User reviews

The caste alone is worth the admission: Connery, Bardot, Hawkins,Steven Boyd, Eric Sykes, Honor Blackman, Woody Strode, others ... Mostly European (actors) - strange for a Western - but not unrealistic to the times. Hawkins and Boyd - both recently out of starring in Ben Hur. A coterie of fine acting talent and charismatic screen artists. Proves my theory as to why Western Film will never die: Every Actor and every Director want to make a Western at some point. Connery and Bardot have some nice interplay in sharing the bulk of the screen time. Meanwhile here's some decent action here in what is a pretty well a straight up Western adventure tale. Possibly a Western that will enjoy greater appreciation with time.

DIRECTOR: Edward Dmytryk. WRITERS: Louis L'Amour (novel) and Clarke Reynolds (screenplay). CAST: Sean Connery, Brigitte Bardot, Sephen Boyd, Honor Blackman, Jack Hawkins, Woody Strode and Valerie French. RUNTIME: 1 hour 53 minutes. LOCATIONS: Spain. COUNTRY: UK/West Germany.

THE STORY: A pompous group of European nobles on a hunting vacation in New Mexico are beset by a band of Apaches who don't appreciate them trespassing on their lands. After the Europeans are abandoned by their guides they are helped by an intrepid loner named Shalako (Connery). Can they make it out alive?

As you can see, this European film has a lot going for it. It's based on a Louis L'Amour novel and has a great cast. Yet, it bombed when it was originally released, but it's actually a very good realistic Western. Besides, how can you go wrong with Sean Connery and Brigitte Bardot?

Disregarding the horrible title song, the opening is reminiscent of "Duel at Diablo" and the rest of the film resembles "Hombre," which were both released in the late 60s as well. "Shalako" has the same tone, so if you like those films you'll probably appreciate "Shalako."

Although there's a lot of good Western action, including one excellent long battle sequence between the whites and the Natives, there's quite a bit of drama. As such, I encourage you to utilize the subtitles due to the heavily-accented dialogue; it helps you to keep up with the story and characters. There's also some good character definement.

The film is a story of arrogance and betrayal -- the arrogance of the Europeans who have no respect for the "lowbred" cowboys or "savages," and the betrayal of the American guides, headed excellently by Stephen Boyd (Messala in "Ben-Hur"). But, to my pleasure, "Shalako" is mostly a survival story. I love survival stories, like "Sands of the Kalahari" and "Flight of the Phoenix." This brings to mind other survival-themed Westerns like "Escape from Fort Bravo," "They Came to Cordura" and "Duel at Diablo." "Shalako" stands well with these films.

Can you believe Woody Strode, a black man, is cast as the main Native American antagonist? It works, believe it or not, as he looks convincingly Indian.

THE BABE REPORT: Of course, Brigitte Bardot is one of the most beautiful women to ever grace God's earth. With the exception of one bathing scene she's dressed to the hilt throughout. But -- man -- she has such a cute, pouty face and incredible locks of full blond hair. Interestingly, she was chosen to play Bond's love interest in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (the only non-Connery Bond picture of the 60s with George Lazenby as Bond), but she was ironically booked with Connery doing this movie. Honor Blackman, who played Pussy Galore in "Goldfinger," is also on hand. I never thought she was all that beautiful, although I like her as an actor.

Of great interest to me was the appearance of the underrated brunette Valerie French. She played the hottie in "Jubal" (1956) when she was 28. "Shalako" was her final film and she was 40 at the time of release. She's mainly a background character but she does have some lines and you'll catch quite a few good glimpses of her. She's almost as beautiful as Bardot, albeit brunette. And, no, it makes no difference that she's 40.

FINAL ANALYSIS: I fully expected to not like "Shalako" due to the bad or lukewarm reviews, but I was pleasantly surprised. The critics are way off. This is a really good late-60's Western. Those with ADHD might not like it 'cause there's a lot of character-defining drama, but I found it worthwhile for all the above reasons.

