Albuquerque (1948)

Randolph Scott is Cole Armin, who leaves Texas bound for Albuquerque and the promise of a lucractive new job.

The stage he’s riding on is held up. One man is killed, a young girl nearly dies when the horses spook. And $10,000 is stolen from a female passenger.

In spite of his heroics saving the young girl’s life, Cole arrives in Albuquerque to a cool reception.

That has everything to do with his last name, according to grizzled stage driver Juke (George “Gabby” Hayes).

The job Cole was promised is with the Monarch Freighting Co., run by his uncle John Armin.

He’s a cut-throat businessman who will do anything to ruin his competition and has henchmen on his payroll ready to carry out his orders.

If that means stealing from $10,000 from Celia Wallace to dash the plans she and her brother Ted have of opening a competing freight company, so be it.

And if someone dies in the process … well, that’s the cost of doing business.

But it’s not Cole Armin’s way of doing business, so he quickly quits his uncle and joins forces with the Wallace siblings.

They even manage to convince some mining owners to give them a chance to haul their ore.

But John Armin always seems to know their next move. Cole begins to wonder if that has anything to do with Letty Tyler, the pretty bookkeeper Ted has hired.

Randolph Scott as Cole Armin, fed up with his Uncle John and his hired thugs in Albuquerque (1948)

George Cleveland as wheelchair-bound John Armin, determined to crush his competition in Albuquerque (1948)

Review:

An entertaining Randolph Scott Western even if the action scenes over the last 15 minutes of the film are a bit of a letdown.

The presence of two major female roles helps, especially that of Barbara Britton as the pretty little thing John Armin hires to snoop on his competitors.

“Gabby” Hayes, as usual, provides a handful of lighter moments, forever dodging the razor of his lady friend Pearl, who is dying to shave off his beard.

There’s also a child part, played adorably by Karolyn Grimes, who is rescued on a runaway stage by Cole Armin in the film’s opening scene.

Later, when he’s jailed for a crime he didn’t commit, she shows up at the jail window with a chisel for him to break his way out and a saddled mule for him to get away on.

She’s best remembered for playing Zuzu, the daughter of George Bailey (James Stewart) and wife Mary (Donna Reed) in the holiday classic “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946).

Catherine Craig as Celia Wallace, caring for her recuperating brother Ted in Albuquerque (1948)

Barbara Britton as Letty Tyler, finding herself working for the treacherous side in Albuquerque (1948)

Directed by:
Ray Enright

Cast:
Randolph Scott … Cole Armin
Barbara Britton … Letty Tyler
George “Gabby” Hayes … Juke
Lon Chaney Jr. …. Steve Murkill
Russell Hayden … Ted Wallace
Catherine Craig … Celia Wallace
George Cleveland … John Armin
Irving Bacon … Dave Walton
Bernard Nedell … Sheriff Ed Linton
Karolyn Grimes … Myrtle Walton
Russell Simpson … Abner Huggins
Jody Gilbert … Pearl Eager
John Halloran … Matt Wayne
Dan White … Jackson
Walter Baldwin … Judge Fred Martin

Runtime: 90 min.

George ‘Gabby’ Hayes as Juke, embarrassed about having his stagecoach robbed in Albuquerque (1948)

Russell Hayden as Ted Wallace, asking mine owners for a chance to earn their freight business in Albuquerque (1948)

Memorable lines:

Mrytle Walton, after being rescued from a runaway stage: “Oh, Mr. Cole, you were elegant!”

Cole Armin, when he gets the cold shoulder upon his arrival in New Mexico: “What’s the matter with those folks. You’d think I had smallpox.”
Juke: “Son, I’d rather have smallpox than the name of Armin in this town.”

John Armin, welcoming Cole to his company: “With another Armin in the saddle, I can see my empire spreading beyond the borders of the territory of New Mexico.”

John Armin, explaining his business philosophy: “The law of self-preservation applies to business too. The competition has got to be strangled.”

Cole Armin to Juke, studying his beard: “No one would hide behind the foliage you’re wearing unless he was playing hoockie from somebody’s jail.”

Karolyn Grimes as Myrtle Walton, thrilled to be rescued from a runaway stage by Cole Armin in Albuquerque (1948)

Lon Chaney Jr. as Steve Murkill, awaiting his next orders from John Armin (George Cleveland) in Albuquerque (1948)

Walter Baldwin as Judge Fred Martin, warning Juke to behave in his courtroom in Albuquerque (1948)

Bernard Nedell as Sheriff Ed Linton, reminding John Armin that killings are more difficult to cover up than robberies in Albuquerque (1948)

Irving Bacon as Dave Wallace, pledging to help Cole Armin (Randolph Scott) anyway he can with daughter Mrytle (Karolyn Grimes) looking on in Albuquerque (1948)

Randolph Scott as Cole Armin and ‘Gabby’ Hayes as Juke, arriving in town after an eventful stage ride in Albuquerque (1948)