*Spoiler/plot- MacKennas Gold, 1969, An Indian legend tells of a valley of gold protected by the Indian spirits. This valley was found twice and a group of Western gold hunters go on a quest to find it with varying degrees of failure and success in the late 1870's.
*Special Stars- Gregory Peck, Omar Sharif, Julie Newman, Telly Savalas, Ted Casidy
*Theme- In the West, mother nature and the Fates are nothing to bet your life on. You will lose.
*Trivia/location/goofs- Monument Valley, but the film was shot mainly at Glen Canyon of Utah and Canyon DE Chelly of Arizona, specifically Spider Rock. The "Old Turkey Buzzard" theme song sequence was shot at Monument Valley, on the Arizona-Utah border.
Some very interesting horse riders POV camera shots during chase scenes were used in this film. Also there are some aerial glider shots to show the spectacular landscapes during the 'buzzard' flying scenes. Julie Newmar's work on this film interfered with her re-curring 'Catowman' role that made her so famous in the 'Batman' TV series as such two other women filled the Catwoman role (E. Kitt & L. Meriweather) on the TV series. GOOF: The action of the rock promontory's shadow('Shaking Rock') showing the secret valley entrance is wrong at sunrise. It is only when the sun goes down in the west would the rock spire's shadow get long, not in the morning which would shorten it's shadow until noon when no shadow or a small would fall directly downward. George Lucas was a film school interns of this film and helped in suggesting some scene matters. Julie Newmar's swimming scene was changed by her to a nude scene. Clint Eatswood was offered and turned down the Marshal MacKenna role. John Garfield's son, David appears as the young many caretaker of the blind Mr. Addamms, Edward Robinson role. Eduardo Ciannelli appears in another of his famous ethic roles as native American 'Chief Prarie-dog' and he was the villainous Tug GURU leader in the original 'Gunga Din'.
*Emotion- A enjoyable Western saga, one of a dying few produced at this time. In the same mold as 'How the West was Won' and others. An interesting large cast of screen favorites put into some dramatic scenes. More should have been done with the townspeople especially since they were the major bluff of stars receiving roles in this film. Julie Newman is and continues to be a beautiful 'force of female nature' on screen to deal with...Yum!
*Special Stars- Gregory Peck, Omar Sharif, Julie Newman, Telly Savalas, Ted Casidy
*Theme- In the West, mother nature and the Fates are nothing to bet your life on. You will lose.
*Trivia/location/goofs- Monument Valley, but the film was shot mainly at Glen Canyon of Utah and Canyon DE Chelly of Arizona, specifically Spider Rock. The "Old Turkey Buzzard" theme song sequence was shot at Monument Valley, on the Arizona-Utah border.
Some very interesting horse riders POV camera shots during chase scenes were used in this film. Also there are some aerial glider shots to show the spectacular landscapes during the 'buzzard' flying scenes. Julie Newmar's work on this film interfered with her re-curring 'Catowman' role that made her so famous in the 'Batman' TV series as such two other women filled the Catwoman role (E. Kitt & L. Meriweather) on the TV series. GOOF: The action of the rock promontory's shadow('Shaking Rock') showing the secret valley entrance is wrong at sunrise. It is only when the sun goes down in the west would the rock spire's shadow get long, not in the morning which would shorten it's shadow until noon when no shadow or a small would fall directly downward. George Lucas was a film school interns of this film and helped in suggesting some scene matters. Julie Newmar's swimming scene was changed by her to a nude scene. Clint Eatswood was offered and turned down the Marshal MacKenna role. John Garfield's son, David appears as the young many caretaker of the blind Mr. Addamms, Edward Robinson role. Eduardo Ciannelli appears in another of his famous ethic roles as native American 'Chief Prarie-dog' and he was the villainous Tug GURU leader in the original 'Gunga Din'.
*Emotion- A enjoyable Western saga, one of a dying few produced at this time. In the same mold as 'How the West was Won' and others. An interesting large cast of screen favorites put into some dramatic scenes. More should have been done with the townspeople especially since they were the major bluff of stars receiving roles in this film. Julie Newman is and continues to be a beautiful 'force of female nature' on screen to deal with...Yum!