Some criticize the ending as ridiculous, but I liked it. Would it likely happen in real life? Probably not. But I didn't find it all that unbelievable. In other words, the filmmakers pulled it off. It's a good MOVIE ending. That's why they went with it.

GRADE: B+

Brigitte Bardot went on to Hollywood but did not fare any better... 'Shalako,' a British-produced Western directed by Edward Dmytryk, teamed her with Sean Connery and Stephen Boyd (her partner in 'The Night Heaven Fell') in a smoldering relationship charged with tension and passion...

The idea is cute and unbelievable: A party of European aristocrats are on a hunting safari in New Mexico in the 1880's... They are traveling with full equipage including butlers, maids, fine linens and vintage wines...

When their safari is led upon an Apache reservation, the Indians become annoyed, and Countess Irina Lazaar (Brigitte Bardot) is attacked by a savage Apache... Shalako (Sean Connery), a scout for the U.S. Army, bravely attempts to save her and leads the aristocrats away from imminent annihilation... With the Indians determined to attack, each member of the hunting party faces the greatest peril of their lives...

Edward Dmytryk seems to have attempted to recapture the freshness and essence of the 'B.B.' that Roger Vadim had helped to shape... But the re-creation escapes him, despite the careful choice of Louis L'Amour's novel and the casting of international stars as Jack Hawkins ('Lawrence of Arabia'), Peter Van Eyck ('The Longest Day'), Honor Blackman ('Goldfinger'), Woody Strode ('Spartacus'), and Valerie French ('Jubal').

The film never becomes exciting despite incidental brutalities...

Hundreds upon hundreds of westerns have been made by Hollywood and other cinematic centers of creation, but this one can at least claim a pretty unique premise and an unusual cast. The story concerns an arrogant and stubborn party of European nobility who have come to the wilds of the North American west to hunt for sport. They blithely roam onto an Apache reservation and invoke the wrath of the tribe, which has had its fill of broken treaties. Connery, as the title character, plays a well-known loner in the area who has a tenuous relationship with the Apaches and finds himself having to try to rescue the hunters. The hunters include the snobby, condescending van Eyck, his feisty fiancé Bardot, cuckolded Hawkins, his discontented wife Blackman, blithering ex-senator Knox and his Latino wife French. Their guide is the dubious Boyd, who is exploiting them for the fees they pay for his services. It is, at once, jarring and fascinating to see these characters in a western setting. The clothing, furnishings, behaviors, etc...are at odds with the typical western visuals. A butler frets that the champagne may not be cold enough, while they all sit at a dining table in the middle of the desert. The characters are so shallow and bigoted that the viewer can hardly wait to see them get their comeuppance and most of them do...in spades. Where the film primarily fails is in its storytelling, editing and location. The script is vague at times, to say the least. It's not always easy to determine the motivations of the characters. This is not helped by the fact that many of their accented murmurings are spoken softly while the musical score blares, making it hard to settle on a volume level. The editing is, at times, striking and effective, but other times it is weak and harms some of the dramatic impact of the story. The location (Spain) resembles nothing like the American west. This is immediately distracting and sometimes continues to be. There's a horribly silly title song. The direction is occasionally on the lazy side as well. However, the sheer intensity and savagery of the action sequences and some various intriguing story elements make this quite watchable. Connery is appropriately rugged, if unexpected, as a western hero. Bardot is lovely, but doesn't really get a chance to shine much. She is a striking figure on the range, even if her HEAVY eye make-up has nothing to do with the time or place. She and Connery have a slight, subdued chemistry between them that isn't fully developed. The real sparks fly between Boyd and Blackman. He is a great slimeball and she is wonderfully desperate. Her tussle with the Indians is a high point of the film. The Indians are portrayed in a throwback way...speaking pigeon English and basically doing what they did in westerns of the '30's. It's surprising that in 1968, Strode was cast as one of the leaders. Ultimately, the climax renders most of what has taken place inconsequential, another flaw in the storytelling. Still, the film has merit for it's collection of international actors, it's inventive violence and it's unusual approach to the western genre. (In some ways, it resembles a 1970's disaster movie! An all star cast gets dressed up, faces peril, gets dirty, and only a handful survive!)

