Fri 17 Dec 2021
A Western Movie Review by Dan Stumpf: FOUR GUNS TO THE BORDER (1954).
Posted by Steve under Reviews , Western movies[7] Comments
FOUR GUNS TO THE BORDER, Universal, 1954. Rory Calhoun, Colleen Miller, John McIntire, Walter Brennan, George Nader, Jay Silverheels, Nina Foch, Charles Drake, Nestor Paiva, and Mary Field. Screenplay by George Van Marter and Franklin Coen, from a story by Louis L’Amour. Directed by Richard Carlson. Streaming on Starz until December 1st.
The Asphalt Jungle with Indians. And not bad.
Rory Calhoun plays an out-and-out owl-hoot in this one, the CEO of an outlaw band that includes John McIntire, George Nader, and Jay Silverheels (as a Yaqui Indian this time) on the run from one unsuccessful robbery, and planning another effort.
Along the way they meet up with Walter Brennan, a reformed outlaw and old saddle pal of McIntire’s, and his daughter (Colleen Miller) who could best be described in frontier terms as a buxom lass, or as we say today, a real hottie. Writers Van Marter and Coen go out of their way to get her wet as often as possible, and director Carlson shows her off to excellent effect, sure to keep the big kids (this one, anyway) in their seats while the little ones go for popcorn.
There’s not much time for popcorn, though, because Rory’s plan calls for the other three to hit the bank in his old hometown while he picks a fight with his old-buddy-turned-lawman (Charles Drake) who ran him out of town and married his gal (Nina Foch) years ago.
So we get a vigorous and protracted fight between Calhoun and Drake, cross-cut with a tense bank job, followed by a pursuit conveniently interrupted by marauding Apaches. Of course, when Calhoun and his band are faced with the choice of making their escape or going to the aid of Brennan and Miller, pinned down and surrounded by hostiles, they do what every kid in the audience would, and we get another pitched battle.
Yeah, it’s all a little too pat. Chalk it up to the writers, whose work (separately) includes high points like The Train and Champagne for Caesar, and dreck like Chained for Life — a very mixed bag, to be sure. But it finishes off with a powerful showdown between Calhoun, badly wounded, and Drake, badly humiliated, shot for maximum emotional tension by Carlson, who alternates tracking shots of the antagonists with long shots that frame the conflict perfectly.
Added up, this one is a touch formulaic, but still intriguing. And Collen Miller will keep you watching.
December 17th, 2021 at 11:27 pm
I saw this about a decade ago in 2011 and my note in Brian Garfield’s western film book indicate that I thought it was not that good. Garfield states “not bad but not good” but I have to admit that he often seems to dislike western movies despite having written one of the major reference books on the genre.
December 17th, 2021 at 11:39 pm
Walker, regarding Brian Garfield, an obviously terrific writer with a great understanding of westerns, if you stop at his articles. The reviews are variable, so he must be either moody or sloppy. For example, in his brief note concerning The Last of The Mohicans, he comments on the awful color, but the film was produced in black and white, so he either got it wrong or ran a colorized version. Either way, Brian has reduced credibility in my eyes.
December 17th, 2021 at 11:42 pm
I agree with Brian Garfield on this one. Not bad for what it is, but not really as good as that cast and those credits would lead you to expect.
I’m not sure why this one doesn’t work for me. Maybe its Charles Drake who for some reason usually rubs me the wrong way in movies.
I keep giving it one more chance, and it keeps not quite being what I hope for, and like I said I can’t say exactly why, it just doesn’t quite jell with me which is all you can say about any movie with this cast and credits.
December 18th, 2021 at 1:01 am
Regarding Charles Drake,
I like him, but the only film I find Drake memorable in is Until They Sail, an imperfect project, a box office failure, but it defines the difference between a great star and a journeyman, Charles. The great star, Paul Newman. No one like Paul in Four Guns to The Border, but any number of compelling guys, top of the cast list, to the bottom.
December 18th, 2021 at 9:13 am
I don’t know which L’Amour story this is based on, but he expanded it into his 1962 novel HIGH LONESOME, which is one of his best novels, in my opinion. I’ve never seen this movie but would watch it because of the cast.
December 18th, 2021 at 9:32 am
This has the most blatant oral sex symbolism I ever saw. The men present, including Tonto, seem properly shocked.
December 18th, 2021 at 11:54 pm
Tow-headed, carrot-top Charles Drake from “Winchester ’73” and “Harvey”. Admirable roles. Also a memorable appearance in the original ‘Star Trek’. He’s an interesting Hollywood player but yes clearly a different kind of star than Paul Newman.