Four Faces West

Nicely paced Western with different kind of story line and excellent use of wide-open vistas. First half is surprisingly easy-going, even with the brief robbery scene. My guess is that McCrea had a lot to do with putting together this independent production. It certainly provides his real life wife Frances Dee with a plum part. Their growing attachment during that first half appears both real and rather charming, and also makes good use of the quietly observant Calleia and an obnoxious little boy who should be riding next to W C Fields as punishment. Then too, the apparently authentic legend of 'paso por aqui' is skillfully integrated into the movie's basic theme.

The second half is more routine as the posse tries to track down McCrea while he flees across the badlands. The afflicted ranch scene is rather overdone as is the heavenly choir at the end. All in all, we don't need to be hit over the head since the movie's intentions have been clear for some time. An interesting question concerns whether the story would have achieved more clout had we not known early on that McCrea was stealing the money for noble reasons, though I don't believe we ever find out the details. Two good unexpected touches-- the bull ride to throw off the posse, and what a sight that makes! Also, despite all the eager bounty hunters with their six-guns in evidence, I don't believe a single shot is fired throughout the 90 minutes.

Perhaps that last point is not too surprising since the personal McCrea appears to have been very much his own man, and not exactly the flashy Hollywood type. One thing for sure, he never overplayed any of his many roles. In fact, his presence here does nothing that would call attention to himself. In a part that calls for an air of quiet nobility, that's exactly what we get and to fine effect. Too bad, those quiet manly virtues from overlooked performers such as McCrea are largely absent among today's many over-sized movie egos.

"Four Faces West" is a beautiful looking movie. It's often stunning to look at. The rest of the movie is good too. It has a fast moving, thoughtful story. It's well acted. I've become quite a fan of Joel McCrea lately. "Four Faces West" is a solid western for his resume.

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

As long l can remenber l've never seen Joel McCrea as bad guy, this picture show us a different kind of western, no shooting, gunfighters or villains, the whole story is driven to give a second chance that every man deserves, even asking a loan under a gun has an politeness way and promising to pay soon he can, when meets Monte as suspicious man on a train everthing seems getting worst, such ambiguous gambler that wore a black clothes giving us a false impression that double cross in near, instead this easy spoken mexican was misunderstood on purpose, the girl that he meets as nurse to care him after snake's bite stay clear love at first sigh,a gentle Garret was another high point as human's point of view, the largely beautiful dry lanscape with several fine spots including the scratch rocks is quite remarkable scene, anyway a little gem to relish in a quiet room this humanist western!!

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First watch: 2018 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 8.5

This is one of those independent films that turns into a classic. A previous reviewer had noted that not a shot was fired nor a punch thrown in this western and I ran it again to be sure. Absolutely correct.

Joel McCrea is the prototype strong silent western hero, his Virginian character now moved to the southwest. He's an amiable cuss, not a bad guy, a cowboy down on his luck who needs some quick cash. He robs the bank in a town where down the street, Pat Garrett is giving a speech about law and order. The embarrassed federal marshal, played by Charles Bickford gets together a posse and pursues McCrea across New Mexico.

Along the way, McCrea meets nurse Frances Dee and gambler Joseph Calleia who has a very ambiguous part. Because it's Joseph Calleia whose stock and trade is movie criminals you expect betrayal. Actually Calleia turns out to be McCrea's friend.

When McCrea goes back on the run the plot then turns into a mini-version of Three Godfathers. I won't say any more other than with Joel McCrea as hero, you're not going to be let down.

The film was produced by Harry "Pop" Sherman who was the original producer of the Hopalong Cassidy series. Hoppy was a noble a western hero as you can get and that's what Sherman gives us here.

This is one of the few films that Mr.and Mrs. Joel McCrea did together. And it's a work they can be proud of.