Gila Golan is T.J. Breckenridge; Richard Carlson is Champ Connors. They’re partners in a traveling circus that’s running short on cash.
That’s when T.J.’s old boyfriend, Tuck Kirby (James Franciscus), shows up, wanting to buy the horse that’s the star of the show.
T.J. refuses to sell, until an employee names Carlos brings her a new star attraction, El Diablo — a miniature horse captured in the Forbidden Valley.
But a meddlesome professor conspires with gypsies to set the small horse free. The gypsies fear a curse will befall anyone meddling with creatures from the valley.
Professor Bromley’s motivation is much different. He sees El Diablo as a link to clues about the distant past and man’s role in it.
The subsequent mission to recapture the tiny horse leads T.J., Champ, Carlos, Tuck and company into a valley filled with prehistoric creatures.
And when they emerge again, they’re hauling a new star attraction — a beast named Gwangi that would dwarf any horse.
James Franciscus as Tuck Kirby in The Valley of Gwangi (1969)
Gila Golan as T.J. Breckinridge in The Valley of Gwangi (1969)
Review:
Average flick gets an extra star for originality — heck, not too many feature cowboys and dinosaurs — and for Ray Harryhausen’s special effects.
Otherwise, the plot centers on the question of whether T.J. and Tuck will rekindle their love for one another.
Tuck has always feared settling down. But, in the end, it’s T.J. who’s reluctant to give up the limelight, at least not before cashing in on her new star attraction.
Wondering about the lovely Gila Golan? As a toddler, she was reportedly found wandering around war-torn Poland in 1940 and adopted by a Roman Catholic couple who move to Israel.
This was the last of five U.S. films she made during a short-lived film career launched after she was named Miss Israel in 1960 and went on to finish 2nd in the Miss World competition.
Oh, and she was clearly dubbed in this film.
Lawrence Naismith as Professor Bromley in The Valley of Gwangi (1969)
Gustavo Rojo as Carlos in The Valley of Gwangi (1969)
Directed by:
Jim O’Connolly
Cast:
James Franciscus … Tuck Kirby
Gila Golan … T.J. Breckenridge
Richard Carlson … Champ Connors
Lawrence Naismith … Prof. Bromley
Freda Jackson … Tia Zortna
Gustavo Rojo … Carlos dos Orsos
Curtis Arden … Lope
Dennis Kilbane … Rowdy
Mario De Barros … Bean
Jose Burgos … The Dwarf
Runtime: 96 min.
Richard Carlson as Champ Connors and Gila Golan as T.J. Breckenridge in The Valley of Gwangi (1969)
Freda Jackson as Tia Zortna issues a warning about Gwangi with Jose Burgos as The Dwarf in The Valley of Gwangi (1969)
Memorable lines:
Old woman: “He who take from Gwangi, the evil one, is cursed.”
Finder: “Only by an old woman’s tongue.”
Old woman: “I tell you, if he does not go back to the Forbidden Valley, we will all suffer a terrible fate. My eyes are blind, but I can still see the signs.”
Tuck: “You don’t seem very glad to see me, Champ.”
Champ: “About as glad as a dying mule to see a vulture.”
Curtis Arden as Lope in The Valley of Gwangi (1969)
Gila Golan as T.J. Breckenridge in The Valley of Gwangi (1969)
Tuck, as he studies a dead bird thought to be extinct: “Come on. Come on, professor. There’s not time for that.”
Professesor Bromley: “I can’t go now.
Tuck: “Professor, there’s a big lizard back there. And he’d headed this way!”
Rowdy: “In all my travels, I never saw nothin’ like that two-ton lizard. If we could only get him back alive.”
Tuck: “The only thing I want to get back alive is me.”
Tuck to T.J.: “I’m sorry for you, hon, cause you’re headed to a place I just left. I know that place. I don’t think you’re going to like it much.”
James Franciscus as Tuck Kirby demands to know what happened to El Diablo from Professor Bromley in The Valley of Gwangi (1969)
James Franciscus as Tuck Kirby and Gila Golan as T.J. Breckenridge talk over old times in The Valley of Gwangi (1969)
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The only other combination-film made up of dinosaurs and cowboys that I’ve been quite aware of before this one, is of-course: ‘the Beast of Hollow Mountain’ – but this 1969 ‘Warner Bros. and Seven Arts’ movie: ‘the Valley of Gwangi’, right now, was a real breakthrough, in it’s time. Notice how the film-makers, here, really mingled the ancient with the modern: as Gwangi suddenly comes around the corner in the distance (scratching it’s snout), in Tuck’s view, only just before coming straight towards him. The visual affect of that scene there (and the clash of times) was truly outstanding. And the old gypsy witch telling the tales of Gwangi really filled it all out, as-well. What a great story-line it was: what with the dodgy ‘on-and-off’ romance between T. J. and Mr. Kirby (and ‘El-Diablo’, the miniature horse), down at the stadium-arena – their past catching up with them, like that. And then there’s also Prof. Horace Bromley and the little Lope on their horses and donkeys, all thrown in for really good measure, too: only adding even all the more ‘ab-fab’ adventure to this one-time ‘Classic of classics’, no doubt about it. Enjoy a most fantastic movie! An easy 10/10 rating from me. But honestly though, there’s no need for a remake: it would only spoil its originality. The fantastic musical score, by the way, was: dramatic at the start, fine throughout and really quite subtle at the end. Brilliant special effects by the then remarkable Ray Harryhausen: three dinosaurs, a pteranodon, an eohippus horse and an enormous elephant. In short: a master-piece. An ace of cards’ epic spectacle! Certainly astounding, that’s for sure.
