They Passed This Way (1948)
"Four Faces West" (original title)

Cowboy Ross McEwen arrives in town. He asks the banker for a loan of $2000. When the banker asks about securing a loan that large, McEwen shows him his six-gun collateral. The banker hands ... See full summary »

Director:

Alfred E. Green

Writers:

C. Graham Baker, Teddi Sherman,

Stars:

Joel McCrea, Frances Dee, Charles Bickford

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Joel McCrea	...	Ross McEwen
Frances Dee	...	Fay Hollister
Charles Bickford	...	Pat Garrett
Joseph Calleia	...	Monte Marquez
William Conrad	...	Sheriff Egan
Martin Garralaga	...	Florencio
Raymond Largay	...	Dr. Eldredge
John Parrish	...	Frenger
Dan White	...	Clint Waters
Davison Clark	...	Burnett
Houseley Stevenson	...	Anderson
George McDonald	...	Winston Boy
Eva Novak	...	Mrs. Winston
Sam Flint	...	Storekeeper
Forrest Taylor	...	Conductor No.2

Storyline

Cowboy Ross McEwen arrives in town. He asks the banker for a loan of $2000. When the banker asks about securing a loan that large, McEwen shows him his six-gun collateral. The banker hands over the money in exchange for an I.O.U., signed "Jefferson Davis". McEwen rides out of town and catches a train, but not before being bitten by a rattler. On the train, a nurse, Miss Hollister, tends to his wound. A posse searches the train, but McEwen manages to escape notice. However a mysterious Mexican has taken note of the cowboy, and that loudmouthed brat is still nosing around. Who will be the first to claim the reward for the robber's capture?

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Plot Keywords:

diphtheria | new mexico | based on novel

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Genres:

Western

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 January 1949 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

A Face da Dívida

Filming Locations:

El Morro National Monument, near, Ramah, New Mexico, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Enterprise Productions, Harry Sherman Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Western without gunshots.

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Goofs

The mail hack was supposed to be leaving at 5 am, but the shadows are from an overhead sun indicating that the scene was filmed around midday.

User Reviews

Great New Mexico touches

This is a great Western. McCrea shows off some great horsemanship as does Frances Dee, something rarely seen in female leads. I was intrigued with the authenticity (for the time) of the Hispanic and Native Americans portrayed in this movie. Joseph Calleia, playing against type, is a middle-class Hispanic, rather than just a poor Mexican, with property and a very large extended family in the region, something that was very common in New Mexico but rarely understood outside of its borders. There are surprising Spanish phrases used throughout and I was even impressed with the McCrea character's good Spanish -- so different from other Westerns of the era. The Native Americans, shown only in the opening scene at the Pat Garrett welcome, look like they could have been Mescalero Apaches from southern New Mexico. This movie really respected all the different cultures of southern New Mexico. Finally, El Morro aka Inscription Rock, now a national monument, was a significant symbol in this movie, a testament to its importance to the many different people and cultures that "Paso por Aqui" over the ages.