★ 5 / 10
**_Warmhearted Western in the Southwest marred by contrivances
Wuchak
**_Warmhearted Western in the Southwest marred by contrivances and dubious acting_** An aged Marshal Pat Garrett (Charles Bickford) chases a questionable…
**_Warmhearted Western in the Southwest marred by contrivances and dubious acting_**
An aged Marshal Pat Garrett (Charles Bickford) chases a questionable robber (Joel McCrea) through long stretches of New Mexico. On the way, the latter meets a lovely nurse (Frances Dee) and befriends a sympathetic innkeeper (Joseph Calleia). William Conrad is on hand as a sheriff that joins the marshal’s pursuit.
“Four Faces West” (1948), also known as “They Passed This Way,” is a decent Western with stretches of lyrical beauty, hindered by the B&W photography (the magnificent locations mean very little in flat B&W). The warmheartedness is refreshing and Dee is winsome, but McCrea doesn’t know how to play an overly sympathetic protagonist, the proverbial good bad guy.
Meanwhile Calleia lays it on a little too thick and his character comes across unbelievable. Speaking of unbelievable, the way the protagonist escapes capture on the train is “Why Sure!” territory. Yet the train sequence is otherwise well done. Another “Yeah, right” episode takes place in the last act involving a Mexican family.
It runs 1 hour, 29 minutes, and was shot entirely in New Mexico, except for interiors done in Hollywood. The locations include: San Rafael, Alamogordo, El Morro National Monument near Ramah (Inscription Rock), Gallup, Red Rock Canyon State Park and White Sands National Monument.
GRADE: C+
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★ 8 / 10
Ross McEwen - Valiant Gentleman. Four Faces West
John Chard
Ross McEwen - Valiant Gentleman. Four Faces West (AKA: They Passed This Way) is directed by Alfred E. Green and collectively adapted to screenplay by C. Graham…
Ross McEwen - Valiant Gentleman.
Four Faces West (AKA: They Passed This Way) is directed by Alfred E. Green and collectively adapted to screenplay by C. Graham Baker, Teddi Sherman, William Brent and Milarde Brent from the novel Paso por acqui written by Eugene Manlove Rhodes. It stars Joel McCrea, Francis Dee, Charles Bickford and Joseph Calleia. Music is by Paul Sawtell and cinematography by Russell Harlan.
Ross McEwen (McCrea) robs the bank of Santa Maria but requests only $2,000 and issues an I.O.U. to the bank manager with the promise of paying back the money. The bank manager, aggrieved and agitated, puts a bounty of $3,000 on McEwen's head and quickly finds the law, in the form of Sheriff Pat Garrett (Bickford), aiding his cause. But McEwen is no ordinary thief, and as he makes his way across the lands during his escape, revelations and relationships will reveal something quite extraordinary.
All the things are in place here for a conventional 1940s Western movie, with the robbery of a bank followed by a posse pursuit, a serious sheriff on the case, a pretty gal turning heads and some card playing of course. Yet this is far from being a conventional Oater. Old fashioned? Yes! Definitely, but it's a beautifully crafted picture that relies on characterisations - locations - and a story of such humanistic redemptive qualities; it demands to be better known.
It has rightly been pointed out before that no blood is shed here, no bullets are fired; in fact bullets play a key part of the story for a different reason, but the action quota here is still very high. With blazing fire tactics used at one point and pursuits through the rocky terrain very much in evidence, the pic often raises the pulses. Tension is also provided by the efforts of McEwen to evade the attentions of the posse and the law, with some intelligent and believable methods put into action. The romance angle is also thoughtful and never cloying, given credence by real life lovers McCrea and Dee, while non white actors play South American characters without charges of stereotype or fodder being brought into play.
With first grade black and white photography from Harlan (New Mexico Tourist Board done a favour here), unfussy direction by Green, and a quartet of great performances by the principal players leading from the front, Four Faces West (not the best of titles to be fair) is a treat for the Western fan. It may lack a "shock" outcome but it sure as heck fire casts off cynicism and makes you feel better about people in general. Bravo! 8/10
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★ 7 / 10
Good Western with action , drama , wonderful landscapes and attractive interpretations
ma-cortes
¨Four faces West¨ or ¨They passed this way¨ is an enjoyable film with spectacular outdoors , emotion , a love story and agreeable acting strengthen this…
¨Four faces West¨ or ¨They passed this way¨ is an enjoyable film with spectacular outdoors , emotion , a love story and agreeable acting strengthen this low-key Western . Cowboy Ross McEwen (Joel McCrea) is an honest rancher when he arrives in town. He asks the banker for a loan of $2000 , then he robs the local bank in order to save his father's ranch from foreclosure . On the run he is helped by a nurse (Frances Dee) and an upright man (Joseph Calleia) . Ross is relentlessly pursued by the famous Sheriff Pat Garrett (Charles Bickford) . His humanity in helping a diphtheria-ridden family leads to his capture , since he is not an ordinary nasty guy . Based on Eugene Manlove Rhodes' novel titled "Paso Por Aqui": ¨He grew to manhood in this valley , most of the stones which helped build his fame as a writer had their setting in Southern New Mexico . One of the best known ¨Paso Por aquí¨ was based on actual occurrence at the Little Choza which his friend have set aside as a monument to his memory. The film is the story of this monument¨ .Interesting Western without gunshot but with good feeling , romance , go riding , thrills and results to be pretty entertaining . Nice acting from Joel McCrea and Frances Dee , both of whom real-life husband and wife . Thoughtful performances from support cast such as Joseph Calleia , Charles Bickford playing a merciless Pat Garrett who did something else with his life apart from chasing Billy the Kid all over the immense territories . Furthermore , William Conrad , pre-Cannon , another bulky presence even at this early stage of his fruitful career , here performing another deputy chasing the protagonist . Atmospheric cinematography in black and white by Russell Harlan , being shot on location in El Morro National Monument, Ramah, New Mexico,Gallup, New Mexico, Red Rock Canyon State Park , Cantil, California, San Rafael, New Mexico, USA . Appropriate as well as evocative musical score by Paul Sawtell . The motion picture professionally produced by Harry Sherman was well directed by Alfred E Green . Alfred was a good craftsman expert on all kind of genres such as Musical : ¨The fabulous Dorseys¨ (47) , ¨The Jolson story¨ (46), ¨Copacabana¨ (47) , Drama : ¨Dangerous (35) , Baby Face (33) , biography : ¨The Jackie Robinson story¨( 1950) , ¨Disraeli¨(30) and adventure : ¨South of Pago Pago¨(40) , A thousand and one nights¨(40) . Rating : Better than average . The film will appeal to Western buffs .
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71%
AUDIENCE
7.0/10
1.2K
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Un gran western.