The King and Four Queens (1956)

Director:

Raoul Walsh

Writers:

Margaret Fitts (screenplay)
Margaret Fitts (story)

Release Date:

21 December 1956 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Mystery | Western

Tagline:

The King plays the hottest game in the West . . . with four Queens!

Plot:

Smooth cowboy Dan Kehoe arrives at a ranch run by an old widow and her four daughters-in-law. He's been...

Plot Keywords:

Gold | Widow | Beautiful Woman | Fugitive | Matriarch

Cast

Clark Gable	...	Dan Kehoe
Eleanor Parker	...	Sabina McDade
Jean Willes	...	Ruby McDade
Barbara Nichols	...	Birdie McDade
Sara Shane	...	Oralie McDade
Roy Roberts	...	Sheriff Tom Larrabee
Arthur Shields	...	Padre
Jay C. Flippen	...	Bartender of Rosebud Saloon in Touchstone
Jo Van Fleet	...	Ma McDade

Runtime:

86 min | Portugal:84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | West Germany:16 (nf) | Finland:K-8

Filming Locations:

Juarez Square, Warner Ranch, Calabasas, California, USA

Company:

Russ-Field Productions

Trivia:

Clark Gable formed a production company with his The Tall Men (1955) co-star Jane Russell and her husband Bob Waterfield in order to produce this film. However, the stress of producing took such a toll on the 55-year-old Gable's already guarded health that he never produced another movie.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Dan Kehoe (Clark Gable) is shaving in the saloon's mirror, the barkeeper is leaning toward Kehoe and talking to him. In the next shot, the barkeeper is leaning toward the bar.

Quotes:

Sabina McDade: I wouldn't trust you with a snowblower in a blizzard.

Four Queens and an old battle axe

Clark Gable dreamed up some sweet con game to do four lovely widows and their mother-in-law out of some stolen loot that their late husbands an outlaw brother gang have robbed.

One McDade brother is still alive, but we're not sure which one. And through force of personality their mother-in-law is keeping them in a ghost town hide out until he returns for what's his. If stolen loot can be considered his.

Gable arrives in town and woos all the women who don't need much encouragement. No male companionship for seven years, got to be tough on a gal. The women are Eleanor Parker, Jean Willes, Sara Shane, and Barbara Nichols.

The King and Four Queens though Clark Gable is billed above the title, this picture really belongs to Jo Van Fleet. 1956 was a good year for her, Jo also turned in an outstanding performance as Doc Holiday's gal pal Kate Fisher in Gunfight at the OK Corral. Her's is the dominant performance of the film. It has to be or the idea that these women wouldn't have just overpowered here and forced them to tell where the loot is becomes ludicrous.

Lots of sexual innuendo in this film, very much a precursor to the adult TV westerns that were to come soon. One of the more interesting of Clark Gable's post World War II films.