Four Bullets for Joe (1964)

A man has a dispute with his lover Katy. Later that day, as he’s riding off, four shots ring out. He’s killed in the saddle.

Two witnesses step forward accusing Katy of pulling the trigger. Though she professes her innocence, she’s sentenced to 15 years of hard labor.

Distraught, she dashes out of the courtroom and straight into the path of an oncoming wagon. She’s run over and killed, but not before repeating her insistence that’s she’s innocent.

Before long, notorious gunman Frank Dalton (Paul Piaget) rides into town. Turns out the woman was his sister, and he wants vengeance against those responsible for her death.

And then a killing spree begins in town. And the killer seems to be targeting those who testified against Katy and the jurors who convicted her.

Sheriff Paul (Fernando Lopez as Fred Canow) knows Frank Dalton is the likely suspect. But the timing of one of the murders makes him wonder if someone else is behind the dastardly deeds.

He evens jails the town doctor (Fernando Montes) at one point, though that results in personal problems. The doctor is the brother of the sheriff’s fiance, Margaret (Barbara Nelli). And she’s none too pleased to see her sibling locked up.

Before long, the sheriff wonders if she might be a target too.

Paul Piaget as Frank Dalton, eager to find those responsible for his sister’s death in Four Bullets for Joe (1964)

Fernando Lopez (Fred Canow) as Sheriff Paul, dealing with a string of murders in Four Bullets for Joe (1964)

Review:

If you can get past the ridiculously playful theme music that begins right after the four shots ring out, this is a decent murder mystery of a Western.

Turns out the two witnesses against Katy were in cahoots with one another and jealousy was the motivation behind the initial killing.

Barbara Nelli has perhaps the best part as the hot-tempered girlfriend. She scolds the sheriff for not paying enough attention to her as he investigates a series of murders, proclaims him persona non grata when he jails her brother, begs for forgiveness and is then left wondering when he urges her to leave town for her own safety.

Sure enough, a killer shows up at her window shortly afterward.

Barbara Nelli (Barbara Nelly) as Margaret, giving her sheriff boyfriend another piece of her mind in Four Bullets for Joe (1964)

Franciso Moran (Frank Moran) as John, the sheriff’s best friend in Four Bullets for Joe (1964)

Directed by:
Agustin Navarro

Cast:
Paul Piaget … Frank Dalton / Belton
Fernando Lopez … Sheriff Paul
as Fred Canow
Francisco Moran … John
as Frank Moran
Barbara Nelli … Margaret
as Barbara Nelly
Liz Poitel … Katy Dalton / Belton
as Liz Poiter
Fernando Montes … Dr. Albert
Angela Cavo … Helen
Miguel Del Castillo … Jim, witness
Rafael Bardem … Judge
Tito Garcia … Herrero
Tullio Altamura … Banker

Also with … Juan Cazalilla, Jose Angel Espinosa, Jose Marco, Jose Riesgo, Bruno Scipioni, Rinaldo Gironi, Juan Crtes, Luigi Del Pizzo

Runtime: 75 min.

aka:
Cuatro Balazos
Shots Ringo Out

Music: Manuel Parada
Song: “Sonaron cuatro balazos,” by Jose Espinoza “Ferrusquilla”

Miguel Del Castillo as Jim, testifying as another witness for the prosecution, Helen (Angela Cavo) looks on in Four Bullets for Joe (1964)

Fernando Montes as Albert, a doctor and Margaret’s brother in Four Bullets for Joe (1964)

Memorable lines:

Sorry, I watched a non-English version of this film.

Barbara Nelli (Barbara Nelly) as Margaret, visiting her brother after he’s been jailed by her sheriff boyfriend in Four Bullets for Joe (1964)

Liz Poitel (Liz Poiter) as Katy Dalton, accused of killing her man in Four Bullets for Joe (1964)

Trivia:

* Spanish-born Paul Piaget got his start in films as Charlton Heston’s double in the 1961 film “El Cid,” directed by Anthony Mann. His other Westerns included “Shadow of Zorro” (1962), “Hour of Death” (1964) and “Assault on Fort Texan” (1965).

* Barbara Nelli appeared in 15 films in a brief career that spanned from 1964 to 1970. Her other Westerns included a small part in “The Forgotten Pistolero” (1969) and a role in “Shango” (1970), her final movie.

Angela Cavo as Helen, finding herself being blackmailed by Jim (Miguel Del Castillo) in Four Bullets for Joe (1964)

Paul Piaget as Frank Dalton and Fernando Lopez (Fred Canow) as Sheriff Paul discuss the former’s quest for vengeance in Four Bullets for Joe (1964)