the leading man is my tpye

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

U.S. marshal Pernell Roberts is reluctantly joined by Pinkerton employee Leslie Nielsen in the search for a bank robber and possible murderer who has escaped to the Mexican desert; Sue Lyon, as the woman in love with the bandito, doesn't want him killed and makes the hunting party a trio. Low-budget Spanish production with American leads is technically inept--and far too low-keyed and solemn to make an impression--though it does have appropriately moody music from Janis Ian and interesting performances. Hirsute lawman Roberts manages to put some thought into his portrayal, while Nielsen (looking like Darrin McGavin) adds a little wily flavor. Lyon (still retaining the piercing bedroom eyes from her nymphet youth) struggles with an ill-conceived part, one which requires her to change from her cowgirl duds into a wedding dress in the sweltering heat. Director John Peyser probably intended this to be a psychological western, but he doesn't have the material nor the budget to expand on his deadly-serious ideas. The character conflicts which arise are clichéd, while the mercilessly elongated finale is ridiculously 'arty'. *1/2 from ****

"Four Rode Out" could have been titled, "Four Walked Out,"since the quartet of characters spent most of their time on foot. The horses were done with one by one in scenes that looked almost too real.It is, to say the least, a very stark movie - slow-moving, yes, but constantly engrossing. The clown critics who gave it one star were probably affected by the hot desert sun coming through their screens, affecting their minds. Whoops - almost said brains.As to the acting. Young Mateos as the b.f. was convincing. Sue Lyon, accused by one critic as over-acting, was quite good handling a rather complex character, one almost as naive as Lolita. (Had to get that in).Leslie Neilsen sandwiched between his early near-fame days, to steering the Poseidon into near oblivion, to good-sized stardom, seemed to have a blast as a baddie - a real baddie.Pernell Roberts, Bonanza's maverick, was excellent portraying a very questionable character.The silent ending wrapped the story beautifully. The minus was Janis Ian's contribution - totally unnecessary, totally dull.The rest of the music was justifiably sparse. For a change, it did not blast out at you.All in all, "Four Rode Out" is worthwhile. Fie on the naysayers. Give it a chance. It is sometimes frighteningly captivating.

The movie is slow paced, but for the most part, flows smoothly. Anyone who has traveled the desert, on foot, will surely sympathize with the characters and feel right at home with the slow pace.I felt the problems were more with the indoor scenes, at the beginning, than in the later outdoor scenes. Much of the indoor filming is jerky and poorly framed. The scenes in the rooms had the camera in the actor's faces and should have been farther back, giving the actors the room needed to move around and express themselves. This would be easy on a sound stage, so I suspect the scenes were filmed in actual rooms, where space is limited.Likewise, the 60's music detracts from the film - dating it, when, if it had used a more traditional style of music, it could have been a timeless classic...The acting on the whole is good and the characters fill out as the movie progresses.There are a few annoying audio blips, as if some of the dialog was cut or bleeped.

Pernell Roberts plays a soon-to-retire lawman who rides into the desert on one last assignment - to capture a young Mexican bank robber. During the trek, Roberts is joined by a Pinkerton agent (Leslie Nielsen) and the bandit's girlfriend, both of whom have ulterior motives for ensuring the mission is a failure. Four Rode Out is a dull, boring western that just drags on and on... with sporadic action and long scenes of riding through the desert.BONANZA was better than this...and Nielsen's SWAMP FOX or his later comedy features are more enjoyable!