U.S. marshal Pernell Roberts is reluctantly joined by Pinkerton employee Leslie Nielsen in the search for a bank robber and possible murderer who has escaped to the Mexican desert; Sue Lyon, as the woman in love with the bandito, doesn't want him killed and makes the hunting party a trio. Low-budget Spanish production with American leads is technically inept--and far too low-keyed and solemn to make an impression--though it does have appropriately moody music from Janis Ian and interesting performances. Hirsute lawman Roberts manages to put some thought into his portrayal, while Nielsen (looking like Darrin McGavin) adds a little wily flavor. Lyon (still retaining the piercing bedroom eyes from her nymphet youth) struggles with an ill-conceived part, one which requires her to change from her cowgirl duds into a wedding dress in the sweltering heat. Director John Peyser probably intended this to be a psychological western, but he doesn't have the material nor the budget to expand on his deadly-serious ideas. The character conflicts which arise are clichéd, while the mercilessly elongated finale is ridiculously 'arty'. *1/2 from ****
14 Reviews
An average US/Spanish Western co-production completely shot in Almeria , Spain
ma-cortes1 February 2022
This is an exciting film with thrills , go riding , fights , crossfire , and breathtaking outdoors from Spain . It's a thrilling western with continuous confrontation across the perilous and hot desert . U. S. Marshal (Pernell Roberts) sets out to bring in a Mexican thief (Julián Mateos) accused of killing his girlfriend's (Sue Lyon) father and starting an odyssey throughout a dangerous territory under a boiled sun , while water is running out . The third American results to be Mr. Brown (Leslie Nielsen) , a really strange role with dark secrets who is a Pinkerton man interested in recovering the bank money and the bounty as well . However , turning out that there's more to the story than there first shows up to be.
It's a mediocre Paella Western mostly produced with participation by Spain and USA Dick Miller , based on an original story nu actor/writer Dick Miller a s Richard Miller . It doesn't follow the Sergio Leone wake and being proceeded in American style more than European one . The film packs violence , shootouts and an intriguing story about ambition and treason . The picture scrutinizes the greed and paranoia that afflicts a misfit group of thirsty people , including their enormous difficulties to escape from a sunny desert and a strong taking on among four protagonists . Regarding a two-fisted sheriff on the trail of a Mexican robber who has just stolen a bank where a guard was murdered . The picture provides Pernell Roberts with a mediocre showcase as a tough marshal somewhat in a rough and adventurous mold . It was part of Pernell Roberts' unsuccessful run at movie stardom by showing a silly bravery and masculinity style , following his departure from the enormous TV hit Bonanza in 1965 . In fact , this Western ¨Four Rode Out¨(1969) was shot in Spain at the same time to ¨Tibetana¨(1970) with similar actors and director. It is a mostly shoddy film by displaying a murky script with betrayal , twisted events and disconcerting scenes This film in short budget blends thrills , intrigue , and violent confrontation , but it results to be slow-moving , a little bit boring and regularly made , being filmed in desert of Tabernas , Almeria, Andalucia , Spain . Charismatic performance for whole casting . This is a Chorizo/US Western with various American actors , boasting famous and top-of-the range players , such as : Pernell Roberts , Sue Lyon, Leslie Nielsen and the Spanish Julián Mateos and Maria Martin.
The musician Janis Ian composes a sensitive soundtrack , including catching and moody songs . It packs atmospheric cinematography by Rafael Pacheco , tough imperfect , being necessary alright remastering because of the film-copy is washed-out . The motion picture was regularly directed by John Peyser . This filmaker directed another Pernell Roberts vehicle in Spain along with Julián Mateos : ¨Tibetana¨ (1970) that was also a flop . Peyser directed as cinema as television movie . As he made occasional theatrical films, such as : ¨Undersea Girl¨ , ¨Massacre Harbor¨, ¨Tibetana¨ , ¨Four rode out¨ . But he usually shot episodes for notorious TV series , such as : ¨Man Without a Gun¨, ¨The Rifleman¨ , ¨The man behind the badge¨ , ¨Suspense¨ , ¨Danger¨ , ¨The Man from U. N. C. L. EÑ , ¨TheVirginian¨ , ¨Bonanza¨ , ¨The Rat Patrol¨ , ¨Switch¨ , ¨Shazam!¨ , ¨Mannix¨ , ¨Hawii 5 .0¨ , ¨Route 66¨, ¨ Warner Brothers Presents¨ , ¨Law of the Plainsman¨, ¨Crusader , ¨Perry Mason¨. ¨Four Rode Out (1969) rating : 5/10 . Average but passaable . The film will appeal to Spanish Westerns enthusiasts and Almerian landscapes lovers.