SHALAKO is a movie that often appears in peoples least favourite western lists and looking at this page many people have said how much they dislike it but as someone who doesn't like the genre all that much I can't say it's all that bad First of all the premise is fairly simple without being threadbare which while not being a guarantee you'll be watching a great movie is often a guarantee you won't be watching an awful one: A bunch of European toffs on a hunting trip arrogantly wander into an Indian reservation and after being warned to leave by former army scout Shalako decide to ignore his expert advice which leads to some nasty consequences .

It's not a great story but it does allow for some character conflict and some serious violence . It might seem tame today but this movie was produced in 1968 when audiences were still being treated to war films where when people were shot they give a pained expression , clutched their wound and slowly sank to the ground like a dying swan . The somewhat sadistic violence is probably the main talking point of SHALAKO especially the scene with the sand and the necklace , you'll know the scene when you see it

Yeah it's flawed film . One point is the many accents used which makes it rather difficult to understand the dialoguein some scenes which probably annoyed an American audience while many of the characters remain somewhat underwritten , I kept forgetting senator Henry Clarke was in the story until he appeared on screen in an infrequent manner . As for the casting Eric Sykes seems to be doing his comedy routine while Apache chiefs shouldn't be played by African Americans

But all in all SHALAKO isn't as bad as some people would have you believe

See it – Let's be honest, the main reason you'll want to watch this movie is to see Sean Connery as a cowboy. But this is a surprisingly good rip-roaring western. In fact, the strangest thing about this movie is that it revolves around a group of British hunters on a big game hunt, and none of the British characters are played by Connery. He plays the American. The only western he ever did, Connery doesn't even attempt to change his accent, but it's okay. This is an action movie, and it is as exciting and action-packed as they come. The hunting party is attacked by Indians, and James Bond…I mean Shalako, has to save the day. This movie is a mix between "Duel at Diablo" and "Last of the Mohicans." Plus, the story was written by the legendary Louis L'Amour himself, so that should be enough right there. 4.5 action rating

The idea behind Shalako is not as preposterous as it sounds. Lots of European nobles came here for hunting parties during the American wild west period. As was pointed out in the beginning of Shalako among others was the Grand Duke Alexis of Russia where Buffalo Bill served as a guide to his party.

That being said I'm sure none of them were as dense as Peter Van Eyck who when warned of Indian danger, refuse to leave an area. Quite frankly those Indians should have wiped those blockheads out and would have if not for the efforts of intrepid Indian scout Shalako, played by Sean Connery in a cowboy suit.

Connery looks real nice, but if he wanted to play a western a better script would have done for him. Sean knows this thing is a turkey, but if you had the opportunity to work with Brigette Bardot, would you pass it up.

Stephen Boyd is the best one here as the turncoat guide of the Europeans. Boyd was a good looking man with a trace of arrogance in his screen persona that made him right for a part like Messala in Ben-Hur, but wrong for Livius in The Fall of the Roman Empire. He's back in his proper element.

And I can't give the ending away, but folks take my word for it, it is ridiculous.

Still if you want to see some unfamiliar faces for westerns, this is a good movie to see.

This offbeat Euro-Western based on Louis L'Amour novel concerns Shalako (Sean Connery) whose Indian name means ¨he who brings rain¨ . He's an US scout who intervenes to save some European aristocrats on a hunting journey in New Mexico when they are attacked by Apaches circa 1880 .

