Mackenna's Gold - Plot

Plot

An old legend tells of a fortune in gold hidden in the "Cañon del Oro," guarded by the Apache spirits. Along with several others, a man named Adams found it when he was a young man, only to have the Indians capture and blind him, leaving him stranded in the desert after killing his companions. Years later, Marshal MacKenna (Gregory Peck) wounds an old Indian shaman named Prairie Dog (Eduardo Ciannelli) who tried to bushwhack him; Prairie Dog subsequently dies, despite MacKenna's attending to him. MacKenna thereby comes into possession of a map that supposedly shows the way to the treasure. Though skeptical, he memorizes the directions before burning the map.

Meanwhile, Mexican outlaw Colorado (Omar Sharif) and his gang had been tracking Prairie Dog to get the map, all the while being chased by the U.S. Cavalry. He takes shelter in the house of the old judge of the town of Hadleyburg, stealing horses, mules and food for his journey. He kills the judge and kidnaps his daughter, Inga Bergmann (Camilla Sparv), whom Colorado mistakes for the judge's wife, as a hostage in case the cavalry catches up with him.

Colorado finds MacKenna digging a grave for Prairie Dog and when he learns that MacKenna has destroyed the map, he takes him captive and forces him to lead them to the gold. Colorado also loads Prairie Dog's body onto a horse to bring along with them. He briefly tortures a captive MacKenna by having him cross an unsteady footbridge with the body. Although the bridge nearly collapses, MacKenna crosses without harm and is taken to Colorado's rest point, where he and his gang wait. The gang is made up of outlaws, including Sanchez (Keenan Wynn) and Apaches. Colorado's main henchman is a hulking Apache warrior, Hachita (Ted Cassidy). Colorado and his companions have a previous history with MacKenna, years previous being driven out of the state by MacKenna, while a fiery Apache woman, Hesh-ke (Julie Newmar) had been MacKenna's one-time love.

The next morning, Ben Baker (Eli Wallach), an old friend of Colorado's from the town of Hadleyburg, arrives with a posse of townsmen who have become "infected" by "gold fever." Those amongst the men are two Englishmen (Anthony Quayle and J. Robert Porter), an editor (Lee J. Cobb), a storekeeper (Burgess Meredith), a preacher (Raymond Massey), and Old Adams (Edward G. Robinson) himself. Colorado persuades Old Adams to relate the story of how he was left in the desert by the Apache. This only further raises tensions and hopes in the party. MacKenna tries to allow the townsmen to leave, claiming they have no business to be there, and to take the opportunity to leave with the cavalry, under the leadership of Sergeant Tibbs (Telly Savalas). Colorado steps in and convinces them to stay.

The party bypasses the encamped cavalry by having two of Baker's men drop off a drunken squaw and make it appear that they are being pursued by Apaches. The plan succeeds until Tibbs gets some words out of the squaw about their intentions. As MacKenna's group plans to make a final rest stop at a water hole, the cavalry ambushes them. Baker and the editor try to plead for their lives, but they, along with Sanchez, the older Englishman, and presumably a helpless Old Adams are killed. Prairie Dog's body is lost during the attack and rides off into the desert; the preacher, storekeeper, and younger Englishman are separated from MacKenna's group. They are later pursued by the Apache trying to keep the gold from outsiders. Colorado merely shoots them off their horses to "keep the Apache happy for a while". As they near the canyon, MacKenna and Inga begin to fall in love, and a jealous Hesh-Ke tries to drown Inga at the water hole, only to be stopped by MacKenna.

Meanwhile, Tibbs periodically sends messengers back to his commanding officer, supposedly to keep him informed. Eventually, the patrol is whittled down to just Tibbs and two men. Inga is sent to Tibbs to divert their attention. Rather than escort Inga to safety, Tibbs kills his troopers. He returns her to MacKenna and the outlaws, wanting a share of the gold. After crossing dangerous river rapids, they reach "Shaking Rock", a location on the map, to wait for the sun to rise on the specified day. The shadow of the pinnacle eventually points to the hidden entrance to the canyon. MacKenna, who had been skeptical, now begins to believe in the legend.

They find a canyon with a large veins of pure gold. While all race to the canyon floor, Hesh-ke tries to kill Inga, but loses the horse-back struggle and falls to her death. While the rest are celebrating their great fortune, MacKenna escapes with Inga to an Indian dwelling high up the canyon wall, realizing that Colorado does not intend to leave any of the party alive.

Hachita uses a hatchet to kill Tibbs. Colorado trys to shoot Hachita but his guns had been emptied by Hachita the previous night. Colorado manages to kill Hachita with a throwing knife and then pursues MacKenna and Inga up the cliff to the dwellings, where a three-way fight follows. Apaches tipped off by Hachita now attack, and the ensuing shooting and shouting leads to a rockfall. The Apaches and survivors flee just before the walls of the canyon fall, burying the gold. This is followed by the crash of "Shaking Rock."

Stunned from what has just happened, Colorado warns MacKenna to not chase him. He leaves in disgust, believing the gold has been buried beyond reach. Before MacKenna and Inga ride off together, a saddlebag on the horse MacKenna took in the mad scramble is shown to be full of the large gold nuggets.