It's a mediocre Paella Western mostly produced with participation by Spain and USA Dick Miller , based on an original story nu actor/writer Dick Miller a s Richard Miller . It doesn't follow the Sergio Leone wake and being proceeded in American style more than European one . The film packs violence , shootouts and an intriguing story about ambition and treason . The picture scrutinizes the greed and paranoia that afflicts a misfit group of thirsty people , including their enormous difficulties to escape from a sunny desert and a strong taking on among four protagonists . Regarding a two-fisted sheriff on the trail of a Mexican robber who has just stolen a bank where a guard was murdered . The picture provides Pernell Roberts with a mediocre showcase as a tough marshal somewhat in a rough and adventurous mold . It was part of Pernell Roberts' unsuccessful run at movie stardom by showing a silly bravery and masculinity style , following his departure from the enormous TV hit Bonanza in 1965 . In fact , this Western ¨Four Rode Out¨(1969) was shot in Spain at the same time to ¨Tibetana¨(1970) with similar actors and director. It is a mostly shoddy film by displaying a murky script with betrayal , twisted events and disconcerting scenes This film in short budget blends thrills , intrigue , and violent confrontation , but it results to be slow-moving , a little bit boring and regularly made , being filmed in desert of Tabernas , Almeria, Andalucia , Spain . Charismatic performance for whole casting . This is a Chorizo/US Western with various American actors , boasting famous and top-of-the range players , such as : Pernell Roberts , Sue Lyon, Leslie Nielsen and the Spanish Julián Mateos and Maria Martin.
The musician Janis Ian composes a sensitive soundtrack , including catching and moody songs . It packs atmospheric cinematography by Rafael Pacheco , tough imperfect , being necessary alright remastering because of the film-copy is washed-out . The motion picture was regularly directed by John Peyser . This filmaker directed another Pernell Roberts vehicle in Spain along with Julián Mateos : ¨Tibetana¨ (1970) that was also a flop . Peyser directed as cinema as television movie . As he made occasional theatrical films, such as : ¨Undersea Girl¨ , ¨Massacre Harbor¨, ¨Tibetana¨ , ¨Four rode out¨ . But he usually shot episodes for notorious TV series , such as : ¨Man Without a Gun¨, ¨The Rifleman¨ , ¨The man behind the badge¨ , ¨Suspense¨ , ¨Danger¨ , ¨The Man from U. N. C. L. EÑ , ¨TheVirginian¨ , ¨Bonanza¨ , ¨The Rat Patrol¨ , ¨Switch¨ , ¨Shazam!¨ , ¨Mannix¨ , ¨Hawii 5 .0¨ , ¨Route 66¨, ¨ Warner Brothers Presents¨ , ¨Law of the Plainsman¨, ¨Crusader , ¨Perry Mason¨. ¨Four Rode Out (1969) rating : 5/10 . Average but passaable . The film will appeal to Spanish Westerns enthusiasts and Almerian landscapes lovers.
Bleeped dialog.
mrsolo119 May 2008
Interesting film with a strong cast. Pernell Roberts is outstanding and should have had more starring roles. It is slow paced but keeps the viewer's interest. Only a weak script keeps this from being more memorable. Following the success of the spaghetti westerns some American companies took advantage of the Spanish locations and used mostly American casts. "Four Rode Out" has the look of a spaghetti western while avoiding the badly dubbed dialog that hurt the genre. The primary print currently circulating appears to be from a television movie package so some words get bleeped out here and there. Fortunately it is not a choppy as many were.
