Sugar Creek (2007) - Once Upon a Time in a Western

Pulled along by a cloaked man on a white horse, Adam Stanton (Daniel Kruse) is dumped — in a coffin — at Land’s End.

That coffin is cracked open. “Come and see,” whispers the horseman. Confused and shoeless, Stanton climbs out of his wooden box.

Turns out Land’s End is a mean place ruled by a mean man, Pete St. Clair (Robert Miano). Bitter over the death of one son and the fact that illness is likely to take the other, St. Clair guns down a neighbor in a feud over property boundaries, then later demands sexual favors from a young girl if passing missionaries want food or water.

The sheriff has little control over St. Clair, but he is determined to put an end to the mystery of the white horse and its rider.

He’s convinced it’s all a legend — a myth blown out of proportion over the years by townsfolk who hide in their homes when news of the horse’s return reaches them.

Perhaps, but Stanton learns that Land’s End used to be called Sugar Creek. It’s a place he was stationed as a soldier.

It’s a place where he stood by and did nothing as a miner was tortured to death while his daughter was repeatedly raped in front of his eyes.

Stanton proclaims his innocence. He raped no one. He killed no one. He did nothing.

But that might be precisely the reason he’s been deposited back in Sugar Creek.

Daniel Kruse as Adam Stanton in Sugar Creek (2007)

Robert Miano as Pete St. Clair in Sugar Creek (2007)

Review:

A mix of Western and horror film that builds slowly, pulling you in with the mystery and suspense of it all and winds up being quite effective, despite what was obviously a limited budget.

You might have trouble rooting for Stanton to survive. He’s a weak man and he knows it. But you won’t have trouble despising the commander who’s behind the moment in his life he least regrets or the man who’s behind the evil in present-day Sugar Creek.

Elle Johnson plays Danielle Malory, the young girl wise behind her years when it comes to the man on the white horse; Rebecca Harrell Tickell plays the young missionary girl who might offer Stanton a chance at redemption, if he’s not too weak to grab it.

Adam Huss as Lawrence Rawlings in Sugar Creek (2007)

Kevin Gage as Sheriff Worton in Sugar Creek (2007)

Directed by:
James Cotton

Cast:
Daniel Kruse … Adam Stanton
Elle Johnson … Danielle Malory
Gary Ragland … John Malory
Robert Miano … Pete St. Clair
Datyon Knoll … Kane St. Clair
Detra Jackson … Saul
Adam Huss … Lawrence Rawlings
Kevin Gage … Sherrif Worton
Jake Glascock … Kevin
Rebecca Harrell Tickell … Christine
Elle Johnson … Danielle Malory
Sarah Swofford … Evelyn

Score: David Itkin

Runtime: 105 min.

Rebecca Harrell Tickell as Christine in Sugar Creek (2007)

Dayton Knoll as Kane St. Clair in Sugar Creek (2007)

Memorable lines:

Pete St. Clair to John Malory: “You might be wondering why we just don’t finish you off. It’s the pain. You see, I’ve been told that you never feel more alive than when you’re dying. So now you understand. I want you to have the time he (St. Clair’s son) didn’t. To enjoy the pain.”

Sheriff: “I ain’t gonna apologize any more for doing my job.”
Pete St. Clair: “You don’t have to apologize. We already hate you.”

Missionary, after Pete St. Clair has suggested he trade sex with a young girl for food and drink: “What’s wrong with you?”
Pete St. Clair: “Plenty.”