The only other combination-film made up of dinosaurs and cowboys that I’ve been quite aware of before this one, is of-course: ‘the Beast of Hollow Mountain’ – but this 1969 ‘Warner Bros. and Seven Arts’ movie: ‘the Valley of Gwangi’, right now, was a real break-through, in its time. Notice how the film-makers, here, really mingled the ancient with the modern: as Gwangi suddenly appears and comes around the corner in the distance (scratching its snout), in Tuck’s view, only just before coming straight towards him. The visual affect of that scene there (and the uncanny clash of times) was truly outstanding. And the old gypsy witch telling the tales of Gwangi, really filled it all out, as-well. What a great story-line it was: what with the dodgy ‘on and off’ romance between T. J. and Mr. Kirby, down at the stadium-arena – their past catching up with them, like that…(and ‘El-Diablo’, the miniature horse, for a very interesting contrasting comparison to it). And then there’s also the eccentric Prof. Horace Bromley and the lovely little Lope on their horses and donkeys, all thrown in for really good measure, too: only adding even all the more ‘ab-fab’ adventure to this one-time ‘classic of classics’…no doubt about it. Enjoy a most fantastic movie! An easy 10/10 rating from me. But honestly though, there’s no need for a remake: it’s already so blimming good on its own, as it is, anyway – and it would only spoil its originality. The fantastic musical score, by the way, was actually: really dramatic at the start, fine throughout and really quite subtle at the end. Brilliant special effects by the then remarkable Ray Harryhausen: credited for the three dinosaurs, a pteranodon, an eohippus horse and an enormous elephant. So nice to see all of the other people and animals in the film…(et alia), as-well. In short: a master-piece. An ace of cards’ epic spectacle! Certainly astounding, that’s for sure. /(P. S. the only aspect of it missing, anywhere in the film, was having them all (the guys and the gals) at the evening dances – like (it was) in ‘Back/Return to the Future: Part Three’)/ It’s still the best dinosaur film ever, as it is, though. Thank-you so much for your time.
The only other combination-film made up of dinosaurs and cowboys that I’ve been quite aware of before this one, is of-course: ‘the Beast of Hollow Mountain’ – but this 1969 ‘Warner Bros. and Seven Arts’ movie: ‘the Valley of Gwangi’, right now, was a real break-through, in its time. Notice how the film-makers, here, really mingled the ancient with the modern: as Gwangi suddenly appears and comes around the corner in the distance (scratching its snout), in Tuck’s view, only just before coming straight towards him. The visual effect of that scene there (and the uncanny clash of times) was truly outstanding. And the old gypsy witch telling the tales of Gwangi, really filled it all out, as-well. What a great story-line it was: what with the dodgy ‘on and off’ romance between a reluctant T. J. and a pushy Mr. Kirby (James Franciscus in the leading role), down at the stadium-arena – their past catching up with them, like that…(and ‘El-Diablo’, the miniature horse, for a very interesting contrasting comparison to it). And then there’s also the eccentric Prof. Horace Bromley and the lovely little Lope on their horses and donkeys, all thrown in for really good measure, too: only adding even all the more ‘ab-fab’ adventure to this one-time ‘classic of classics’…no doubt about it. Enjoy a most fantastic movie! An easy 10 out of 10 rating from me. But honestly though, there’s no need for a remake: it’s already so blimming good on it’s own, as it is, anyway – and it would only spoil its originality. The fantastic musical score, by the way, was actually: really dramatic at the start, fine throughout and really quite subtle at the end. Brilliant special effects by the then remarkable and now legendary Mr. Ray Harryhausen: credited for the three dinosaurs, a pteranodon, an eohippus horse and an enormous elephant – his excellent crafted models. So nice to see all of the other people and animals in the film…(et alia), as-well. In short: a master-piece. An ace of cards’ epic spectacle! Certainly astounding, that’s for sure. /(P. S. The only aspect of it missing, anywhere in the film, was having them all (the guys and the gals) at the evening dances, twirling each other to the music – just like (it was) in ‘Back/Return to the Future: Part Three’.)/ At this, when it comes right down to it though, for me, it’s still the very best dinosaur film ever, as it is, though…out of the whole range of dinosaur films that I’ve ever seen, in my time. Thank-you so much for your time. /(This is the third and the last of these noted edits.)/ Cheers.
/(In the statement on ‘the Valley of Gwangi’, where it says, “It’s so blimming good…”, it should be, for a correction: …on its own.)/ Once upon a time in a dinosaur and cowboy film: riding out from the circus-rodeo into the forbidden valley – where the Gwangi awaits…
Where the awful (awesome) Gwangi awaits…