Dull desert drama
boycehart21 December 2000
Pernell Roberts plays a soon-to-retire lawman who rides into the desert on one last assignment - to capture a young Mexican bank robber. During the trek, Roberts is joined by a Pinkerton agent (Leslie Nielsen) and the bandit's girlfriend, both of whom have ulterior motives for ensuring the mission is a failure. Four Rode Out is a dull, boring western that just drags on and on... with sporadic action and long scenes of riding through the desert.
BONANZA was better than this...and Nielsen's SWAMP FOX or his later comedy features are more enjoyable!
BONANZA was better than this...and Nielsen's SWAMP FOX or his later comedy features are more enjoyable!
Janis Ian!
movingwater30 November 2018
About the only thing interesting in this early '70's western is the soundtrack. Composer and performer Janis Ian had a long, distinguished musical career, frequently working in Hollywood on both features and indie projects. Other than an obscure short, this 1971 feature was Ian's first effort. Ian provides not only several songs, but also the guitar work for all tbe incidental music. A great first effort in an otherwise forgetable movie. Parnell Roberts leads?
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
hokeybutt27 December 2004
FOUR RODE OUT (1 outta 5 stars) Kind of a pathetic excuse for a western starring Pernell Roberts who gave up his role in TV's "Bonanza" to star in this... a movie which isn't even as good as an average episode of that classic series. Sue Lyon (mostly known for starring in Stanley Kubrick's "Lolita") plays the loyal girlfriend of a Mexican bandit (Julian Mateos) being hunted for the murder of her father. It wasn't really murder... the father killed himself after discovering that his daughter was sleeping around with a Mexican. Regardless, Pernell is determined to bring the bandit in for a fair trial. Leslie Nielsen also appears as a nasty Pinkerton agent with dollar signs in his eyes. Somehow they all wind up in the middle of the desert with little water and not much hope of making it back to the nearest town. Still, they find time for plenty of bickering, an impromptu wedding and even a strip show by the curvy Ms. Lyon. Looks like the kind of movie that could have been shot over a long weekend.
Even the Horses Were Rolling Their Eyes at This Group
NoDakTatum5 November 2023
Pernell Roberts is Ross, a marshal who is after bank robber Nunez (Julian Mateos). Nunez sneaks into town, tries to bed his girlfriend Myra (Sue Lyon), and his caught by her father (Charles Drace). Nunez runs off, headed to Mexico, and Myra's father kills himself. Ross comes to town, shadowed by Pinkerton agent Brown (Leslie Nielsen). Ross leaves into the desert to find Nunez with Brown along for the ride. Myra soon follows the two man posse. Once the group starts running low on water, I started running low on my enjoyment of the film.
This wannabe character study starts out okay. Ross is the honest lawman on his last case. Nielsen is slimy as the detective whose sole goal is to kill Nunez. Lyon is a pretty bundle of nerves still trying to understand how her life ended up like this. The film was shot on location in Spain, but the editing does not live up to the seemingly endless, gorgeous desert. I was reminded of the work of Ed Wood, as scenes would end without a point, or feature insert shots of the actors doing something else besides acting. Nielsen is such a heavy villain, you wish someone would shoot him and shut him up. Lots of inappropriate songs by Janis Ian, an unnecessary assault, and too many scenes of people arguing over water while holding weapons on each other add up to a less than successful western. Do not take a ride with this four. I cannot recommend it.
This wannabe character study starts out okay. Ross is the honest lawman on his last case. Nielsen is slimy as the detective whose sole goal is to kill Nunez. Lyon is a pretty bundle of nerves still trying to understand how her life ended up like this. The film was shot on location in Spain, but the editing does not live up to the seemingly endless, gorgeous desert. I was reminded of the work of Ed Wood, as scenes would end without a point, or feature insert shots of the actors doing something else besides acting. Nielsen is such a heavy villain, you wish someone would shoot him and shut him up. Lots of inappropriate songs by Janis Ian, an unnecessary assault, and too many scenes of people arguing over water while holding weapons on each other add up to a less than successful western. Do not take a ride with this four. I cannot recommend it.
