Stylish but barely mediocre overall

recommended

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

The genre of western has its share of loyal fans who couldn't get enough of the great outdoors and often bigger than life story lines that went beyond bandits, land grabbers and fights with the natives. A sub genre of the standard western brought film noir into the mix, and this late B western goes down that path semi-successfully. James Craig is a mystery man who is determined to stay one step ahead of the bounty hunters searching for him, and gets himself hired as "town tamer", that is, given the responsibility to locate the corrupt elements in a town and get rid of them. Often, town tamers were opposed by the town sheriff, but in this case, he is up against a crippled bully (Paul Richards) who simply sends for three hit men to take care of him, even being smug enough to ask Craig to mail the letters on his way out. Similarities to "High Noon" are obvious, with Craig aware of the problems that face him. But with the people who hired him not willing to help him, he's on his own, even though Richard's beautiful wife (Martha Vickers) is obviously attracted to him. When one of the hit men (Brett Halaey) turns out to be his own brother, Craig will have some quick thinking to do.Tossing western veteran Edgar Buchanan as as the sheriff, thus has vintage western heritage. Some unique ideas rank this far above the *1/2 stars that Leonard Maltin ranked this at, although I do agree with observations that with TV westerns already dominating the airwaves, this had little chance of being anything than just barely successful. You have to look at this deeply for its film noir aspects which are subtle yet obvious.

Four Fast Guns is an interesting if not completely successful B western, done at a time when these kinds of films and stories were finding more of a home on the small screen. I could have seen this one as an episode on The Virginian for instance which was a 90 minute show.James Craig has an encounter with a 'town tamer' on the trail and when he gets prodded into a fight he kills the prodder. Craig goes on into the town with the name of Purgatory and proceeds to take the job of town tamer.Who Purgatory wants to eliminate is Paul Richards, once a fast gun himself, but now limited to running the saloon and all the organized outlawry in the area. Richards is limited also because he's in a wheelchair due to a broken back. And apparently he's also limited as far as wife Martha Vickers is concerned.Richards sends a series of gunmen against Craig, Four Fast Guns to be precise. Three come up short, but the fourth is Brett Halsey who presents some unique problems no one foresaw on both sides.The B western had certainly moved way beyond the Saturday matinée kiddie trade. You wouldn't have a Roy Rogers western dealing with something like impotence. Four Fast Guns probably would have been more explicit but for the Code.Four Fast Guns was done on the cheap so it won't get a higher rating from me. Still it's an interesting work.

