''Quantez'' is a 1957 American

CinemaScope CinemaScope is an anamorphic format, anamorphic lens series used, from 1953 to 1967, and less often later, for shooting widescreen films that, crucially, could be screened in theatres using existing equipment, albeit with a lens adapter. Its cr ...

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

film directed by

Harry Keller Harry Keller (February 22, 1913 – January 19, 1987) was an American film editor, producer and director, who made a number of Western (genre), westerns and worked for many years at Republic Pictures and Universal Pictures. In 1958, Keller was ta ...

and starring Fred MacMurray and Dorothy Malone.

Plot

Heller's ( John Larch) gang of outlaws pull a robbery, kill a man and ride toward Mexico, fleeing a posse. To spend the night, they first head for the border town of Quantez, but are shocked to discover that it has become a ghost town, with no one else there. Gentry ( Fred MacMurray), the gang's most experienced man, finds liquor in the saloon, while Teach ( John Gavin), a younger gunslinger, becomes interested in Chaney ( Dorothy Malone), who is Heller's woman but upset over the murder during the holdup. Gato, who was raised by Apaches, is infuriated by Heller's referring to him as "breed" and other slights. Gato ( Sydney Chaplin) discovers a warning from Apaches to anyone who comes to town. He seeks out Delgadito ( Michael Ansara), the tribe's leader, and proposes they kill the whites and divide the loot. Heller, meantime, is trying to get his partners to do the same, kill the others so there's more money to split among who's left. Gentry and Teach both have feelings for Chaney, who wants to leave town as soon as possible. A wandering minstrel comes to town, calling himself Puritan ( James Barton), and while he paints Heller's portrait, he sings a song about John Coventry, a legendary outlaw in these parts. Puritan is suddenly astonished when he spots Gentry and realizes that he ''is'' Coventry. The veteran gunman is trying to put his violent life behind him for good. In a final gunfight, Gato is killed by Delgalito after a betrayal. Heller is killed by Gentry, and with arrows raining down, Gentry sacrifices himself, providing cover while Chaney and Teach make their getaway.

Cast

* Fred MacMurray as Gentry / John Coventry * Dorothy Malone as Chaney * James Barton as Puritan * Sydney Chaplin as Gato * John Gavin as Teach * John Larch as Heller * Michael Ansara as Delgadito

Reaction

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' said the film "could hardly be duller".

References

External links

* * * * 1957 Western (genre) films 1957 films American Western (genre) films Films with screenplays by Robert Wright Campbell Films directed by Harry Keller Films scored by Herman Stein Universal Pictures films CinemaScope films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films English-language Western (genre) films {{1950s-US-Western-film-stub