Product Details

• Actors: Pernell Roberts, Sue Lyon, Julián Mateos, Leslie Nielsen, María Martín
• Directors: John Peyser
• Writers: Dick Miller, Don Balluck, Paul Harrison
• Producers: Pedro Vidal, Richard H. Landau
• Format: Color, EP, NTSC
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Front Row Video, Inc
• VHS Release Date: May 22, 2001
• Run Time: 99 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005LC98
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #418,991 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Unusual, intense American-made "Spaghetti", March 30, 2010

By 

William T. Wiggins (New Jersey) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Four Rode Out (DVD)

Unusual American-made, filmed-in-Spain melodrama that for intents and purposes can be considered a "Spaghetti Western", bearing many notes common to that genre.

Pernell Roberts is a Marshal hunting a wanted Mexican man. Leslie Nielsen is a bounty hunter of sorts after the same man. Sue Lyon is the wanted man's white girlfriend. These three disparate characters head out to the desert where the wanted man is hiding. After his capture, the four must make their way back to town, all the while battling the elements and each other.

The setup of the film reminded me of JAWS, with an initial setup followed by a long, protracted, isolated showdown. Not much happens after the first 20 or so minutes (the fugitive is captured rather quickly), so the drama of the pic comes out of the various tensions and shifting allegiances between the four people.

Pernell is solid as an honest-to-a-fault lawman. Despite a lack of charm, he is a good foundation to lay the picture on. Julian Mateos has the least to do here, but brings a Tomas Milian-style empathy to his bandit. I wish we had heard more from his character, rather than him being somewhat of a device to move the story along. As Myra the girlfriend, Sue Lyon is appropriately lovestruck, defiant, and impetuous, leaning toward shrill overacting at times.

By far the standout among the cast is the handsome, devilish Leslie Nielsen, whose Mr. Brown turns more and more creepy and craven as the story moves along. Early on, he is merely a callous and smug bounty killer; later in the show we are given reason to question his true allegiance.

I might have found a way to trim 10 minutes of desert walking out of this; at times the film does drag its feet. However, these instances are contrasted by sequences of intense drama as the cast fight over water, hidden weapons, saddlebags of cash, etc.

Not a hidden gem by any stretch but a solid C+, with special mention again of Nielsen's fine performance.

Also of note is the title music performed in 1970s folksinger fashion by Janis Ian. A very unusual choice, adds to the unique character of the film.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars John Peyser's Four Rode Out, May 29, 2002

By 

Charles Tatum - See all my reviews

This review is from: Four Rode Out [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Pernell Roberts is Ross, a marshal who is after bank robber Julian Mateos. Mateos sneaks into town, tries to bed his girlfriend, Sue Lyon, and his caught by her father. He runs off, headed to Mexico, and Lyon's father kills himself. Roberts comes to town, shadowed by Pinkerton agent Leslie Nielsen. Roberts leaves into the desert to find Mateos with Nielsen along for the ride. Lyon soon follows the two man posse.

This wannabe character study starts out okay. Roberts is the honest lawman on his last case. Nielsen is slimy as the detective whose sole goal is to kill Mateos. Lyon is a pretty bundle of nerves still trying to understand how her life ended up like this. Eventually, Nielsen rapes Lyon, promising not to kill Mateos in return. They finally stumble upon Mateos, and Nielsen goes back on his word, shooting and injuring him. Roberts tries to hold everything together so they can make it back to town.

In the desert, the film really degenerates. There is constant arguments about water. At least three horses break their legs and have to be shot. A subplot involving the fact that Mateos claims Nielsen was one of the bank robbers never pans out. By the time Roberts officiates at insane Lyon's and angry Mateos' wedding, the film makers had lost me.

The film was shot on location in Spain, but the editing does not live up to the seemingly endless, gorgeous desert. I was reminded of the work of Ed Wood, as scenes would end without a point, or feature insert shots of the actors doing something else besides acting. Nielsen is such a heavy villain, you do not care if he helped rob a bank or not, you just wish someone would shoot him and shut him up. Lots of inappropriate songs by Janis Ian and lots of scenes of people arguing over water while holding weapons on each other add up to a less than successful western. Do not take a ride with this four. I cannot recommend it.

This is rated (R) for physical violence, gun violence, brief sexual violence, and gore.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars ...but how many came back?, February 1, 2010

By 

Annie Van Auken (Planet Earth) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Four Rode Out (DVD)

Gray market discs such as this offer no commentary, deleted scenes or other bonus features. Dubs are "best available source" and can vary from very good to only fair.


There's always something worthwhile in almost every western, even if it's only stunt riding or scenery. The latter is a plus here.

FOUR RODE OUT (USA/Spain-1968) is an unusual drive-in double-feature type western that opens with Janis Ian and guitar in silhouette as she sings the haunting title song. Ian also supplies simple acoustic fills for occasional soundtrack music.

Star is Pernell Roberts, out from under his BONANZA rug, along with a rather shrill Sue Lyon (as Myra). Her boyfriend, Fernando (Julián Mateos) is wanted for a bank holdup and guard's murder.

Fernando flees into the New Mexican desert, and Marshal Ross/Roberts (on his last misson apparently) follows, with bloodthirsty Pinkerton man "Brown" (Leslie Nielson) as companion. The detective claims his only interest is recovering the bank's 120K but other comments of his indicate the hunt is on.

Ross and Brown don't get far out of town before Myra appears on horseback. She's rightly concerned that Brown will shoot Fernando on sight and demands to go with them. Marshal Ross warns he won't help her if she gets injured and lets Myra tag along.

Brown's actions prove to be less than sterling. When they finally catch up to Fernando, his behavior worsens, borders on criminal. In a surprise development it's revealed that Brown may be trying to kill the outlaw to silence him about some dark secret.

After his horse falls off a cliff, Fernando takes refuge at the top of an outcrop. Stymied, Brown is impatient for blood, Ross wants to keep his promise to bring Fernando back for trial and Myra's aim is to be with and comfort her trapped boyfriend.

Events (and subterfuge) leave the party with inadequate water for all to make it safely across the desert. These scenes of slow progress home under a broiling sun are the picture's highlight. When their exhausted horses drop one by one, it looks as if all will perish.