Four Rode Out (1969)

Intense, gripping, stylish and poignant

The film was still a fun one that will make you laugh and have you leaving the theater feeling like you just stole something valuable and got away with it.

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

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.

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

"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.

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.