Four Faces West (1948)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Alfred E. Green

Writers:

C. Graham Baker (writer)
Teddi Sherman (writer)

Release Date:

10 January 1949 (Sweden)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

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...

Plot Keywords:

Diphtheria | New Mexico | Based On Novel

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

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

Also Known As:

They Passed This Way (UK)

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Finland:S | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Enterprise Productions

Trivia:

Western without gunshots.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Marquez is explaining the inscription, the positions of the three people in relation to each other and the rocks changes between shots.

A mini Three Godfathers

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.