Movie
Gist
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| MacKenna with Prairie Dog |
The
movie is based on a novel of same name by Heck Allen. It is about how the desire
for gold corrupts a diverse group of people.
 |
| Colorado & gang at Hadleyburg's house |
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| Colorado captivates MacKenna |
There
is a fortune of gold hidden in the ‘Canon del Oro’ which is guarded by the
Apache spirits. Several others tried to reach there but never returned. Adams
(Edward Robinson) was one of them. When Adams found it, the Apaches made him
blind & left him stranded in the desert. Years later, Marshall MacKenna
(Gregory Peck) goes the same way & kills an old man Prairie Dog (Eduardo
Ciannelli) who attacked him. Thereby, MacKenna gets hold of the map; he
memorizes it & burns it off.
 |
| Ben, Colorado's old friend |
 |
| Old Adams narrates his story |
Meanwhile,
Colorado (Omar Sharif) & his gang are looking out for Prairie Dog for the
map. He is been chased by the US cavalry. He kidnaps the Hadleyburg’s (old
judge) daughter Inga (Camilla Sparv) to escape from the cavalry, after taking shelter
in their house.
Colorado
finds MacKenna & captivates him on learning
 |
| Inga & Heshke |
 |
| Sergeant Tibbs with Inga |
that he has burnt the map to
Canon del Oro. Colorado’s gang consist of his best man Sanchez (Keenan Wayne),
a hulky Apache Hachita (Ted Cassidy), an Apache woman Heshke (Julie Newmar) who
supposedly is MacKenna’s one-time love & some other Apaches.
The
next day, Colorado’s old friend Ben (Eli Wallach) arrives at the place along
with an array of
 |
| Inga faints due to thirst |
 |
| Inga & MacKenna fall in love |
people from the town struck by the ‘gold fever’. Among them
are an editor, two Englishmen, a preacher, a storekeeper & old Adams
himself. Adams narrates his story.
A
cavalry under the leadership of Sergeant Tibbs (Telly Savalas) arrive. The gang bypasses the cavalry camp by dropping off a drunken squaw. MacKenna tries to
escape but is unsuccessful. Tibbs gets a hint of
 |
Tibbs, MacKenna & Colorado
at the Shaking Rock |
their plan. The cavalry
attacks the gang when they are about to rest at a water hole. All get killed
except MacKenna, Heshke, Colorado, Hachita & Inga. They begin their journey
to the
 |
| The tip of the Shaking Rock shining due to sun rays |
canyon. MacKenna & Inga fall in love & Heshke envies them. Heshke
tries to kill Inga by drowning her at a water hole but MacKenna saves her life.When
MacKenna & Colorado spot Tibbs approaching them with 2 of his men, they send
Inga to divert his mind. Also, they can focus on the canyon than to escort her
all the
 |
The tip of the Shaking Rock pointing
to the hidden entrance |
time. But, Tibbs kills his men & comes back to MacKenna with her.
He also wants a share of gold.
 |
| The way to the gold treasure |
The
troupe reaches the Shaking Rock after crossing the wild river waves. They are
now waiting for the sun to rise on a specific day. The shadow of the rock
points to the hidden entrance of the canyon.
 |
| The gold mountain |
MacKenna is now believes that
there is gold indeed. After entering the canyon, they reach a place where they
see gold everywhere. While racing for
 |
| Colorado on finding the first gold nugget |
gold, Heshke tries to kill Inga but loses
balance herself & falls to death. Everyone goes crazy after seeing veins of
gold. Smelling danger, MacKenna & Inga try to
 |
| Colorado & MacKenna in a fist fight |
escape by going up the cliff.
Colorado pursues them & a 3-way fight follows subsequently.
Now,
the Apaches arrive with galloping horses, making noise & shooting. This
leads to the falling of the rocks. The trio manage to
 |
| The rock-fall |
 |
Inga, MacKenna & Colorado survive
the rock-fall |
escape from the canyon.
Finally, the Shaking Rock alos gets crashed burying all the gold. Colorado
leaves in disgust. MacKenna & Inga also leave. What they don’t know is the
horse on which MacKenna is riding has its saddlebag filled with gold.
