Reviews
John Chard

John Chard

July 29, 2017
8.0
John Coventry the lonely one, began and ended with a gun. Quantez is directed by Harry Keller and written by R. Wright Campbell and Anne Edwards. It stars Fred MacMurray, Dorothy Malone, James Barton, Sydney Chaplin, John Gavin and John Larch. A CinemaScope production in Eastman Color, with music scored by Herman Stein (supervision Joseph Gershenson) and cinematography by Carl E. Guthrie. A gang of robbers hole up for the night in the ghost town of Quantez. But what is the greater threat to their well being? The Indians out in the hills? Or each other? Maybe you get to be a killer? But you will be sick to the stomach because of it. A smartly written and acted psychological Western, Quantez deserves to be better known and appraised. This is all about characterisations and the hot bed situation they dwell within, the emphasis on dialogue and interactions as suspicion, passions, racism and treachery show their hands. Standard characters do apply, the girl with a past she's not proud of, the loose cannon, the greenhorn kid, the duplicitous one and the guy with a secret tucked away. There's even a late addition of a wandering minstrel (Barton), splendidly calling himself Puritan. These characters are well blended for narrative strength by Keller, the director keeping things on the slow burn, an impending sense of implosion permeating proceedings. Technical aspects are smart, the exterior filming, when the film comes out of the claustrophobic confines of the ghost town, is most pleasing, while the Eastman Color is gorgeous and never garish. Cast score well, notably a stubble and grungy MacMurray, a pretty and emotionally fragile Malone and Larch, who is unstable and enjoying his chance for villainy. Except for a fist fight, an opening pursuit and the odd moment of macho posturing, the action is saved for the excellent last quarter, so first time viewers after a high energy Oater are advised that this is not the film for them. But for those who like some psychological discord in their Westerns, where plot dynamics are simmering until the denouement, then seek this out if you can. 8/10

Recommendation Movies

6.4
Western
View
6.4
The Quiet Gun
The Quiet Gun1957
5.2
Comedy
View
5.2
Straight A's
Straight A's2013
7
Documentary
View
7
Japanese Idol with Beautiful Big Tits - Mihara Momoka
Japanese Idol with Beautiful Big Tits - Mihara Momoka2014
7.5
Action
View
7.5
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One2023
6.5
Documentary
View
6.5
A
A1998
7.4
Action
View
7.4
Bullet Train
Bullet Train2022
6.3
Action
View
6.3
Raiders of the Lost Library
Raiders of the Lost Library2022
6.1
Horror
View
6.1
Re-Kill
Re-Kill2015
6.7
Action
View
6.7
The Black Book
The Black Book2023
5.6
Drama
View
5.6
Joker: Folie à Deux
Joker: Folie à Deux2024
6.1
Science Fiction
View
6.1
JUNG_E
JUNG_E2023
6.9
Old Man Junior
Old Man Junior2024
5.2
Thriller
View
5.2
The Last Heretic
The Last Heretic2022
6.2
Horror
View
6.2
Bodies Bodies Bodies
Bodies Bodies Bodies2022
6
Comedy
View
6
The Book of Solutions
The Book of Solutions2023
4.8
Romance
View
4.8
Choose Love
Choose Love2023
6.7
Drama
View
6.7
The Phantom of the Open
The Phantom of the Open2022
6.9
Thriller
View
6.9
Desperation Road
Desperation Road2023
5.7
Action
View
5.7
Damaged
Damaged2024
6.9
Action
View
6.9
AKA
AKA2023
© 2024 MoovieTime. All rights reserved.Made with Nuxt