Four Faces West

"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.

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.

Not a single shot is fired nor is one punch thrown in director Phil Green's "Four Faces West", starring Joel McCrea and Frances Dee. This is just one of the remarkable features of this absolutely first rate western. A down-and-out cowboy "borrows" $2000 from a reluctant banker in Santa Maria, New Mexico. During his escape he earns the attention of a lovely railroad nurse (played by real-life wife Frances Dee), who tries mightily to save our hero. His escape into the New Mexico badlands and his ultimate redemption (he stops to help a critically ill family at an isolated ranch, thereby insuring his capture) form the exciting climax to the story. Fine performances by Charles Bickford (as legendary lawman Pat Garrett) and Joseph Calleia are among those of a distinguished supporting cast, including William Conrad and John Parrish. An exciting and uplifting cinematic experience. Highly recommended!

¨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 .