More Soap Opera Than Horse Opera
bkoganbing24 October 2010
Four Rode Out is a European western to be sure not made in Italy so it does not rate being called a spaghetti western. It was made on the plains of Spain in the dry season as you'll see by the landscape. The same plains where the armies of Napoleon and Wellington rode back and forth upon.
For a Spanish made production, three Americans were brought over to star in this essentially four person soap opera, Pernell Roberts late of Bonanza who plays a US Marshal on the trail of bandit Julian Mateos who has just robbed a bank where a guard was killed. Mateos not wanting to leave without a little nookie from girl friend Sue Lyon also accidentally kills her father in self defense when the old man caught Sue and Julian in the act. The third American is Leslie Nielsen, a really grungy character who is a Pinkerton man interested in recovering the money and the bounty on Mateos' head. He declares himself as accompanying Roberts on the hunt and Lyons follows them both to make sure her man is taken while he still has a pulse.
Acting honors such as they are belong to Nielsen who turns out to be a far more loathsome character than even the viewer thinks when first meeting him. There's not much traditional western action after Mateos is taken alive no thanks to Nielsen. But on the way back the flaws come out in all the characters.
Four Rode Out might have been better in American hands with folks who know what the western genre is all about. As it is it becomes more of a soap opera than a horse opera, not a recipe for western fans to like.
For a Spanish made production, three Americans were brought over to star in this essentially four person soap opera, Pernell Roberts late of Bonanza who plays a US Marshal on the trail of bandit Julian Mateos who has just robbed a bank where a guard was killed. Mateos not wanting to leave without a little nookie from girl friend Sue Lyon also accidentally kills her father in self defense when the old man caught Sue and Julian in the act. The third American is Leslie Nielsen, a really grungy character who is a Pinkerton man interested in recovering the money and the bounty on Mateos' head. He declares himself as accompanying Roberts on the hunt and Lyons follows them both to make sure her man is taken while he still has a pulse.
Acting honors such as they are belong to Nielsen who turns out to be a far more loathsome character than even the viewer thinks when first meeting him. There's not much traditional western action after Mateos is taken alive no thanks to Nielsen. But on the way back the flaws come out in all the characters.
Four Rode Out might have been better in American hands with folks who know what the western genre is all about. As it is it becomes more of a soap opera than a horse opera, not a recipe for western fans to like.
"A wounded animal is a lot easier to handle..."
classicsoncall7 November 2010
Warning: Spoilers
"Four Rode Out" has one of those elements that I've seen in other Westerns, "Cry Blood, Apache" being one, where there's an entirely different type of terrain coming and going. I mean, where was that huge expanse of desert when Marshal Ross (Pernell Roberts), Brown (Leslie Nielsen) and Myra (Sue Lyon) first set out to capture renegade Nunez (Julian Mateos)? They rode out from and returned to the same little town, why didn't they just cover the same ground? Makes me crazy.
Now I've read the other reviews on this board, and all of them describe Leslie Nielsen's character as a Pinkerton agent, so I have to wonder if I was the only one paying attention. There was a point at which Nunez fingered Brown as his ex-partner Krueger who was after the bundle they both stole from a bank with a third partner who was already knocked off by Krueger. So was Nunez trying to cause some confusion for Marshal Ross? I don't think so; Brown/Krueger was just a little too anxious to knock off his fellow travelers and high tail it with the money. His off screen rape of Myra was another hint that Krueger was a real bad apple.
Now this all probably sounds a lot more interesting than the actual film. The picture uses up an awful lot of filler time with the party going up and down mountain terrain and dragging across the sun baked desert. Janis Ian's voice on a number of songs throughout lent some poignancy to the story, but quite honestly, I find her lyrics and style to be just too depressing most of the time.