The title "Four Fast Guns" refers to the hero's expertise with a six-shooter as well as the three pistoleros hired to kill him. "Hell Bound" director William J. Hole Jr.'s western melodrama "Four Fast Guns" qualifies as a low-budget but above-average 'town tamer' sagebrusher with a good cast, compelling characters, and several surprises. This black and white, 72-minute oater reminded me of the Wayne Morris B-western "Two Guns and A Badge." In "Two Guns and A Badge," Morris is appointed as the deputy marshal of a lawless town. In reality, he isn't the man that the townspeople were supposed to have as deputy marshal. Similarly, "Four Fast Guns" protagonist Tom Sabin (James Craig of "Drums in the Deep South") has been run out of a Kansas by the hired gunman, Haggerty, who was paid to clean up the territory. The obnoxious 'town tamer' encounters Sabin along the trail. Haggerty warns Sabin to steer clear of Purgatory where his next job is. Sabin ignores him so Haggerty goads Sabin into a gunfight. Indeed, Haggerty clips Sabin's arm between the shoulder and the bicep and then demands Sabin show him the palm of his hand. Presumably, Haggerty intends to put a bullet through Sabin's hand and end his days as a gunfighter. Haggerty has his own gun drawn when Sabin surprises him and drops dead in his own tracks.Sabin rides into the town of Purgatory. Inscribed on an archway that welcomes visitors are these words: Purgatory: When you ride into Purgatory, "Say goodbye to God." The citizens have never seen Haggerty. When Sabin shows up, they ask him if he is the 'town tamer?' Like the Wayne Morris hero in "Two Guns and a Badge," Sabin tells them the 'town tamer' Haggerty sent him to Purgatory all the way from Kansas. At first, Sabin isn't altogether sure that he wants to maintain this masquerade. The citizens offer him $500 for the job. When somebody suggests Sabin may be scared, our protagonist accepts the job. The townspeople want to see the owner of The Babylon Saloon, Hoag (Paul Richards of "The St. Valentine's Day Massacre"), run out of town since he controls all the killing, rustling and gambling in those parts. Sabin and the citizens strike a compromise. They will try him out and pay him after he cleans up Purgatory. When they want to know where to send the $500, Sabin gives them the address of the widow of Jay Cassavedas. Sabin--it seems killed Cassavedas--and the law have a bounty on his head for the murder. Later, when Sabin prowls around the marshal's office, he spots a wanted poster of himself on the wall. He is wanted for the killing of Jay Cassavedas.Hoag indulges himself in a hobby of importing works of art as well as minions of evil. The first work of art is a replica of Venus De Milo. Ironically, Hoag is an invalid confined to a wheelchair. He spends his time plinking the piano in his saloon. Later, Hoag's pretty wife, Mary Hoag (Martha Vickers of "The Big Sleep"), explains that a stagecoach wreck crippled her husband. Nevertheless, Hoag is a power neither to be trifled with nor ignored. Hoag is as cold-blooded as they come, and he antes up a thousand dollars to pay for Sabin's demise. Hoag sends one of his henchmen, Grady, over to kill the sheriff, but Sabin kills Grady. As each gunslinger botches the job, Hoag increases his offer, until the third gunslinger, Johnny Naco (Brett Halsey of "To Hell and Back"), arrives and takes the three thousand dollars to kill Sabin. One of the major surprises in "Four Fast Guns" occurs at this point and everything afterward clashes with the typical 'town tamer' western.No sooner has Sabin arrives in Purgatory than Hoag dispatches a gunman to kill him. Sabin is in the marshal's office when his would-be assassin enters. Predictably, Sabin survives this encounter, but the twists are what distinguish this western. He has to contend with three gunslingers before he cleans up Purgatory and rides away to Tombstone. Along the way, Sabin befriends the alcoholic living in the abandoned marshal's office, Dipper (Edgar Buchanan of "Texas"), who wears a small cup around his neck that he uses to drink his whiskey. Despite his drinking, Dipper is a lot smarter than most people take him. Essentially, Dipper serves as the quasi-narrator of sort. Although he isn't seen until later in the action, Dipper provides narration at the outset. "This man came along the trail one Sunday morning back in '73 talking it slow and easy keeping his eyes open and his gun hand ready. Came from nowhere I guess. Anyhow, he never said from where and we never asked. He was going to stop off in Purgatory, make his stand, like he lived alone. This is number one. He called himself Sabin." Dipper becomes Sabin's greatest ally. Hoag's wife is another interesting character. She supports her husband, but her sentiments toward Sabin change over time. Ultimately, she grows to love Sabin, but she refuses to end her marriage to Hoag. The three gunslingers are worthy of note, particularly the Brett Halsey character. One of them is named Farmer Brown, and he tries to shoot Sabin from under table as they are playing poker. Sabin outsmarts him. He pulls out his revolver and cocks it as soon as he sits down so the weapon is on his thigh within easy reach. Since the outcome to this duel is such a foregone conclusion, director William J. Hole Jr., doesn't even show us how it happened. This strategy occurred in an earlier scene when a gunslinger entered the jail but the camera remained stationed outside. Shots were audible, and then the gunslinger walked outside and fell dead on the street."Ambush at Cimarron Pass" lenser John M. Nickolaus Jr.'s black & white, widescreen cinematography is an asset. "Four Fast Guns" never wears out its welcome.

This film is amazing,, never heard about it before, until I bought this DVD "Darn Good Westerns". It is full of clichés and at a certain moment, almost ridiculous. But it has great scenes and sure keeps you interested . Tom Sabin (James Craig), kills a town tamer in self defense and then is hired by that town . He will have to challenge the saloon owner , Hoag, a man half paralyzed, so rich, he imports everything, including a small copy of the Venus De Milo,. He contracts three gunfighters to kill Tom and these three guys, plus a young aspiring gunfighter are what's best in the film. Hoag's wife, Mary (Martha Vickers) starts falling in love with Tom , but will not go ahead because of her principles. One of the gunfighters, Johnny Naco is played by Brett Halsey, who certainly overacts, but in a pleasing way bringing to mind the Brando-Dean style. I think westerns fans will like this movie.