4 for Texas (1963, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin)

4 for Texas is a stylish spoof western from The Dirty Dozen director Robert Aldrich. Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra smooth it out as a couple of rival crooks trying to outfox each other in turn of the century frontier town Galveston.

Sharp-shooter Zack Thomas (Sinatra) and conman Joe Jarrett (Martin) meet on a stagecoach hurtling towards town. The pair team up to repel a bandit ambush led by vile Matson (Charles Bronson). But when $100,000 is discovered in the wrecked coach, their allegiance is abruptly terminated and Joe returns to Galveston with all the loot. He gives half to old Miss Emmaline (Marjorie Bennett), the custodian of his childhood orphanage, and uses the remainder to fund a riverboat casino with wild beauty Maxine Richter (Ursula Andress).

Zack, meanwhile, heads back to Galveston and the arms of voluptuous and adoring Elya Carlson (Anita Ekberg). He’s been hired by unscrupulous banker Harvey Burden (Victor Buono) to control the town. Now Zack wants in on Joe’s project, and the two men prepare to slug it out. But Burden has other plans. Zack has become too powerful and expensive and Burden and his board plan to eliminate both Zack and Joe in the imminent fracas and keep the casino for themselves. And Matson is just the man to do their dirty work.

It takes the feminine wiles of Maxine and Elya to spot what’s going on and they persuade their men to team up once again to beat off their assailants.

Described by the Financial Times as ‘An entirely wacky western, directed with great energy and flair,’ 4 For Texas is great fun.

As the Sunday Times said, the script is ‘sly and self-mocking, as comedies of violence should be… the wisecracks have the kind of formalised callous wit that is one of the best things about American script writing.’

production details
USA / 124 minutes / 1963

Director: Robert Aldrich
Writers: Teddi Sherman, Robert Aldrich, W.R. Burnett

cast
Frank Sinatra as Zack Thomas
Dean Martin as Joe Jarrett
Anita Ekberg as Elya Carlson
Ursula Andress as Maxine Richter
Charles Bronson as Matson
Victor Buono as Harvey Burden
Edric Connor as Prince George
Nick Dennis as Angel
Richard Jaeckel as Pete Mancini
Mike Mazurki as Chad
Wesley Addy as Winthrop Trowbridge
Marjorie Bennett as Miss Emmaline
Virginia Christine as Brunhilde – Elya Carlson’s Maid
Ellen Corby as Widow
Jack Elam as Dobie
Eva Six as Mrs. Burden
Moe Howard as
Jesslyn Fax as Mildred
Fritz Feld as Fritz
Arthur Godfrey as Mr. Godfrey
Percy Helton as Jonas Ansel
Maidie Norman as Maid
Abraham Sofaer as Pulaski
Grady Sutton as Bank Employee
Dave Willock as Alfred
Bill Walker as Bill