The King and Four Queens (1956)

The only film Gable starred in and produced. Clark Gable reprises his role in Gone With the Wind, this time as a fugitive, a western style Rhett Butler. Only thing, he just doesn't strike me as a desperado or gunfighter. Gable sings a little, plays the organ a little, shoots a little, whistles a little and courts 3 widows for their knowledge of a hidden treasure of stolen money. All but one of the sons of a grieved mother were killed off but hid a lot of stolen money. The wives live with the mother-in-law. Someone knows the location of the stolen money. Clark Gable goes about trying to find out who knows what and woos and charms everyone along the way. This is quite a slow paced (yet 86 minute) and tedious film to sit through. Quite a waste of the great Gable in my opinion even though he's in most every scene (this film was the first and last of his own production company). Of course, he's made to be some still handsome, swaggering visitor which all the girls fall for. Gable surely got the message somewhere in his career that he was past being a sex symbol, but not in this film. While a slow suspense drama set in the West, this just didn't seem to keep my attention. Despite the great Gable I found this one boring. The mother, Jo Van Fleet is tiresome with her bitter attitude and granny-shoots-first mentality. The legend music score artist Alex North contributes little to the soundtrack. FYI, Gable gave up his production company GABCO, when this film failed at the box office. No wonder, it failed in my living room. After this film, Gable just freelanced as an actor like everyone else. Oh, one more bit of trivia. The movie was based on a 25 cent book. Cast Clark Gable Eleanor Parker Jay Flippen C. Barbara Nichols Jo Van Fleet Crew Cinematographer: Lucien Ballard Editor: David Bretherton Producer: David Hempstead Screenplay: Margaret Fitts Story by: Margaret Fitts Production Designer: Wiard Ihnen Editor: Louis R. Loeffler Composer: Alex North Costume Designer: Renie Screenplay: Richard Alan Simmons Director: Raoul Walsh Executive Producer: Robert Waterfield