Just perfect...

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

This is a SHAMEFUL effort. Presumably all the "stars" took their roles piurely for the money. I watched this drivel growing increasingly angry. The acting is pitiful, the story ridiculous, only the cinematography rates at all. AVOID THIS ONE. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish. Rubbish.

This film stars the two biggest members of the so-called 'Rat Pack'--Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. Oddly, the film is a western--and it's very strange to see either of these guys in a western. You'd expect to see them in a film like "Oceans Eleven"...not the old west. Even weirder, the European sex-pots Ursula Andress and Anita Ekberg are along for the ride...and a bumpy one at that considering how ill-cast the production seemed. And you KNOW it's got a bizarre choice of actors when the Three Stooges seem more appropriately cast! The only really appropriately cast guy was Charles Bronson--and he was pretty much wasted.The film begins with Zack (Sinatra) and Joe (Martin) happening on a stage coach that has been attacked. The passengers and crew are dead but the hidden gold is still there. Both men want it and Joe ends up with it after some interesting machinations. Much of the rest of the film consists of Joe and Zack trying to outsmart each other--all the while, Zack's partners are planning on double-crossing them.Sometimes, instead of writing a review, I wish I could simply write "Read so-and-so's review--they said it as good or better than I could...plus they wrote it first". This is exactly the case with the review for "4 For Texas" by Bob the Moo. Bob's analysis of the film is correct when he said it is '...lifeless, self indulgent and lacking in fun or wit, made solely on the basis of the two stars being famous and thus bringing an audience with them when the film plays'. This really sums it up very well! The film, despite a quirky and clever start, soon bogs down and all sense of fun soon diminishes. In fact, so does any sense that either of the leads even cared! It was like they were just going through the paces--assuming the Rat Pack lovers would show up in the theaters in droves regardless. My assumption is that, for the most part, they were correct. The writing was amateurish and often made no sense (especially the scenes where Martin and Andress meet), the acting uninspired, pacing listless and the film looked good but was very unsatisfying--much like the desserts you'd find at an all you can eat buffet. A cynical and forgettable film.

I like a good western and when this came up on TV and I read the reviews, I was wondering whether I should bother.Eventually the cast list swayed me to, though I'm generally not a fan of Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra. Charles Bronson, Anita Eckberg and Ursula Andress attracted me as well as wondering where and how the Three Stooges might make their mark. Robert Aldrich, director of the Dirty Dozen might at least add some pedigree in that department.As the other few reviews have pointed out in some detail, the opening sequence is a classic, quality suspenseful one, with Sinatra and Bronson sharing a shoot-out over the $100,000 haul. Unfortunately the film moves into the studio and outdoor scenes are both flimsy and rare, with the comedy generally sped-up punch-ups to quickened music. The blonde beauties are often accompanied by raunchy, strip-club type of music that both cheapens them and also the movie.There's a story about a paddle-steamer in there somewhere, but by that time I couldn't care what happened to it or to whoever was aboard. Frankly, I was on the verge of giving up on the film entirely at 90mins but I guess laziness forced me to let it play on.I cannot recommend this film. Even if you are a fan of any of its key actors it's just not worth the drudge to see them perform below par and with an even worse script.

I watched this recently as part of the Ultimate Rat Pack collection that I had purchased a while ago. I couldn't remember if I'd even seen it before although I grew up in the 60s when these flicks were on TV regularly. After viewing I realized why I couldn't remember it...it is singularly unmemorable, unlike Oceans 11 or Robin and the Seven Hoods featured in the same collection. It's a comedy-western that's not particularly funny or all that exciting. Frank and Dean breeze through this thing of course as only they can, mugging,joking almost winking at each other 'ain't we too much' during their scenes together. I'm assuming Robert Aldrich the director was merely there to corral the extras since neither of the main stars attempts to take any direction. This is not to say they are entirely un watchable but even for this kind of thing both have done better. Ursula Andress and Anita Ekberg look spectacular in various revealing outfits and Charles Bronson seems to be the only actor taking the whole thing seriously. The 3 Stooges show up and do a shtick that livens things up after the movie seems to slow to a crawl. Character actors Victor Buono(probably gives the best performance),Jack Elam,Richard Jaekel and a few other familiar faces round out the cast. The plot? Well, who cares really, you're watching this to see Frank and Dean do their thing and to some degree they do, but really it's all somewhat snooze inducing. The film of course is very much of its era when the Rat Pack ruled and smoking, drinking, gambling and womanizing were casually portrayed without any apologies. I do actually enjoy these kind of movies and have built up a collection on DVD over the last while that reflects my nostalgia for that time. I just wish this one was better.