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 premise of the film is just dumb. That a handful of European aristocrats, with an outlaw for a guide, would refuse to escape an Indian reservation when they discover they are about to be attacked by a small Indian army, just because they are racist enough to believe that they are superior to any number of Indians, may not be utterly incredible - racists can get pretty dumb - but it is just incredible enough to make all that follows difficult to swallow. I mean, obviously these people are too stupid to be liked or even pitied - let the Indians massacre them and get it over with.And speaking of racism, it's hard to believe this film was made in the late 1960s, this is the most regressive presentation of Native Americans as "savages" since the 1930s. In fact there are a couple John Wayne oaters from the Lone Star studios of the '30s that present Indians in a much more favorable and humane manner than this.So let's talk about the casting - or let's not, everyone is so badly miscast, you wonder what film the casting director thought needed these actors. They're all well known and respected for other roles in other films - they just don't belong here. The worst case of this - Woody Strode, wholly unbelievable as an Indian warrior with a grudge against Connery's Shalako.And don't get me started on that bizarre, '50s-retro title song! Might actually have been fun if it didn't drag out so bad. Action scenes are below par. Unless you have a Connery crush or a Bardot fetish, better stay away.

Like most of the comments posted here, I can't give much praise for "Shalako - who thought-up that name? Louis L'Lamour ?? I must admit I don't pay too much attention to his westerns, and seldom know he wrote them. I am in the debt of those who point-out the film was shot in Spain.....desert is desert, to me, unless it's The Sahara.I didn't recognize ole Connery ("Shalako")....thought he looked familiar. Guess the rent was due. Bardot "(Countess someone") was totally out of place: stringy hair and tons of make-up for that period ? But, we gotta remember she has a huge following in Europe and had to let everyone know it really WAS she. Also didn't recognize Stephen Boyd as "Bosky Fulton" - guess his rent was due, too. It was apparent he was up to no good, when you saw him a long way ahead of the carriage. I've never heard that Europeans came to our West for a hunting-trip: what they want, scalps ? I'll just keep a close look-out for them in some other film.I neither liked nor disliked "Shalako" - I knew the ladies would get up the mountain someway, but wondered why they were last. Don't blame the Apaches for wanting these folk out of their territory.I watched this for lunch - so, it came-off as nothing. Edward Dymtryk may have been a big director in Europe, but he should have had an American assistant for advice on an American Western.....he must have watched a lot of westerns and thought he had it down pat....guns, cowboys and Indians......yawn.....

This offbeat Euro-Western based on Louis L'Amour novel concerns about Shalako (Sean Connery) whose Indian name means ¨he who brings rain¨ . He's an US scout cowboy who intervenes to save 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 Westerns , Shalako is a high budget 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 attempt violation and murder of Honor Blackman . The casting is frankly magnificent but the film gets and incredible waste of a talented cast like happens with Sean Connery , though the first choice by the producers was Henry Fonda . There appears various main actors and secondaries 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 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 James Bond : ¨Diamonds are forever¨ , ¨Goldfinger¨ , ¨From Russia with love¨.. The motion picture is regularly directed by Edward Dmytryck who made ¨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 , for Brigitte Bardot only .