The Valley of Gwangi (1969)

As the nineteenth century yields to the dawn of the twentieth, a struggling traveling wild west show, Breckenridge, traverses the rugged terrain south of the Rio Grande. Its star and manager, T.J. Breckenridge, has inherited this failing spectacle after her father's demise and is desperately trying to keep it alive. Amid these tribulations, she's visited by her former fiancé and show deserter, Tuck Kirby, who’s now a horse trader. Still harboring feelings for T.J., Tuck aims to purchase the show's star horse to aid her precarious financial situation. However, T.J.'s hope for salvation lies not with Tuck's offer, but with a new, unusual attraction: a tiny horse called "El Diablo". This creature, the size of a common dog, is identified by a visiting paleontologist, Horace Bromley, as an eohippus, a prehistoric creature long believed extinct. This revelation sparks a frenzied interest among different factions, each wanting to claim the creature. The local gypsies, led by Tia Zorina, believe that stealing El Diablo from its home, the Forbidden Valley, has brought a curse that can only be lifted by returning it. Meanwhile, the knowledge of El Diablo's existence incites Tuck, T.J., Professor Bromley, and young orphaned guide Lope to venture into the Forbidden Valley in pursuit of even grander discoveries. In this thrilling journey, they unwittingly stumble upon an Allosaurus, the Gwangi. Cowboy James Franciscus, enamored by fame and fortune, decides to capture this formidable creature, aiming to make it the centerpiece of a Mexican circus. However, the Gwangi proves to be an unwilling star, exhibiting a strong aversion to public display. As they attempt to wrestle with the Gwangi, the adventurers learn a hard lesson: tampering with nature's ancient secrets can unleash consequences more terrifying than they could ever imagine. This captivating tale, enhanced by the masterful stop-action special effects of Ray Harryhausen, is a thrilling exploration of ambition, love, and the potentially devastating impact of disturbing the past.

The Valley of Gwangi is an adventure movie featuring James Franciscus.

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