This is a British Western set in Almeria (Spain) where in the 60s and 70s were filmed numerous Spaghetti or Paella Westerns , as Shalako is a high budget film , but poorly directed . The gun-play , Indian attacks , shootouts are gripping but the movie is just another cold British product . Violent scenes abound as the attempted rape and a creepy murder of one of the protagonists . The casting is frankly magnificent but the film gets an incredible waste of a talented cast like happens with Sean Connery , though the first choice by the producers was Henry Fonda . There appears various notorious main and secondary actors that are usual in Western genre . Gorgeous Brigitte Bardot who played with Jeanne Moreau ¨Viva Maria¨ and with Claudia Cardinale ¨The legend of Frenchie King¨ . Stephen Boyd played Western as ¨Hanna Coulder¨ and ¨The Bravados¨ . Woody Strode at one of his habitual Indian roles as ¨Winterhawk¨ , ¨Loaded gun¨ , ¨The Gatlin gun¨ ,¨Keoma¨ , ¨Once upon a time.¨ . Julian Mateos , a famed Spanish actor , player in US Western as well as Spaghetti such as ¨Hellbenders¨ , ¨Four rode out¨ , ¨Catlow¨ , ¨Return of seven magnificent¨ . Honor Blackman , pairing with Sean Connery in ¨Goldfinger¨ , here also makes love in a straw loft , this time with Stephen Boyd . Ernie Sykes playing a servant like in ¨The others¨ and Don Red Barry from Republic Pictures serial : ¨Adventures of Red Ryder¨.

Lively and spectacular musical score by Robert Farnon . Colorful cinematography by Ted Moore , he's the cameraman of most classic period in James Bond series : ¨Diamonds are forever¨ , ¨Goldfinger¨ , ¨From Russia with love¨. The motion picture was regularly directed by Edward Dmytryck who also made other Westerns as ¨Alvarez Kelly¨ , ¨ Warlock¨ , ¨Broken Lance¨, ¨Raintree County¨ . For somebody is a monumental bore but I think is a fairly watchable European Western , nothing more . Succeeds only in waste a lot of talented actors , onlyf or Brigitte Bardot and Sean Connery fans .

While I will concede that Shalako is not a groundbreaking film, I must take issue with the low average score it has received. The story is fairly engaging, Sean Connery is in great form, and Brigitte Bardot is as comely as ever! She reminds me of Claudia Schiffer! I also love her accent! She and Sean Connery share a very nice restrained romance. Some people might interpret this film as a celebration of the New World over the Old World but really that is too much of an analytical assertion. To me, it's a great star vehicle and a nice rousing adventure celebrating ingenuity, honor, and perseverance. 7/10.

New Mexico, 1880 - a group of European aristocrats have come to hunt big game, but find themselves the prey when they violate Apache territory. It is up to a former US Cavalry officer turned cowboy, Shalako, to save the group from the Apaches, and each other.

Based on a Louis L'amour novel, it's typically engaging adaptation, and quite offbeat with a cast largely comprising of British actors. The former 007, at that time, Sean Connery, fulfils his childhood dream - he was a big fan of Shane - to star as a drifter known as Shalako, and he fits the role to the T- his leathery, craggy features are just as rugged as the plains of Spain. Softening that image is Brigitte Bardot, and they make a good pair. Honor Blackman is excellent as the wife of Aristocrat who leaves him for a slimeball ( her demise is quite memorable with a chunk of metal shoved down her throat.) Stephen Boyd is a scene stealer as the slime ball.

Underrated British-Spanish western, Shalako strikes a strong image with its arrogant characters ( mainly the European aristocrats wanting to do a spot of hunting but the riled Apaches headed by the magnetic Woody Strode have their own hunting plan), and the action is gritty and plentiful. A scenic feast - enjoyable.

SHALAKO (2 outta 5 stars) Sean Connery plays Shalako, a stereotypical western hero who comes across a bunch of upper class British twits who go on a little hunting expedition in the US of A and find themselves stuck in the middle of hostile Indian territory. Well, when it comes to the American Indian versus the British aristocracy I know who *I* would be rooting for... unfortunately Shalako takes a hankering to pretty (but vacant) blonde beauty Bridget Bardot and so feels obligated to lead everyone to safety while killing lots of heathen natives (well, a lot of Hollywood actors *pretending* to be natives anyway). Not much of a role for Connery... but I guess at this point he was pretty much happy to be in *anything* that wasn't James Bond. You'd think that a climactic spear fight between Sean and Woody Strode would be a highlight... but it's a far from memorable screen confrontation. It's not really an awful movie... it just sounds like it would be a lot better than it is.

