The King and Four Queens (1956)

Director:

Raoul Walsh

Writers:

Margaret Fitts (screenplay)
Margaret Fitts (story)

Release Date:

21 December 1956 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Mystery | Western

Tagline:

The King plays the hottest game in the West . . . with four Queens!

Plot:

Smooth cowboy Dan Kehoe arrives at a ranch run by an old widow and her four daughters-in-law. He's been...

Plot Keywords:

Gold | Widow | Beautiful Woman | Fugitive | Matriarch

Cast

Clark Gable	...	Dan Kehoe
Eleanor Parker	...	Sabina McDade
Jean Willes	...	Ruby McDade
Barbara Nichols	...	Birdie McDade
Sara Shane	...	Oralie McDade
Roy Roberts	...	Sheriff Tom Larrabee
Arthur Shields	...	Padre
Jay C. Flippen	...	Bartender of Rosebud Saloon in Touchstone
Jo Van Fleet	...	Ma McDade

Runtime:

86 min | Portugal:84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | West Germany:16 (nf) | Finland:K-8

Filming Locations:

Juarez Square, Warner Ranch, Calabasas, California, USA

Company:

Russ-Field Productions

Trivia:

Clark Gable formed a production company with his The Tall Men (1955) co-star Jane Russell and her husband Bob Waterfield in order to produce this film. However, the stress of producing took such a toll on the 55-year-old Gable's already guarded health that he never produced another movie.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Dan Kehoe (Clark Gable) is shaving in the saloon's mirror, the barkeeper is leaning toward Kehoe and talking to him. In the next shot, the barkeeper is leaning toward the bar.

Quotes:

Sabina McDade: I wouldn't trust you with a snowblower in a blizzard.

DeLuxe western

The cinematography (Lucien Ballard) in this film is as luscious as the four pretty young brides (Eleanor Parker, Jean Willes, Barbara Nichols, and Sara Shane). From the opening credits to the end of the picture, it's pure classic 50's western in terms of rich and sumptuous color, this time by DeLuxe. While the plot isn't going to hold up to the scrutiny of some hyper film critics, it still allows for scenes that are full of sexy humor, as each bride tries her best to undress Clark Gable, perhaps none more than a seductive Jean Willes as Ruby. Jo Van Fleet, as the gun-toting mother-in-law of the four "queens", each of whom married one of her four outlaw sons, is mainly preoccupied with protecting the girls from any man who's bold or stupid enough to stray onto their out of the way property until her supposedly one living son returns from a botched bank robbery to reclaim his wife (whichever one that may be) and buried gold dust, and is the only obstacle between the girls and Gable, who only wants the gold, but is no fool when it comes to women.