Sugarfoot (1951)

Randolph Scott plays Jackson “Sugarfoot” Redan, a Southerner who heads West to Prescott, Arizona, after the Civil War to restore pride in the family name.

Along on the same wagon train is Jacob Stint. He’s looking for a fresh start, too, but he’s not interested in hard work.

And when he doesn’t find a handful of gold waiting for him in the Prescott gold fields, he’s willing to stoop to any level to turn a quick buck.

Redan finds a partner in Don Miguel Wormser, and they start a freight line together. Stint finds a partner too, in businessman Asa Goodhue.

Goodhue has already been tricked out of one wagon-load of supplies by Redan and his sidekick.

The two sides are going to clash more than once.

Randolph Scott as Jackson ‘Sugarfoot’ Redan, ready for a high-noon showdown with Jacob Stint in Sugarfoot (1951)

Raymond Massey as Jacob Stint, a man out for an easy buck and an arch enemy of Jackson ‘Sugarfoot’ Redan in Sugarfoot (1951)

Review:

Entertaining, but not one of Scott’s best films … those would come later in the decade.

Adele Jergens plays Reva Cairn, the saloon singer who turns Redan’s head and tries to chip away at his stubborn Southern pride in a more interesting than usual female role. Hank Worden plays Johnny-Behind-the-Stove, the man who watches out for her.

The film also features Arthur Hunnicutt is at his wise-cracking best as Redan’s right-hand man. The ending will make you go “huh?” but at least it’s a good deal of fun getting there.

Directed by:
Edwin L. Marin

Cast:
Randolph Scott … Jackson “Sugarfoot” Redan
Adele Jergens … Reva Cairn
Raymond Massey … Jacob Stint
S.Z. Sakall … Don Miguel Wormser — partner
Robert Warwick … J.C. Crane
Arthur Hunnicutt … Fly-Up-the-Creek Jones
Hugh Sanders … Asa Goodhue
Hope Landin … Mary
Hank Worden … Johnny-Behind-the-Stove
Gene Evans … Billings

Runtime: 80 min.

Saloon song: “He Looks Like He Might Buy Wine”

Adele Jergens as Reva Cairn, the saloon singer Sugarfoot underestimates, then falls for in Sugarfoot (1951)

Hugh Sanders as Asa Goodhue, the man competing with Jackson Redan for freighting business in Sugarfoot (1951)

Memorable lines:

Jacob Stint, admiring the gold fields of Prescott: “Never another day of hard work for me.”
Jackson Redan: “When did you do your last day of hard work?”
Stint: “You’re a fine one to be sneering at me about work. You even had a slave to pull on your pants in the morning.”

Fly-Up-the-Creek Jones: “Mules are fortunate people. The only critters that don’t get distracted by women.”

Sugarfoot Redan: “We can’t go one fearing tomorrow while today slips by us.”

S.Z. Sakall as Don Miguel Worsmer, the Prescott general store owner who enters the freighting business with Jackson Redan in Sugarfoot (1951)

Robert Warwick as J.C. Crane, a businessman in Prescott, Ariz., who winds up backing Jackson ‘Sugarfoot’ Redan in Sugarfoot (1951)

Fly-Up-the-Creek Jones: “Them skunks. Them lava-jawed, slit-headed, poison-toothed skunks. Takin’ a shot at me after we just saved their lives. Now it’s our bounded duty to get ’em.”

Reva Cairn to Jackson ‘Sugarfoot’ Redan: “Do you think I’m some tame, pampered girl from Alabama? I can hate as well as a man. And I would hate more dangerously than a man.”

‘Fly Up the Creek’ Jones: “Listen, Sugarfoot, it’s kind of a waste of time to go rescuin’ him (Jacob Stint) from those Apaches just so we can bang a bullet into him ourselves.”

Randolph Scott as Jackson ‘Sugarfoot’ Reden and sidekick ‘Fly Up the Creek’ Jones (Arthur Hunnicutt) reacting to the sound of gunfire in Sugarfoot (1951)

Adele Jergens as Reva Cairn with Johnny Behind the Stove (Hank Worden), filling ‘Sugarfoot’ in on the threat they’ve made to Asa Goodhue in Sugarfoot (1951)

Randolph Scott as Jackson ‘Sugarfoot’ Redan, threatening Billings (Gene Evans) with a rattlesnake in Sugarfoot (1951)

Adele Jergens as Reva Cairn and Randolph Scott as Jackson ‘Sugarfoot’ Redan, discussing marriage and finances in Sugarfoot (1951)