Just yesterday I watched "China 9, Liberty 37" on Encore Westerns in prime time, and was quite surprised to see a fully nude Jenny Agutter in a series of love scenes with Fabio Testi. So the idea that the word 'whore' was actually bleeped out of the dialog in this picture seems rather odd. But then again, there were a lot of odd things about this story. Too much sun will do that.
Now I've read the other reviews on this board, and all of them describe Leslie Nielsen's character as a Pinkerton agent, so I have to wonder if I was the only one paying attention. There was a point at which Nunez fingered Brown as his ex-partner Krueger who was after the bundle they both stole from a bank with a third partner who was already knocked off by Krueger. So was Nunez trying to cause some confusion for Marshal Ross? I don't think so; Brown/Krueger was just a little too anxious to knock off his fellow travelers and high tail it with the money. His off screen rape of Myra was another hint that Krueger was a real bad apple.
Now this all probably sounds a lot more interesting than the actual film. The picture uses up an awful lot of filler time with the party going up and down mountain terrain and dragging across the sun baked desert. Janis Ian's voice on a number of songs throughout lent some poignancy to the story, but quite honestly, I find her lyrics and style to be just too depressing most of the time.
Just yesterday I watched "China 9, Liberty 37" on Encore Westerns in prime time, and was quite surprised to see a fully nude Jenny Agutter in a series of love scenes with Fabio Testi. So the idea that the word 'whore' was actually bleeped out of the dialog in this picture seems rather odd. But then again, there were a lot of odd things about this story. Too much sun will do that.
Not As Bad As Advertised
heybhc12 February 2007
I kind of liked this slow-moving western, filmed in Spain's Almeria region. Technically this is a spaghetti western, a USA-Spain co-production, although only the location and one of the stars have any sort of Euro-Western pedigree. The music, by Janice Ian, is about as far from Ennio Morricone as you can get, although some of the banjo plunking is appropriate. Pernell Roberts is very good as the Marshal, after fugitive Julian Mateos (THE HELLBENDERS, RETURN OF THE SEVEN) who robbed a bank during which a teller was killed. Along for the ride are slimy Pinkerton man Brown played by Leslie Nielsen in a rare villainous role, and lovely Sue Lyon as Mateos' fiancé, who wants to see him brought in alive. They ride and ride, then ride some more, and finally pause for a brief action scene, then ride back the way they came, but now they're low on water. It takes patience to watch, but the actors keep our interest, and I was pleased by the ending. As half of a dollar DVD I felt my fifty cents was pretty well spent. Two puzzles though, all the listings for this flick say 1971 but the titles at the end claim 1968. I tend to believe the titles. Also, the version I saw bleeped the word whore when it was spoken, several times in the first few minutes. I wonder why?
A different take on the Spaghetti genre
Bezenby25 August 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Now, I've just finished watching this film, and the first point I'd like to make is that I've never seen Leslie Neilsen in anything better. As the film requires, he's sinister, leery, violent, childish, anxious and insane as Perkington agent Brown (or is he?)...I was glued to the screen from start to finish, which is unusual for a Western that has no real gunfights.
Marshall Ross heads out to bring a Mexican bandit to trial. Problem is, the bandit's girlfriend wants to tag along, as does Brown, a Pinkerton agent who merely likes to kill his clients and bring them home. The girlfriend gets concerned that Brown will kill her boyfriend, but he makes her a deal: her body for her boyfriend's life...and so begins a game of intrigue.
Four Rode Out basically has four characters in it. Leslie hates everyone, wants to kill everyone, and wants everything from himself. On the other hand, Marshall Ross just wants his last assignment over and wants to go home. Fernando just wants to live a little longer and Sue Lyon's character is a sadly misguided teen who believes everything she is told...The whole drama of the affair plays out in the desert as the characters have less water and less patience.
If you are looking for something different, you will enjoy this one. It's low on action, but story wise I had to sit it out until the end.
