Jul 22, 2003 11:37 AM
5760 Views
(Updated Jul 22, 2003 08:09 PM)
''Gold, Thats all what matters to you anyway. you can. I'll take you there. But let me tell you this, Not many of you are coming back''
The object of the movie is, or at least from my perception , Is what can you do for gold - Betray your friends, Kill men women and children, stab in the back ( literally) . Holding of Gold, or lack of it , or in the quest for such , could make one do such things during the Gold rush of the wild west, today it is no different. any economist can wisely point out on a chart about the gold bullion reserves held at stake for a country, Or perhaps the Olympics can make a simple down to earth explanation for this. Competing to get as many gold medals. So we all go for the gold. ''Money is after all paper. but Gold Is gold''.
The Story
Marshall Mackenna, a brilliant performance by Gregory Peck, knows the location to gold hidden in the canyon which is held sacred by the Apache. After warding of an attack by an aging red Indian , He comes across a map pointing to the gold, which Mackenna burns it. Colorado (Omar shariff), a wanted bandit, knows that Mackenna remembers the map in his head and intends to keep him alive and in captivity till he gets his hands on the Gold. They are joined by another team all of whom are looking for gold. Ok , so what movie is complete without a female lead. To spice things up we have two. Julie Newmar who plays an apache girl, who got the hots for Mackenna. Burgess Meredith, a Store keeper , who is kidnapped by Colorado after he kills her father. The store keepers daughter gets close to Mackenna's heart since both of them are held captive by Colorado.
Among those are the fortune hunters one of them played by Anthony Quayle ( Major Franklin of Guns of Navarone) looking for adventure,Ben Barker ( a short role by Eli Wallach, Tuco of The good the Bad and the Ugly). A preacher who thinks that the gold could be of some use for the Lord and the church, a blind man who is known as Lost Adams, who had seen the gold but the apaches have burnt his eyes. Little do they know that people kill for more gold and get killed for carrying the much coveted gold. If it isn't the Apaches who were the danger it was the peer contenders and the ignorance pays off as not many of them could even get close to get a view of the gold.
The movie opens with a song '' Old Turkey Buzzard'' from Jose Feliciano and the voice over narration from Victor Jory, with a slight Texas accent makes it over all an interesting story told on screen. The actor turned director and screen writer , J. Lee Thompson, who also worked on Guns of Navarone , Cape fear and Murder without Crime, has created a ''golden '' masterpiece.
Scenes worth Watching
#1. The part of the grand canyon is destroyed due to gunshots from the Apaches. The earthquake scene is magnificient.
#2. the shadow of the huge mountain as it travels through the desert at sunrise.
#3. Julie Newmar's swimming scene.
And for Desserts ...
You would also see, that it isnt just Gold that people are killing for. Somewhere down you would see jealousy and revenge. It is a western classic and an adventure thriller. The movie has it all the right ingredients in my support to says so. The cast performance was above par especially of Omar Shariff and Gregory Peck. The location and the apache territory was really convincing. A magnificent scenery and breathtaking action ( read Julie Newmar). I can carefully brand this movie as violent and meant only for adult viewing.
comments Most Welcome.
DavieBoy
