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Simmering Passions In Shadow Valley. Four Guns to
John Chard
Simmering Passions In Shadow Valley. Four Guns to the Border is directed by Richard Carlson and collectively written by George Van Marter, Franklin Coen and…
Simmering Passions In Shadow Valley.
Four Guns to the Border is directed by Richard Carlson and collectively written by George Van Marter, Franklin Coen and Louis L'Amour. It stars Rory Calhoun, Colleen Miller, George Nader, Walter Brennan, Nina Foch, John McIntire, Charles Drake and Jay Silverheels. Music is by Joseph Gershenson and cinematography by Russell Metty.
A little ole devil of an Oater is this. The Outlaw machinations and manoeuvres of Rory Calhoun's gang of outlaws is kind of secondary to the sex angle of the plotting. The pic is ripe with sexual frustrations, born out by Colleen Miller's blossoming from tomboy daddies girl into a sex-kitten. There is nary a moment missed to sexualise the stunning Miss Miller, she gets wet a lot, and looks amazing with it, she suggestively licks a candy stick, and on it goes.
It would appear on the surface that these are cheap tactics to put horny Western fan's bums on seats, but there's a relevant thread running through the piece. That of awakenings, or growing up if you like. Be it Miller's discovering and curiosity about her sexuality, to the Outlaw gang who seem perpetually stuck in a world of youthful exuberance, there's a constant "growing up" theme throughout.
"We haven't seen an Indian all day"
"Sometimes that's when they're closest"
Lest I forget to mention this is an action movie as well! Standard Oater conventions do apply in the action stakes, with Calhoun (a very under valued actor in the Western pantheon) exuding machismo at every opportunity. There's Apache attacks, fisticuffs, shoot-outs, deaths and chases, you know, the stuff we Western fans love in our 50s Oater diets. There's a running fun thread that sees Silverheels (who gets the best costume) and Nader taking each other on in friendly bouts of fighting, while a sub-plot involving Foch and Drake adds meat to the thematic stew.
Thoroughly enjoyable and not without some intelligence and racy merit as well, Four Guns to the Border is well worth checking out. 7.5/10
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★ 7 / 10
don't miss this superior Western
chipe
This is a very enjoyable movie, though you wouldn't know it from its low (5.8) user rating. I guess that rating is due to its rather friendly disposition -- no…
This is a very enjoyable movie, though you wouldn't know it from its low (5.8) user rating. I guess that rating is due to its rather friendly disposition -- no evil bad guys, no murders, not so much action. There is a lot of amiable camaraderie amongst the protagonists, and maybe the theme of the movie (good women civilizing their menfolk) doesn't turn most Western fans on.However, if you disregard this movie, you are missing a superior B-Western (or mediocre A-Western). It was directed by a TV and movie actor familiar to most of us, Richard Carlson, who acted in over 100 productions, including "The Creature From the Black Lagoon" and "King Solomon's Mines." Among the film's many pluses are: ¶ a surprisingly superior cast beginning with Rory Calhoun. As one reviewer said, "the rest of the cast is first choice with the a young Colleen Miller and remarkable supporting actors (the Best of Universal's contract actors) : Walter Brennan, John McIntire (in only a handful of scenes) and Charles Drake." ¶ By far, the best actor and scene in the movie is from Nina Foch. Calhoun and Drake used to be friends and hellions in town. Both apparently were friendly with Koch, who ended up marrying Drake, who became sheriff. Calhoun moved away, but continued as an outlaw. The best scene in the movie is when Calhoun returns to town to stage a fist fight with sheriff Drake as a diversion while his gang robs the bank. Great are Calhoun's reminisces with Koch, and Koch's breaking up of the fistfight. ¶ the entire production was competent and pleasant -- cinematography, scenery, color, music, direction, acting, etc.
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★ 6 / 10
Watchable, But Underwhelming
boblipton
Four bank robbers run for the border. On the way, they run into leader Rory Calhoun's old friend Walter Brennan and his gorgeous daughter, Coleen Miller. Miss…
Four bank robbers run for the border. On the way, they run into leader Rory Calhoun's old friend Walter Brennan and his gorgeous daughter, Coleen Miller. Miss Miller and Calhoun fall for each other, despite Brennan's objection.
Richard Carlson takes one of his occasional trips behind the camera to direct this shaky A western. Brennan, of course, gives a fine performance, and the other performers are good, but it all seems to be too well calculated, from the occasional grace notes for the camera, to the arc of the plot. Perhaps tighter editing would have helped. With George Nader, Nina Foch, Jay Silverheels and Nestor Paiva.
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