How a James Bond star and a gypsy war party redefined the 1968 Western
In short: When Sean Connery sought to escape the shadow of 007, he turned to the American frontier. Produced by Euan Lloyd, the 1968 film Shalako combined an international cast, a desert in Spain, and an unconventional group of extras to create a unique, if commercially complex, entry in the Western genre.
The production of Shalako was a logistical feat driven by producer Euan Lloyd’s long-standing ambition to adapt Louis L’Amour’s 1962 novel. After initial plans to film in Mexico with Henry Fonda fell through due to rising costs and distributor hesitation, Lloyd pivoted to Europe. He secured Sean Connery—who had recently declined to return as Bond—by offering a $1 million salary plus 30% of profits. Brigitte Bardot, also turning down a Bond project, joined for $400,000 and a share of the earnings. The film was shot at Shepperton Studios and in the Tabernas Desert of Almería, Spain, a hub for spaghetti Westerns.
The production faced surreal challenges on location. Because Lloyd felt Native Americans in the U.S. lacked a sufficiently 'menacing' appearance, stunt coordinator Bob Simmons recruited Romani people to portray Apache warriors. These extras were trained to ride and act as a war party, leading to bizarre overlaps with the production of the war film Play Dirty, which was shooting nearby. Crews frequently had to clear tire tracks or horse manure from the sand to maintain the illusion of their respective eras. In one instance, the 'Apache' cavalry accidentally charged headlong into a staged Second World War battle.
Despite mixed critical reception upon its 1968 release, the film found significant international success, recording millions of admissions across France, Spain, and Italy. While it was the 18th most popular film of 1969, the high costs of star profit participation resulted in a $1,275,000 loss for the American distributor, ABC. However, the film proved highly profitable for independent distributors in Britain and across the Continent. Today, it remains a curious artifact of the era, notable for its international pedigree and the unusual casting choices that defined its visual identity.
The film also featured a notable cast including Stephen Boyd, Jack Hawkins, and Honor Blackman. Hawkins, suffering from throat cancer, had his voice dubbed by Charles Gray. The production was marked by a few specific quirks: Connery was persuaded to shave his moustache to avoid the negative audience reaction that had previously plagued Gregory Peck, and the film is often edited for television to remove certain character deaths.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Shalako (film)
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