You’ve probably seen the meme-worthy clip of a giant, crumbling canyon and a bunch of people on horses racing for their lives. Or maybe you've heard that catchy, slightly surreal song about a turkey buzzard. Honestly, Mackenna's Gold english movie is one of the weirdest success stories in Hollywood history. It’s a film that the American critics absolutely hated, the lead actor Gregory Peck called "wretched," and yet, it became a massive, era-defining blockbuster in places like India and the Soviet Union.
Why? Because it’s essentially a "maximalist" Western. It’s loud, it’s long, and it features enough star power to fuel three different movies. We’re talking Gregory Peck, Omar Sharif, Telly Savalas, and even a cameo from Edward G. Robinson.
The Plot: A Map, a Marshal, and a Whole Lot of Greed
Basically, the story is your classic "lost treasure" hunt, but dialed up to eleven. Gregory Peck plays Marshal Sam Mackenna, a guy who accidentally comes into possession of a map leading to the legendary "Cañon del Oro"—the Canyon of Gold. This isn't just a few gold nuggets; we’re talking about a valley where the walls are practically made of the stuff.
Enter John Colorado (played with incredible charisma by Omar Sharif), a Mexican bandit who kidnaps Mackenna to force him to find the location. Along the way, they pick up a motley crew of "honorable" citizens—including a preacher, an editor, and a storekeeper—who all lose their minds the moment they smell money.
The movie is less about the Western frontier and more about how gold makes people go absolutely insane.
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A Cast That Didn't Make Sense (But Worked Anyway)
Looking back at the roster, it’s wild how many legends were packed into this thing.
- Gregory Peck: The stoic hero who clearly looked like he’d rather be anywhere else.
- Omar Sharif: Coming off Doctor Zhivago, he brought a strange, seductive energy to a bandit role.
- Julie Newmar: Playing Hesh-Ke, she has zero lines of dialogue but arguably the most famous scene in the film (the underwater swimming sequence).
- Telly Savalas: Before he was Kojak, he was the treacherous Sergeant Tibbs here.
The sheer volume of stars meant that half of them get killed off before they can even finish a full conversation. It’s ruthless.
Why Mackenna's Gold English Movie Failed in the US
When it hit theaters in 1969, the American public was moving on. They wanted the gritty realism of The Wild Bunch or the charm of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Instead, they got a 70mm Super Panavision spectacle that felt like a throwback to the 1950s epics, but with 1960s psychedelic editing.
The critics were brutal. They mocked the special effects, particularly the "earthquake" climax that used miniatures that... well, looked like miniatures. Columbia Pictures was so nervous that they reportedly hacked the movie down from three hours to just over two. This left the pacing feeling a bit like a fever dream. You can tell scenes are missing because characters sometimes appear and disappear with very little explanation.
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The Special Effects Gamble
They tried some truly trippy stuff for the time. There’s a scene where the shadow of a rock (Spider Rock in Arizona's Canyon de Chelly) points the way to the gold as the sun rises. The "visual effects" involved a lot of rear-projection, which even in '69 looked a bit dated. But for a kid watching this on a big screen in 1970? It was pure magic.
The Secret Success in India and Beyond
Here is the part that most Western film historians overlook: Mackenna's Gold english movie was a titan in international markets. In India, it ran for months—sometimes over 30 weeks in a single theater.
It worked because it followed the exact formula of a "Masala" film before that term was even widely used for cinema. You had the clear-cut hero, the flamboyant villain, the beautiful landscapes, and a booming soundtrack. Speaking of the soundtrack, Quincy Jones (yes, that Quincy Jones) composed the score. The theme song "Old Turkey Buzzard," sung by José Feliciano, became an unlikely anthem.
Even today, if you talk to a movie buff of a certain age in Chennai or Mumbai, they can probably hum the theme song to you. It was the highest-grossing Hollywood film in India for decades, only eventually dethroned by Jurassic Park and Titanic.
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Filming Locations: The Real Star
If the script was messy, the scenery was flawless. The production didn't go to Spain to save money; they shot in the American Southwest to get that authentic, massive scale.
- Canyon de Chelly, Arizona: Home to the iconic Spider Rock.
- Glen Canyon, Utah: Where many of the river and canyon floor scenes were captured.
- Monument Valley: Used for those soaring aerial shots in the opening credits.
Seeing these locations in 70mm was meant to be an "experience." Even if the plot was thin, the geography was undeniable.
What You Can Learn From This Cult Classic
If you're going to watch it today, don't go in expecting Unforgiven. Go in expecting a high-budget, slightly campy adventure that doesn't take itself too seriously.
Actionable Insights for Movie Buffs:
- Watch the 70mm Restorations: If you can find a high-definition or 4K version, do it. The graininess of the old TV edits ruins the Joseph MacDonald cinematography.
- Look for the George Lucas Connection: Fun fact—a young George Lucas was actually on set as a student filmmaker. He made a short documentary called 6-18-67 about the making of the film. You can see the seeds of his "epic" visual style even back then.
- Listen to the Quincy Jones Score: Separate the music from the movie. It’s actually a brilliant piece of experimental Western music that mixes jazz and traditional orchestral sounds.
Mackenna's Gold english movie is a reminder that "quality" is subjective. A film can be a "failure" in its home country and a "masterpiece" to a billion people on the other side of the planet. It’s a messy, gold-plated, earthquake-ridden spectacle that somehow refuses to be forgotten.
To truly appreciate the legacy, track down the original "Old Turkey Buzzard" opening sequence. It sets a mood that the rest of the film tries—and sometimes fails—to live up to, but it’s a ride worth taking nonetheless.