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.

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Plot Keywords:

gambling | 

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Taglines:

The far out story of the far west.

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Genres:

Comedy | Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

Shot over a period of 37 days. Frank Sinatra's input was minimal, much to the annoyance of Robert Aldrich who later calculated that Sinatra only worked 80 hours over those 37 days.

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Goofs

Before he picks up Joe's "wanted" poster, Burden changes the cane to his left hand, and the cane repeatedly switches hands in subsequent shots.

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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.

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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.

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Connections

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

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Soundtracks

When The Saints Go Marching In
(uncredited)
Traditional

User Reviews

Lackluster and forgettable comedic Western

Check out the cast of this Western: Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, a young (and STUNNING) Ursula Andress, and the Three Stooges. Sounds good, right? Well no... Unfortunately, it really isn't. Despite an eclectic cast and Ursula Andress' face, "4 for Texas" largely fails to entertain. This picture is just too boring and predictable to be worth much. Ursula Andress doesn't show up until the second half, and her sex appeal is greatly underutilized. Similarly, the Three Stooges only get 2-min of screen time, and it is easily the film's high point. For the majority of the movie, you are stuck with a visibly drunk Dean Martin, who is just going through the motions and generally not giving a damn. Frank Sinatra's performance is all right, even if he is just playing himself, but unfortunately, he isn't captivating enough to be an effective leading man. The story is contrived and predictable, but not terrible enough to crack jokes at. I didn't hate this movie, but it was a tedious, largely uneventful watch. This is the kind of picture where I kept waiting for good things to happen, but nothing ever panned out. When the dust settled, "4 for Texas" was a disappointment. Aside from an occasional gawk at Ursula, this was an entirely forgettable waste. Not recommended.

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:

The Sam Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

124 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1