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Released By: Olive Films
Released On: May 24, 2016.
Director: Raoul Walsh
Cast: Clark Gable, Jo Van Fleet, Eleanor Parker, Jean Willes, Barbara Nichols
Year: 1956
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The Movie:
Stopping in to the town of Touchstone, apparently for no reason other than to borrow a shaving kit from the local barkeep, the silver-haired Dan Kehoe (Clark Gable) hears the tail of a bank robbery from a few years previous, in which the four McDade brothers made off with a king's ransom in gold. Returning to the village of Wagon Mound, the brothers holed up in a barn and fought off the law until the law won, burning the barn to the ground. When the smoke cleared, only three bodies were found, and the gold was missing, thought to be buried somewhere in Wagon Mound. Wondering aloud about the potential profit to be made, Kehoe is warned that he'll catch a bullet before he finds the gold, which is fiercely protected by Ma McDade and her four daughters-in-law.
Throwing caution to the wind with the promise of riches, Kehoe rides to the outskirts of Wagon Mound, and, hidden by the brush from the watchful eyes of the McDade's, sets up a ruse to make it appear that he's on the run from the law. That seems to be inconsequential to a crack shot like Ma McDade, who puts a bullet in Kehoe's arm from her sentry post in the Wagon Mound bell tower. She changes her tune slightly, however when Kehoe regains consciousness, telling tales of a man he met in prison who told him to seek shelter in Wagon Mound; though not fully convinced that this cellmate of Kehoe's is the missing McDade boy, she softens enough to allow him to stay until he's healed.
With his foot in the door, Kehoe goes to work on Ma's daughters-in-law, turning on the charm and playing to each girl's weaknesses to dig up the location of the hidden gold. Sabina, practical and down to earth, seems far too cynical and suspicious of Kehoe's motives to trust; Birdie, the buxom blonde and former dancer is eager to please but a little too dim to be able to help; Oralie, bound in a black mourning dress is a little too pessimistic about any life that doesn't involve being a widow; and Ruby, a gorgeous brunette with smoldering eyes seems turned on by Kehoe's organ playing, but doesn't seem to know much. As Kehoe attempts to work his way into the hearts of each girl, he faces two obstacles; that each girl is fully aware that the surviving McDade son may be their husband and eventually return for the gold, and the rifle-toting matriarch who constantly reminds them of that fact. Not to mention the fact that even if he does find the gold, he'll have to deal with Sheriff Dan Larrabee, who maintains a near-constant watch on Wagon Mound, should the lost outlaw ever return.
The King and Four Queens sure looks like a Western film, with stetsons and gunfire and some beautiful Utah scenery; hills, brush, rocks, and the like. An elaborate score by Alex North also adds to the atmosphere, sweeping and adventurous. But aside from that, The King and Four Queens is...pretty boring. It's the kind of movie that your mom watched on TV on a Sunday afternoon. There's some amazing talent on display; Gable, Eleanor Parker, and Jo Van Fleet, and even Roy Roberts shows up for a few minutes. The direction and cinematography certainly can't be faulted, either...it's just not a very interesting story, and it plays out exactly as one would expect. Even a twist in the plot rights itself fairly quickly, rendering it nonsensical. And while the viewer may be able to buy the fact that the four gorgeous women will settle for any man after a two year drought, Clark Gable in his mid-50's isn't quite convincing as the silver-tongued con man.
Your mileage may vary, but The King and Four Queens is one of those flicks from way back where a simple story got some great names attached, and was sold on star power, skipping out on the idea of making the film engaging.
Video/Audio/Extras:
Olive brings The King and Four Queens to Blu-ray in an AVC-encoded 2.35:1 transfer that is largely damage free and looks pretty great. Colours are vibrant and detail is solid for the most part, though softness occasionally sneaks through, especially noticeable during the transitional fades. I did notice one instance of missing frames that caused a quick jump, and a scene with some very noticeable dirt, but Olive have done a pretty great job with this one, given the film's age.
The English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track is equally good, with a wide dynamic range that never sounds distorted or tinny, and does a swell job of balancing the dialogue, which remains clear throughout, with the minimal sound effects and wonderful score. No hisses, crackles or pops were detected.
Prominently displayed and easily readable English subtitles are also available for the release.
A trailer for the film is the lone extra.
The Final Word:
While it didn't do much to ring my church bell, The King and Four Queens is an inoffensive time-waster that showcases some classic Hollywood talent, and Olive's blu-ray looks and sounds great.
Click on the images below for full sized Blu-ray screen caps!