Given its director (Edward Dmytryk) and its cast (Sean Connery and Brigitte Bardot) it is rather odd that 'Shalako" (1969) is such an obscure film and that so many of the comments/reviews are totally negative. "Spaghetti" westerns (filmed in Italy or Spain) were quite the rage in the late 1960's and "Shalako" is about what you would get if "Hombre" (1967) had been given a mild "Spaghetti" treatment.

While not even remotely on the level of Monte Hellman's stuff, "Shalako" is an entertaining and comprehensible western that most viewers will get into and enjoy until about the ¾ mark when the wheels fall off and it drags along to a less than spectacular resolution.

Dmytryk was a veteran action director who occasionally ("Eight Iron Men" and "The Young Lions") even did a good job of directing actors for the camera. This was one of his last efforts and he seems to have stayed focused on the action and paid little attention to the performances themselves.

Connery plays the title character, an experienced frontiersman who (like Paul Newman in "Hombre") is forced by circumstances into guiding a bunch of clueless civilians to safety. "Hombre" had Newman (a white man raised by Indians) in the moral dilemma of having to assist a group of people for which he has total contempt. Shalako ' s situation is simpler: he must extract a European aristocrat's hunting party who have ticked off the Apache's by coming onto their reservation and who have been betrayed by their cowboy hunting guides. Although he has little use for most of this group he has developed a grudging respect for a plucky countess (Bardot). There is decent chemistry in the early Connery-Bardot scenes but it does not sustain itself as the relationship begins to turn romantic.

As in "Hombre" there is an interesting twist with the young wife (Honor Blackman) of one of the aristocrats deciding to leave her husband for the dangerous cowboy (Stephan Boyd) who has just placed the group at the mercy of the elements (and the Indians). Blackman is excellent in this part , the only really challenging role in the production.

Dmytryk does an excellent job with his first three action sequences, including a surprisingly credible dawn attack on the camp of the hunting party and a more traditional stagecoach chase sequence. But as already mentioned, the film is extremely front-end loaded and he has dissipated all the tension before the climatic sequence even begins.

"Hombre" on the other hand withheld its best sequence until the end and managed to pack some nice irony into its resolution. You won't find this in "Shalako", in fact the final 20 minutes are so listless your mind begins mulling over the plot holes. Like how did Boyd's character manage to walk all the way to the top of the plateau without being detected by the Indians? When you have to insert a detailed verbal explanation for something totally inexplicable (that has happened "off" camera) a competent editor knows that it is time for some major trimming and a focused director begins revising his script.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

Shalako is directed by Edward Dmytryk and collectively written by J.J. Griffith, Hal Hooper, Scot Finch and Clarke Reynolds. Adapted from the book written by Louis L'Amour it stars Sean Connery, Brigitte Bardot, Stephen Boyd, Jack Hawkins, Honor Blackman, Peter van Eyck and Alexander Knox. A Technicolor/Franscope production, music is scored by Robert Farnon and cinematography by Ted Moore.

When a hunting party of European aristocrats are led into Apache territory by shifty guide Bosky Fulton (Boyd), it calls for a brave tough guy to try and get them out to safety. Enter Shalako (Connery).

A difficult film to review since it undoubtedly has problems, yet with the right expectation level set it plays out a fun and robust Western. It's not nearly as awful as some would have you believe. Really.

OK, it's a bit too off kilter for its own good, miscasting is all too evident, with Connery and Bardot particularly standing out, and there isn't enough quality of story to justify the near two hour running time. The Connery issue is sad because it isn't for lack of trying or charisma, a confirmed Western fan, Connery ventured into the genre having just left (temporarily) the James Bond franchise, he attacks the role of Shalako with relish. But he never once convinces in this time period and desperately tries to plug into the socket for some sparks in the "sign posted a mile away" love interest with Bardot. Although there's something sensual about observing Bardot blasting away with rifle in hands, it's just a little too out there, especially since she has make-up apparently done by Dusty Springfield. But if you can buy into the odd European group dynamic that Bardot fronts? Then it can provide some genuinely enjoyable genre passages.

