The King and Four Queens (1956)

Surprisingly incoherent and boring

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Four wives and their mother in law hold out in an abandoned mission where they keep close watch on stolen gold. Learning about the presence of the valuable loot, a still handsome Clark Gable arrives, claiming that he ran into one of the supposedly deceased husbands, giving himself claims to stay, find the treasure and cause all sorts of tension with the fiery young women which includes sensible Eleanor Parker, floozy Barbara Nichols, fiery Jean Willed and innocent Sara Shane. Embittered ma Jo Van Fleet keeps the girls under a strict watch (and surprisingly no chastity belts) and continuous religious quotes while Gable makes secret meetings with each of them. Hokey at times, this has several camp moments, especially Van Fleet's constant screeching of Gable's character name, Keyhole, which on occasion sounds like Hee Haw. Van Fleet makes the best of a cold character by giving her a no-nonsense persona and shouting each line as if she was calling in the cattle. She's a slightly better looking version of Marjorie Main and even more theatrical. Gable gets to sing and dance a bit and comes off as a bit tongue on cheek. As for the four wives, they ate all equally filled with list but a ridiculous script gives them varying personalities. A really surprising twist ends the film dramatically. Like a few other Westerns of the 1940's and 1950's, this has a bit of a noir feeling about it, bit the color photography hides it. All in all, not bad but not one that will go on the classic westerns list either.

The King and Four Queens is directed by Raoul Walsh and written by Margaret Fits and Richard Alan Simmons. It stars Clark Gable, Jo Van Fleet, Eleanor Parker, Jean Willes, Barbara Nichols and Sara Shane. A CinemaScope/DeLuxe Color production, music is by Alex North and cinematography by Lucien Ballard.Utterly delightful froth! Plot essentially finds Gable as a crafty drifter who learns about a group of women holed up in a ghost town who are sitting on a hoard of stolen gold. The four beauties, and their tough as old boots mother-in-law, are the wives and mother of outlaw brothers who stole the gold but who are now all presumed dead. Gable romances the four dames with the intention of locating the gold and clearing off first chance he gets, but that is far easier sounding than it is in principal!It's all a set-up for a tale of sexual frustration and subversion of male dominance. That the Production Code renders much of the narrative to suggestion, choice scripting and fill in the gaps ourselves moments, is unfortunately a given, but it's all played with a glint in its eye and there's still a cheekiness, a sexiness, about the picture that strikes the right chords. Sometimes it's an uneasy blend of drama and comedy, but when it hits its straps, such as a wonderful dance sequence, it has the quality to land the smile firmly on your face. And this even if the final is somewhat an anti-climax.Production wise it's a beauty. The cast are having a great old time of it, with the four younger ladies revelling in flirting about with the older and distinguished Gable. But it's Van Fleet who owns the movie, her tough old buzzard act is laced with maternal sadness and stoic strength and it underpins the whole story. Ballard's colour photography is gorgeous, with the location filming out of Calabasas, Snow Canyon and St. George proving to be magnificent backdrops, while North's musical accompaniments are pleasingly non obtrusive.Neither uproariously funny or dramatically potent it's a film caught somewhere in the middle of both. Yet on this occasion it really doesn't matter, it's like a good old glass of bourbon, enjoyably warm while ingested but the buzz soon wears off at closing time. 7/10

Tall-in-the-saddle and long-in-the-tooth, still attractive con-man Clark Gable (as Dan Kehoe) goes to the burnt-out western town of "Wagon Mound" looking for a fortune in gold. He is "adopted" by cranky sharp-shooting Jo Van Fleet (as "Ma" McDade) and her four beautiful daughters-in-law - Eleanor Parker (as Sabina), Jean Willes (as Ruby), Barbara Nichols (as Birdie), and Sara Shane (as Oralie). Someone knows where the missing gold can be found. The women all want to knock boots with Gable, who probably should have hooked up with "Ma" Van Fleet...Gable sings the 1902 hit "In the Sweet Bye and Bye". There is too obvious an effort to make the star look young and desirable. Best part of this nonsense may be the color cinematography by Lucien Ballard. But the main appeal is titillating - you watch this for the good-looking women. Especially arousing is Ms. Nichols, who is introduced with one of the straps of her top hanging down. Once, she even threatens to take off her clothes for a swim with Gable. This being a mainstream 1956 movie western, Nichols' top is never going to slip down - but hope springs eternal.**** The King and Four Queens (12/21/56) Raoul Walsh ~ Clark Gable, Eleanor Parker, Jo Van Fleet, Jean Willes

i enjoyed this interesting western starring Clark gable.it's not your typical rip roaring action packed western.it's more of a lite comedy/romance.most of it takes place in one setting.a deserted ghost town inhabited by our young widows and their no nonsense gun packing mother in law.manly this is a showcase for the comedic skills of Gable and his co stars.the banter back and forth between the group is the highlight of the piece.oh,there's also 100,000 in stolen gold hidden nearby.add in some romance and a bit of deception and you have the makings of an entertaining little movie.for me,The King and Four Queens is a 6/10