4 for Texas (1963)

Zack Thomas is a tough guy who hooks up with Joe Jarrett to open a casino.

Director:

Robert Aldrich

Writers:

Teddi Sherman, Robert Aldrich

Stars:

Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Anita Ekberg

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Frank Sinatra	...	Zack Thomas
Dean Martin	...	Joe Jarrett
Anita Ekberg	...	Elya Carlson
Ursula Andress	...	Maxine Richter
Charles Bronson	...	Matson
Victor Buono	...	Harvey Burden
Edric Connor	...	Prince George
Nick Dennis	...	Angel
Richard Jaeckel	...	Pete Mancini
Mike Mazurki	...	Chad
Wesley Addy	...	Winthrop Trowbridge
Marjorie Bennett	...	Miss Emmaline
Virginia Christine	...	Brunhilde
Ellen Corby	...	Widow
Jack Elam	...	Dobie

Storyline

Sharpshooters Zack Thomas and Joe Jarrett are in a Texan stage-coach and manage to fight off Matson's robber gang, so afterward they can fight over the $100,000 cash carried by a railroad official. Both make it to Galveston, where each, including vexed Matson, meets up with respective accomplices in various dirty schemes. The money keeps changing hands and the scene shifts to a river boat, which should multiply the winnings as a casino, but the crooks and bullets follow.

---

Plot Keywords:

big breasts | big breast | breast | breasts | psychotronic film | 

---

Taglines:

They're Busting Up The West Like It's Never Been Busted Up Before!

---

Genres:

Comedy | Western

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 December 1963 (USA)

Also Known As:

Two for Texas

Filming Locations:

Mojave, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$4,520,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., The Sam Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

124 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director Robert Aldrich intensely disliked Frank Sinatra's non-professional attitude and tried unsuccessfully to have him dismissed from the film.

---

Goofs

At the Riverboat Casino opening, there is a Jazz band playing "When the Saints go Marching In". Jazz and "Saints" did not appear until after the 1900's.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Joe Jarrett: Take a good look at him. He's the bad guy. And Joe Jarrett - that's me, and Zack Thomas, we're the good guys.
Matson: Let's go.

---

Alternate Versions

When originally released theatrically in the UK, the BBFC made cuts to secure a 'A' rating. All cuts were waived in 2002 when the film was granted a 'PG' certificate for home video.

---

Connections

Referenced in Feud: Bette and Joan: Hagsploitation (2017)

---

Soundtracks

When The Saints Go Marching In
(uncredited)
Traditional

User Reviews

Well if I have to die, I prefer being killed by the hand of a beautiful woman.

4 for Texas is directed by Robert Aldrich who also co-writes the screenplay with Teddi Sherman. It stars Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Anita Ekberg, Ursula Andess and Charles Bronson. Music is by Nelson Riddle and cinematography by Ernest Laszlo.

Plot follows the shenanigans of two rivals played by Sinatra and Martin who have designs on a waterside casino. Bandido Charles Bronson is on their tails while Ekberg and Andress file in for romantic interests.

Aldrich disliked the film (the director famously couldn't get on with Sinatra), its reputation is decidedly lukewarm and The Three Stooges make an embarrassingly pointless cameo, 4 for Texas is a distinctly average comedy/western. The star power keeps it watchable, with rat packers Deano and Frank constantly trying to score machismo points - Ekberg & Andress lighting up the screen with natural beauty - Bronson in solid villain role, and it's pleasingly photographed by Laszlo. Yet it's a mundane screenplay and the run time needed to be cut by at least half an hour. It's also such a waste to not have Aldrich (is this the same guy who directed Ulzana's Raid and Vera Cruz?) show his skills at action construction, especially since the soggy story needed some perk- me-ups!

One to chalk off of your Aldrich/Rat Pack film lists, then, where once viewed, it's unlikely that anyone but hard core fans of the stars will want to revisit. 5/10