Dmytryk structures it soundly without surprises, however, the action sequences hold up very well. With flaming arrows piercing bodies and setting wagons ablaze, combat between rifle and bow is perky. The first Apache attack on the Adobe ruin compound that our odd group are holed up at, is resplendent with Apache leaps and energised attack and defence tactics. There's also a vigorous chase passage involving a coach, while the key battle in the final quarter, up on the mountainside, is well worth the wait. Elsewhere in the cast, Blackman is sexy, Boyd makes for a good scuzzy weasel and Knox gives the most believable performance. Outdoor photography is pleasing, with Almeria in Spain nicely made to look like New Mexico, and the theme music is wonderfully exuberant.

There's other problems, not enough Woody Strode, unconvincing smooching, unconvincing mano-mano fight and the closure is hardly barnstorming. And yes, at times it is ridiculous. Yet there's still rewards there for the Western fan who is in an undemanding mood. 6.5/10

So, you've got a Scot, a couple Englishmen, an Irishman, a Pole and a French woman in a film....who would believe that it would be a western?! But somehow, the film folks decided this bizarre casting would be great and somehow they persuaded Sean Connery to abandon the lead in the next Bond film ("On Her Majesty's Secret Service") for this movie. While I know Connery was aching for some other sort of acting challenge, he must have been real desperate for a change to pick a movie like this. It isn't that it's bad--it's just badly miscast. And, to top off the bad casting, black-American actor/athlete Woody Strode is cast as an American-Indian!! Wow...that's so weird. What was also weird were the 1960s hair styles many sported--particularly Bardot with her VERY distinctive doo. Louis L'Amour, who wrote this story, must have been frustrated at the casting.

Brigitte Bardo is among a group of Europeans out in the old west on a hunting expedition. Their party is attacked by Indians and Sean Connery comes to her aid. Eventually, he's able to get the Apache chief to agree to let him and Bardot leave...provided they got off Indian land by sundown. On their way out, they meet up with Bardot's bizarre friends--who insist on staying in their surreal camping expedition. Surreal, because they come provisioned like kings--complete with linens, fine wines and the like. Apparently they are rich and regal....and totally stupid, as they want to stay and "teach the Indians a lesson"! Sixteen upper class twits versus an entire Indian nation--I like them odds!! Why Connery didn't just leave them all to die is beyond me. Instead, he plans on setting out to get the help of the Cavalry--though why they'd want to help these idiots, I have no idea! But before this can happen, the Apache attack and things look dire for the band of idiots. Watch the film if you'd like to see what happens next. However, aside from the odd cast, it's a pretty standard 'let's not get slaughtered by the Indians flick'. Not bad overall, but just a bit strange. I was ready to give this film a mediocre score of 5, but the closing song was so bad that I just needed to shave off another point. Yuck!

By the way, this is definitely NOT a film for dog lovers. While it's rare to see dogs killed in films (other than "Old Yeller"), here several are brutally killed by Indians and it probably will disturb some viewers. Plus, I felt these scenes lacked realism, as real German Shepherd dogs would have acted quite differently considering they WERE supposed to be guard dogs!

Much as I appreciate Sean Connery and adore Brigitte Bardot, this is a bore-fest. Even Stephen Boyd (died too young) in black villain clothes couldn't save this mess from the trashcan. Jack Hawkins (wonderful actor) and some other snobs on a meaningless quest that goes nowhere fast. Bardot was already tired of acting and Connery was almost done with the Bond series.

Westerns were beginning to die out by 1968 (thanks to stuff like this). A decent script might have helped. Don't waste your time with this turkey. I've never seen a cast so out of synch with each other. There's really nothing to recommend about this, except BB looks great in her riding outfit.

A hunting party of European aristocrats is led onto Apache land by arrogant hunting guide Stephen Boyd, in violation of a government treaty. Soon the party is given an ultimatum brokered by G-man Sean Connery. The Europeans stubbornly refuse to leave Apache lands, leading to a violent confrontation and a desperate trek through the hills.

