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.

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.