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).

Even though this film had a great set of actors and character development that was quite interesting, the pace of this story was so slow that it took away from the entire project.The movie begins as we see four bank robbers that was attempting to outrun a posse that was following them. Plus you throw-in a sexy looking female that was also along for the ride and you can see that this is a unique set of people. Anyway, they shake the cops and end up in an old abandon town. And now, nearly through the entire picture, the writer starts to show all the distinct personalities of each character. The only bad thing is that the introduction of the characters takes so long that viewers begin to lose interest in the movie.The first forty minutes of the movie is uneventful. You have pleasant conversation, people watering the horses and some wandering where they should go to split-up the money. The only hint of trouble comes when one of the characters stumbles on a Indian war stick that might just lead to some excitement.The last half of the movie was so much better. There were actually action on the screen to break the tedious dialog that viewers were suffering. And if viewers were still watching and not turned off by the dull first half, then you saw a story that was actually interesting. John Larch, Fred MacMurray, Dorothy Malone and Michael Ansara all did an outstanding job with their character. The problem is that it took so long developing the characters that it was easy to get bored and turn to another form of entertainment. This was a hard watch but the ending made the long tiresome viewing a bit more enjoyable.

One thing I need to say right away is that this film moves very slow the first 45 minutes. It's very deliberate in how the characters are presented and how we get to know them. What's interesting is that we see Dorothy Malone joining the men in the beginning, this group of outlaws on their way to Mexico, but she is very much a peripheral figure at first. We get to know the other characters first. But then gradually, we see how the men behave a certain way around her, and how all of them secretly (and not so secretly) have designs on her. So mid- way through the picture, she is more the central presence, a woman who represents their fantasies and the flesh and blood reality of having a woman ride along on the trail. The scene where they intercept some painter to do her portrait is well done. And also what makes it work is that she has her own demons, her own insecurities to overcome. But it's the last ten to fifteen minutes that are the best. At this point, the plot begins to pick up speed and we have a very dramatic pay off on the edge of a canyon. We still don't know who she's going to end up with. I won't spoil it, but she did wind up with the guy I wanted her to be with...so it was ultimately very satisfying. And the ending is kind of shocking; it leaves you with a lot to think about.Highly recommend QUANTEZ for western fans who have the patience to sit through the slower scenes at the beginning.

A western that has way too much talk, but the talk does draw some deeply etched characters is Quantez. Had they pumped it up with a bit more action this could have been a classic. That is despite Fred MacMurray who really never felt right in westerns. He does all right by this one however.The hot tempered John Larch leads a gang of outlaws fresh from a bank robbery takes his three men fleeing a posse. His henchmen are Fred MacMurray an experienced outlaw who doesn't talk much about himself, a young fast draw in John Gavin who is from the east and Sydney Chaplin a man raised among the Apaches in whose country they have to pass through. And he also brings his main squeeze Dorothy Malone for those cold desert nights.The outlaws arrive in the freshly deserted town of Quantez, deserted because the Apaches under Michael Ansara have made it most uncomfortable to live. What to do, but take stock of the situation and formulate a plan to get across the desert. So while they're stuck there, the true character of all comes forth. All of them are chafing under the leadership of Larch who once again is playing a rather arrogant, loudmouth individual who is a fast gun, but has little else to recommend them. And of course there's the presence of Malone who just by being there is giving them all an itch that Larch won't them scratch. Only one other speaking part is in this film that of James Barton who plays a wandering painter and who has an extra horse they might need to make it across the desert. It would be smart if they all stuck together until the Indian crisis is passed or they're all dead, but Larch won't let that happen.It's plain that MacMurray should be the gang leader, but he has reasons why he's not and for that you see Quantez for.Quantez is a bit verbose, but the characters are interesting to say the least.