Marshall Ross heads out to bring a Mexican bandit to trial. Problem is, the bandit's girlfriend wants to tag along, as does Brown, a Pinkerton agent who merely likes to kill his clients and bring them home. The girlfriend gets concerned that Brown will kill her boyfriend, but he makes her a deal: her body for her boyfriend's life...and so begins a game of intrigue.
Four Rode Out basically has four characters in it. Leslie hates everyone, wants to kill everyone, and wants everything from himself. On the other hand, Marshall Ross just wants his last assignment over and wants to go home. Fernando just wants to live a little longer and Sue Lyon's character is a sadly misguided teen who believes everything she is told...The whole drama of the affair plays out in the desert as the characters have less water and less patience.
If you are looking for something different, you will enjoy this one. It's low on action, but story wise I had to sit it out until the end.
Interesting movie
dighambara9 March 2011
The movie is slow paced, but for the most part, flows smoothly. Anyone who has traveled the desert, on foot, will surely sympathize with the characters and feel right at home with the slow pace.
I felt the problems were more with the indoor scenes, at the beginning, than in the later outdoor scenes. Much of the indoor filming is jerky and poorly framed. The scenes in the rooms had the camera in the actor's faces and should have been farther back, giving the actors the room needed to move around and express themselves. This would be easy on a sound stage, so I suspect the scenes were filmed in actual rooms, where space is limited.
Likewise, the 60's music detracts from the film - dating it, when, if it had used a more traditional style of music, it could have been a timeless classic...
The acting on the whole is good and the characters fill out as the movie progresses.
There are a few annoying audio blips, as if some of the dialog was cut or bleeped.
I felt the problems were more with the indoor scenes, at the beginning, than in the later outdoor scenes. Much of the indoor filming is jerky and poorly framed. The scenes in the rooms had the camera in the actor's faces and should have been farther back, giving the actors the room needed to move around and express themselves. This would be easy on a sound stage, so I suspect the scenes were filmed in actual rooms, where space is limited.
Likewise, the 60's music detracts from the film - dating it, when, if it had used a more traditional style of music, it could have been a timeless classic...
The acting on the whole is good and the characters fill out as the movie progresses.
There are a few annoying audio blips, as if some of the dialog was cut or bleeped.
four rode out - helluva ride.
froberts7324 April 2011
"Four Rode Out" could have been titled, "Four Walked Out,"since the quartet of characters spent most of their time on foot. The horses were done with one by one in scenes that looked almost too real.
It is, to say the least, a very stark movie - slow-moving, yes, but constantly engrossing. The clown critics who gave it one star were probably affected by the hot desert sun coming through their screens, affecting their minds. Whoops - almost said brains.
As to the acting. Young Mateos as the b.f. was convincing. Sue Lyon, accused by one critic as over-acting, was quite good handling a rather complex character, one almost as naive as Lolita. (Had to get that in).
Leslie Neilsen sandwiched between his early near-fame days, to steering the Poseidon into near oblivion, to good-sized stardom, seemed to have a blast as a baddie - a real baddie.
Pernell Roberts, Bonanza's maverick, was excellent portraying a very questionable character.
The silent ending wrapped the story beautifully. The minus was Janis Ian's contribution - totally unnecessary, totally dull.
The rest of the music was justifiably sparse. For a change, it did not blast out at you.
All in all, "Four Rode Out" is worthwhile. Fie on the naysayers. Give it a chance. It is sometimes frighteningly captivating.
It is, to say the least, a very stark movie - slow-moving, yes, but constantly engrossing. The clown critics who gave it one star were probably affected by the hot desert sun coming through their screens, affecting their minds. Whoops - almost said brains.
As to the acting. Young Mateos as the b.f. was convincing. Sue Lyon, accused by one critic as over-acting, was quite good handling a rather complex character, one almost as naive as Lolita. (Had to get that in).
Leslie Neilsen sandwiched between his early near-fame days, to steering the Poseidon into near oblivion, to good-sized stardom, seemed to have a blast as a baddie - a real baddie.
