Review of Three Faces West

. . . exclaims Leni Braun at her first glimpse of John Wayne's bachelor pad in THREE FACES WEST. This flick has three screenwriters, since Republic Pictures decided to combine key elements of the scripts then circulating for GRAPES OF WRATH, CASABLANCA, and THE TEN COMMANDMENTS into one 79-minute low-budget show, giving each of the plot lines a happy ending. John Wayne takes on the future Henry Fonda, Humphrey Bogart, and Charlton Heston roles, with one are tied behind his back. This film made Sigrid Gurie's career, as she proves that she possesses all the talents of Ingrid Bergman. Paul Henreid's role as the courageous Resistance Fighter is greatly shortened, as he reveals himself to be a Nazi convert during his minute on screen. This, of course, allows Wayne's Rick-like character to marry Gurie's Ilsa stand-in for this feature's Grand Finale. Simultaneously, John's Moses gets to put down roots in the Promised Land, renamed "Oregon" here, which welcomes all the Dust Bowl Okies with open arms. There's no need for any women to wet-nurse grown men named "Joad," No Siree, Bob! Not so much as a turtle dies in THREE FACES WEST, as Wayne only punches out a few old-timers.