Very disappointing...

That was an excellent one.

Just perfect...

Absolutely Fantastic

Copyright 1957 by Universal-International. New York opening at RKO neighborhood theaters as the lower half of a double bill with a second run of "Tammy and the Bachelor": 6 September 1957. U.S. release: 1 October 1957. U.K. release: 7 September 1958. Australian release: 5 July 1957 (sic). 80 minutes. Cut by Rank Film Distributors to 68 minutes in the U.K. for release on a double bills.SYNOPSIS: A gang on the run after a successful bank robbery hole up for the night in Quantez, a mysteriously empty frontier town.VIEWERS' GUIDE (all versions): Strictly adults.COMMENT: CinemaScope seems an odd choice for a "B" western that, aside from its opening action and solid climax, is largely set indoors. Mind you, it still offers well above average entertainment, though it says much for the general standard of acting that the best performance comes not from any of the big-name players, but from the little known (as far as most moviegoers were concerned) James Barton, who provides a wonderfully engaging interlude as a wandering minstrel. On the other hand, Fred MacMurray's playing seems a bit too off the cuff to be wholly convincing. You would think that he had just that moment memorized his lines, but had not been given any opportunity to practice them and get the feel of them. And, although no fault of her own, Dorothy Malone also betrays the obvious haste with which the movie was made, thanks to her glaringly obvious make-up.Even the sound recording is unusually rough by Hollywood's usually meticulous standards. OTHER VIEWS: This film sets out with half-hearted self-consciousness after a theme — that the man on the run is hunted down from within as much as by external forces; but it succeeds only in being an object lesson in ponderous time-wasting. — Monthly Film Bulletin (reviewing the 68-minute version).

Quantez is directed by Harry Keller and written by R. Wright Campbell and Anne Edwards. It stars Fred MacMurray, Dorothy Malone, James Barton, Sydney Chaplin, John Gavin and John Larch. A CinemaScope production in Eastman Color, with music scored by Herman Stein (supervision Joseph Gershenson) and cinematography by Carl E. Guthrie.A gang of robbers hole up for the night in the ghost town of Quantez. But what is the greater threat to their well being? The Indians out in the hills? Or each other?Maybe you get to be a killer? But you will be sick to the stomach because of it.A smartly written and acted psychological Western, Quantez deserves to be better known and appraised. This is all about characterisations and the hot bed situation they dwell within, the emphasis on dialogue and interactions as suspicion, passions, racism and treachery show their hands. Standard characters do apply, the girl with a past she's not proud of, the loose cannon, the greenhorn kid, the duplicitous one and the guy with a secret tucked away. There's even a late addition of a wandering minstrel (Barton), splendidly calling himself Puritan. These characters are well blended for narrative strength by Keller, the director keeping things on the slow burn, an impending sense of implosion permeating proceedings. Technical aspects are smart, the exterior filming, when the film comes out of the claustrophobic confines of the ghost town, is most pleasing, while the Eastman Color is gorgeous and never garish. Cast score well, notably a stubble and grungy MacMurray, a pretty and emotionally fragile Malone and Larch, who is unstable and enjoying his chance for villainy.Except for a fist fight, an opening pursuit and the odd moment of macho posturing, the action is saved for the excellent last quarter, so first time viewers after a high energy Oater are advised that this is not the film for them. But for those who like some psychological discord in their Westerns, where plot dynamics are simmering until the denouement, then seek this out if you can. 8/10

As the opening credits end we see five riders crossing the desert at speed; we soon learn that they have robbed a bank and are fleeing the pursuing posse. They manage to evade the posse but end up one horse down; hoping to find a replacement and somewhere to rest before continuing to Mexico they head to the small town of Quantez. When they get there something is very wrong; the town is totally deserted; it looks as though everybody just left a week before. The group consists of four men; Heller, the leader who killed a man during the robbery; Gentry, a man who seems to eschew violence; Teach, a young gun from back east and Gato, a white man who was raised by the Apache; the fifth member of the gang is Chaney, a beautiful blonde woman who Heller considers his but Teach clearly has an eye on. It soon becomes apparent to Gato, and the audience, that everybody left because they were chased out by the local Apache; he meets up with them and offers them half the takings from the robbery if they will kill the others. Back in the town's saloon tensions rise amongst the others; Chaney can't get over seeing a man die and keeps screaming and Heller can't abide any other man going near her. When an elderly man rides into town tensions rise further as it is obvious that Heller intends to kill him for his horse and Gentry intends to make sure he rides out alive. As the night passes it looks increasingly likely that they will start killing each other before the Apaches get a chance to strike in the morning.Most B Westerns are fairly action packed with a hero who goes from one action scene to the next until he finally confronts his nemesis; this one is different though; there are no heroes; even the more sympathetic characters are villains and rather than having a succession of action scenes we get a series of moments each of which serve to raise the tension but providing no relief until the finale when the expected action occurs. With no heroes all bets are off as to who, if anybody will survive! I hadn't heard of this film until I saw it advertised in the TV guide this morning; I'm glad I chose to watch it though as I really enjoyed it. The small cast did a fine job; particularly Fred MacMurray, Gentry; Dorothy Malone, Chaney and John Larch who played the vicious Heller. This may be a little known western if no big name stars but if you are a fan of the genre I definitely recommend checking it out if you get the chance.

Not many people heard about Quantez, but for those who enjoy westerns it is worth seeing. It is that type of westerns where all of the men seem bad, they just robbed a bank and one of them brought his girlfriend along(Dorothy Malone). She is by far the most interesting character, she flirts with the whole gang and has a very low self-esteem. Harry Keller, the director, knew his way with westerns He was the editor of one excellent film "The Showdown" and also directed several Audie Murphy and Allan Rocky Lane films. This film brings to mind "Yellow Sky" and "Ambush at Tomahawk Gap". Some of the men will turn up to be not so bad as they seem, like in those films mentioned. Sidney Chaplin is very good as Gato, half Indian, who is not trusted, because they don't know which side he is really on, as they are surrounded by Apaches. John Gavin, more famous for romantic parts, plays very well a tough guy.