Mackenna's Gold (1969)

Mackenna’s Gold: Directed by J. Lee Thompson. With Gregory Peck, Omar Sharif, Telly Savalas, Camilla Sparv. A bandit kidnaps a Marshal who has seen a map showing a gold vein on Indian lands, but other groups are looking for it too, while the Apache try to keep the secret location undisturbed.

“And I can find GOLD. I just recently viewed the DVD release of this little western nugget. I was taken aback by the wide screen splendor of the film, the grand location shots in Monument Valley and Canyon De Chellye, not to mention some tricky switcheroo in Zion and Bryce National Parks as well. The movie is campy yet serious, a shoot-em-up one minute and relaxing in a cool secret waterfall filled pond in the next. And the film has itsu0026#39; moments, like Julie Newmar (who can think of her and not say statuesque?), the vicious-obsessive-compulsive-Apache-squaw camp-follower, or Hatchita, played by Ted u0026quot;You Rang?u0026quot; Cassidy or the grande dames of acting all seated around the fire.. Keenan Wynn, Edward G. Robinson, Eli Wallach, Burgess Meredith, Anthony Quayle, Omar Sharif, Raymond Massey and Lee J. Cobb like the Fellowship of the Ring gone a hunting gold in the old west. And near the end, Telly (Who Loves Ya Baby?) Savalas joins up as a sadistically cruel Army seargent. I highly recommend this blast from the past, and Jose Feliciano singing u0026quot;Ol Turkey Buzzardu0026quot;, sends chills down my spine. I saw this movie in the theatre when it premiered. This is already approaching cult status folks.. a real keeper.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe main reason I wrote this review is to pay tribute to Gregory Peck, who was MacKenna, Josef Mengele, Dwight Towers, Charles Keith, Robert Thorn, Monsignor Hugh Ou0026#39;Flaherty, Atticus Finch, Keith Mallory, David,Ahab, Harry Street and many many more. He will always live in my heart and mind as a great actor, the like of which may never again be seen. Nobody held a candle to him, or ever will. JUne 12, 2003”