Pernell Roberts, Bonanza's maverick, was excellent portraying a very questionable character.
The silent ending wrapped the story beautifully. The minus was Janis Ian's contribution - totally unnecessary, totally dull.
The rest of the music was justifiably sparse. For a change, it did not blast out at you.
All in all, "Four Rode Out" is worthwhile. Fie on the naysayers. Give it a chance. It is sometimes frighteningly captivating.
Nielsen shines in American-made, filmed-in-Spain melodrama
billywiggins196712 September 2011
Unusual American-made, filmed-in-Spain melodrama that for intents and purposes can be considered a "Spaghetti Western", bearing many notes common to that genre.
Pernell Roberts is a Marshal hunting a wanted Mexican man. Leslie Nielsen is a bounty hunter of sorts after the same man. Sue Lyon is the wanted man's white girlfriend. These three disparate characters head out to the desert where the wanted man is hiding. After his capture, the four must make their way back to town, all the while battling the elements and each other.
The setup of the film reminded me of JAWS, with an initial setup followed by a long, protracted, isolated showdown. Not much happens after the first 20 or so minutes (the fugitive is captured rather quickly), so the drama of the pic comes out of the various tensions and shifting allegiances between the four people.
Pernell is solid as an honest-to-a-fault lawman. Despite a lack of charm, he is a good foundation to lay the picture on. Julian Mateos has the least to do here, but brings a Tomas Milian-style empathy to his bandit. I wish we had heard more from his character, rather than him being somewhat of a device to move the story along. As Myra the girlfriend, Sue Lyon is appropriately lovestruck, defiant, and impetuous, leaning toward shrill overacting at times.
By far the standout among the cast is the handsome, devilish Leslie Nielsen, whose Mr. Brown turns more and more creepy and craven as the story moves along. Early on, he is merely a callous and smug bounty killer; later in the show we are given reason to question his true allegiance.
I might have found a way to trim 10 minutes of desert walking out of this; at times the film does drag its feet. However, these instances are contrasted by sequences of intense drama as the cast fight over water, hidden weapons, saddlebags of cash, etc.
Not a hidden gem by any stretch but a solid C+, with special mention again of Nielsen's fine performance.
Also of note is the title music performed in 1970s folksinger fashion by Janis Ian. A very unusual choice, adds to the unique character of the film.
6/10 stars
Pernell Roberts is a Marshal hunting a wanted Mexican man. Leslie Nielsen is a bounty hunter of sorts after the same man. Sue Lyon is the wanted man's white girlfriend. These three disparate characters head out to the desert where the wanted man is hiding. After his capture, the four must make their way back to town, all the while battling the elements and each other.
The setup of the film reminded me of JAWS, with an initial setup followed by a long, protracted, isolated showdown. Not much happens after the first 20 or so minutes (the fugitive is captured rather quickly), so the drama of the pic comes out of the various tensions and shifting allegiances between the four people.
Pernell is solid as an honest-to-a-fault lawman. Despite a lack of charm, he is a good foundation to lay the picture on. Julian Mateos has the least to do here, but brings a Tomas Milian-style empathy to his bandit. I wish we had heard more from his character, rather than him being somewhat of a device to move the story along. As Myra the girlfriend, Sue Lyon is appropriately lovestruck, defiant, and impetuous, leaning toward shrill overacting at times.
By far the standout among the cast is the handsome, devilish Leslie Nielsen, whose Mr. Brown turns more and more creepy and craven as the story moves along. Early on, he is merely a callous and smug bounty killer; later in the show we are given reason to question his true allegiance.
I might have found a way to trim 10 minutes of desert walking out of this; at times the film does drag its feet. However, these instances are contrasted by sequences of intense drama as the cast fight over water, hidden weapons, saddlebags of cash, etc.
Not a hidden gem by any stretch but a solid C+, with special mention again of Nielsen's fine performance.
Also of note is the title music performed in 1970s folksinger fashion by Janis Ian. A very unusual choice, adds to the unique character of the film.
6/10 stars
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