and properties in these films.