Shalako

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Movie
German title Shalako
Original title Shalako
Country of production United Kingdom
Federal Republic of Germany
original language English
Publishing year 1968
length 113 minutes
Age rating FSK 12
Rod
Director Edward Dmytryk
script JJ Griffith
Hal Hopper based
on a novel by Louis L'Amour
production Euan Lloyd
Artur Brauner
music Robert Farnon
camera Ted Moore
cut Bill Blunden
occupation

Shalako (alternative title: They call me Shalako ; original title: Shalako ) is a British-German western directed by Edward Dmytryk for the production company Dimitri de Grunwald Productions from 1968 with Sean Connery , Brigitte Bardot , Stephen Boyd and Jack Hawkins in the leading roles. The film is based on a novel by Louis L'Amour .

action

A hunting party made up of European aristocrats is led into an Apache reservation by their villainous guide, Bosky Fulton . The experienced trapper Shalako recognizes the precarious situation and negotiates a deadline with the Indians within which the group must leave. But she doesn't think in the least about ending her promising hunting expedition, and Shalako tries to get help from the nearest military post.

The Indians later actually attacked the camp, with numerous wagons burning down and casualties on both sides. Shalako, who has observed what is happening from afar, can lure the Indians away with smoke signals he has caused. Fulton now shows his true colors and steals money, horses, provisions and water from the group, which is already weakened by the attack, leaving them to certain death. But again help comes from Shalako, who leads the Europeans to a high plateau where there is water and everyone is safe for some time. They come to the aid that Shalako hid some supplies with foreboding. They can also use the traces left by Fulton and his people to hide their escape from the Indians.

The Apaches take Fulton's men and kill them all. Then there is an attack on Shalako and the Europeans, which again leads to victims on both sides. Chato , the chief's son, duels with Shalako in a spear fight, which Shalako wins. The chief then lets the group go on their way.

production

The British producer Euan Lloyd hired the experienced director Edward Dmytryk to bring the novel of the same name by the Wild West expert and prolific writer Louis L'Amour to the screen. The film was shot with a large international cast of well-known film actors in Almería , Spain . Sean Connery and Honor Blackman , both famous for portraying agents, played characters here that were very different from such earlier roles. Sean Connery acted as a trapper and thus a very American hero, rooted in nature, while Blackman acted as a fine English lady. Even Brigitte Bardot played an unusual for her role, because although they like in movies And God Created Woman (1956) and A woman like Satan (1958) with the help of her charms really confident men had shown spectacular, she fell in love here than initially arrogant nobles of all people in a macho. While Brigitte Bardot had Viva Maria! Had shot and made another Wild West film with Petroleummiezen in 1971 , this film was Sean Connery's first and last western in his long career.

background

As Euan Lloyd said in an interview, he initially thought of shooting the film in New Mexico and casting the leading roles with Henry Fonda and Senta Berger . Sean Connery is said to have played the role. a. because he had always enjoyed watching westerns since childhood. As extras for the Indians, Euan Lloyd hired locals who, according to one report, were Roma . The leader of the bellicose Apaches had the producer , who later became famous primarily for The Wild Geese Come, portrayed by Woody Strode , who was Blackfoot. His appearance as an Apache chief is completely different from Pierre Brice's impersonation of the Apache chief Winnetou in the Karl May films, which were very popular at the time . Parallels to Martin Ritt's Man called him Hombre from the previous year are obvious.

effect

After this film, Euan Lloyd produced another western based on a story by Louis L'Amour, Catlow .

Reviews

The lexicon of international films ruled that the film was a "[a] elaborately produced star western". The film focuses primarily on “action and tension”, but loses itself in “outwardly cruel adventure”. The production gives away the "opportunity for psychological drama". Joe Hembus judged: "An original and historically carefully researched subject that has degenerated into a messy and ridiculous parade of stars."

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Release certificate for Shalako - Lost in the Apache Land . Voluntary self-regulation of the film industry , April 2007 (PDF; re-examination of the film: Shalako).
  2. ↑ Lady Boyd (Honor Blackman) leaves her rich husband in a dramatic split decision prompted by the marital discord between her and her pompous husband . Retrieved September 15, 2011.
  3. ↑ Euan Lloyd Interview Cinema Retro # 1
  4. ↑ p.123 Herzberg, Bob From Shooting Scripts: From Pulp Western to Film 2005 McFarland
  5. ↑ Simmons, Bob & Passingham, Kenneth Nobody Does It Better: My 25 Years of Stunts With James Bond and Other Stories 1987 Blandford
  6. ↑ Shalako. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used 
  7. ^ Joe Hembus: Western Lexicon. Munich 1995, p. 483