This British production is decent enough but it goes on a bit too long. The widescreen photography is excellent, showing off some mighty fine locations and the action is competently handled. However there isn't much sympathy generated by any of the characters in the film.

Sean Connery makes an adequate western hero albeit with a Scottish accent, while Woody Strode steals every scene he's in as Connery's number one Apache nemesis.

It's true what they say about Connery and Bridget Bardot's lack of on-screen chemistry. Viewers wondering why Bardot has such a loyal cult following won't find any answers here.

The worst thing about this film is the awful theme song.

Based on a Louis L'Amour story, SHALAKo is a standard Western about an ex-Army colonel (a miscast Sean Connery in a really silly cowboy hat) trying to keep a party of Europeans alive after they have invaded Indian territory. A Spanish-made film, the only American in the cast is Stephen Boyd as the party's villainous guide, and he's OK. Well, and Woody Strode is the chief bad Indian! Otherwise, you have a broad spectrum of accents and acting to deal with here. Heavily eyelined Frenchie Brigitte Bardot is a countess from who knows where and German actor Peter Van Eyck plays a stiff-backed baron. Brits Jack Hawkins and Honor Blackman are a couple of English nobility. And so on. Even the butler is foreign. This is one of those glossy European flicks, of which there were quite a few made back in the 1960s and 1970s, and most of which never quite clicked here. In the end, the story comes to nothing. And the endless shots of Spanish desert wear thin after awhile. You may safely skip this one.

Screenwriters know that if a plot element is proposed by a character (usually a main character), the viewer usually accepts it unquestioningly, no matter how absurd said plot element may be. Shalako contains such an element.

Sean Connery and crew (about six other people, to my recollection) are trying escape from the Indians by leaving a besieged fort and sneaking away to a distant mountain. This in itself is an absurd proposition. I mean, white people can't just sneak out of a fort in broad daylight and fool a band of Indians. Not even when, on Connery's order, they go the long way because, as he explains, "the Indians won't expect it".

Anyway, when our stealthy little gang gets to an outcropping of boulders, Connery gets busy. Sean tells them all to hide behind the rocks, and then he reaches into his bag of tricks. After all are safely hidden, he takes a tree branch and proceeds to (you guessed it) erase their tracks!! He obliterates about 20 feet of footprints, brushes around a corner and, just for good measure, erases the last 15 feet leading to the rocks. And sure enough, the Injuns are completely dumbfounded! They follow the tracks all the way up to where they end and then, 'Wow! Where did they go?!' They sit there on their horses for a few minutes scratching their heads and then, as the palefaces peek out from behind the rocks, they turn and trot off into the sunset. 'Paleface disappear into thin air. We no lookum anymore. Injuns go back'. Hard to believe, but Sean pulls it off. Maybe while the Indians were learning how to track footprints they should have also learned how to follow brush marks left by tree branches.

But whatever. As it turns out, our heroes could have saved themselves alot of trouble by simply staying where they were. In the end the Indians found 'em anyway, and the end the film's main conflict was solved in a typical Hollywood fight to the death. As it turns out, this little trek serves no purpose except to fill out about 45 minutes worth of run time. And to show us how crafty a really witty white guy can be.

I had right. Overrated Sean Connery hasn't got much to provide in a Western. And "Shalako" is a feature without a good script - it is simple, without surprises and nothing for the modern audience, so why was "Shalako" re-released in Sweden just some time ago? I know that there is a lot of other movies that could be re-released here instead!

"Shalako" has some action- filled scenes, but the rest of the movie is more boring than it should be. Not even my favorite Woody Strode makes it better. It is a film with some stars, but otherwise there is nothing interesting and most of all - nothing new. And the film has not heart or spirit.

When it comes to the story - it was truly dated already when it came. The action scenes are much better, the only thing to enjoy in "Shalako". Some really fast and not to bad editing too. The end was not well done, almost boring and mostly pointless. The music wasn't good either, so don't expect too much of "Shalako". You can see this film once, but don't think this is something you can see more than that!

Rating: 4 of 10.