When it comes to Westerns , in my list, Mackenna’s Gold is right up there in Golden Letters withThe Good , the Bad and the Ugly . I’ve seen the movie thrice plus read the book and wouldn’t mind another go at it .
In India , the movie was a smashing hit , not least because of the Indian’s typical love for Gold. In fact , did you know that India has the largest hoard of privately owned gold , in the world ! ?
The movie’s all about the search for a legendary valley of Gold , led or rather forcibly led by a marshall Mackenna played with taciturn aplomb by Gregory Peck. The movie starts of with the great song “Ole Turkey Buzzard “ showing the buzzard “ flyin’ high “ interspersed with a buzzard’s eye views of the Gabbar-like territory.
Peck gets to know the route to the Gold valley from a dying man in the desert and is then held hostage by the villains led by Colorado ( Omar Sharif) . In exchange of his life , Peck is forced to lead the gang to the Gold. Along the way , the hype really builds up with assorted characters joining the trip .
There is the Padre in the search for the gold !, the Red Indian with biceps the size of my thighs , the sultry Red Indian woman who has the hots for Peck and who takes a swim that would put FTv to shame . Then there’s the blind guy who has actually been to the valley but had his eyes gouged out by the Indians to prevent him from revealing the location. All these cameos hinge like a vast jigsaw to make a complete story , somewhat like our very own desi Sholay .
The movie has some great sequences apart from the above mentioned swim . The raid by the Indians , the rides along narrow rocky trials , the avalanche towards the ending , the confrontation between Sharif and Peck , the simmering in the background love triangle between Peck , the Red Indian woman and a lady kidnapped by the gang , all these make for one great western.
Is the Gold really there ? Are they successful in getting to it ? These are questions that keep you on edge throughout , and you gotta see the movie to get the answers.
The Sage’s Take :-> You can’t take it with you into the next world