Sugarfoot

For anyone who remembers the Warner Brothers television series Sugarfoot that starred Will Hutchins now having seen the Randolph Scott western from Warner Brothers of the same name, I can state categorically that they have only one thing in common. The theme from Sugarfoot the TV series I recognized immediately as the opening credits rolled. Other than that, there is nothing in common.

In fact I've never heard the expression Sugarfoot. I've heard tenderfoot and that's what Scott is. He's a Confederate war veteran going west to maybe establish a freighting business. As the opening scenes show he and a future rival Raymond Massey just don't like each other and resolve to stay out of each other's way, but as the movie unfolds that proves impossible.

Although Raymond Massey has done many a villainous role and some of them in westerns, he's not quite right as a gunslinger outlaw. A year later Massey co-starred with Randolph Scott in Carson City and he was much better cast in that film.

For a Sugarfoot/tenderfoot Scott is a fast learner though something of a fathead in regard to his code of southern chivalry. By the end of the film he's pretty handy with a six shooter.

Adele Jergens plays the saloon entertainer that Scott and Massey are after and Arthur Hunnicutt and Hank Worden make colorful sidekicks. Not the best Randolph Scott western from the post World War II era, but for his legion of fans good enough.

Of course I am joking: Randoplh Scott as the good hero and Raymond Massey as the villain of this Warner Brothers production and directed by Edwin Marin, the once film noir specialist in the forties - with George Raft mainly - and suddenly become western provider for the rest of his career, all of them with Scott. Except RATON PASS. So this western is quite good, agreeable to watch, with a good music, action scenes, typical of the Warner productions of this period. Standard but excellent standard western, pulled by professionnals. Not the best from Scott of course; I will forever prefer the Budd Boetticher's films and of course the last Scott's feature, his masterpiece: GUNS IN THE AFTERNOON. Sam Peckinpah's thundering debut in the business.

At the end of the Civil War, a former Confederate officer arrives in Arizona hoping to start life anew. But he soon finds himself involved in a new, private war with Jacob Stint , his sworn enemy.

Sugarfoot is a lighthearted and highly enjoyable western that brims with zest. It doesn't have any pretensions to be anything other than a fast-paced western with gunplay on Main Street, shootouts, a genius way of getting a bad guy to talk via a rattler, and some good chases and romance. But the characters also help it to shine, from Randolph Scott, who soon has to learn to forget that he is a southern gentleman and has to get tough, to S. K Sakall, who is a colourful character. Raymond Massey is at his villainous best and Adele Jergans - who has uncanny resemblance to Virginia Mayo - lends glamour and sings a catchy song. Arthur Hunnicutt makes a humourous sidekick.

Sugarfoot is my favourite Randolph Scott western, mainly because it has this breeziness - the simple story of good vs bad with colourful characters. It's a feel good western par excellence.

Randolph Scott stars as Jackson Redan, a former confederate officer who moves to Prescott, Arizona to start a fresh new life. But even as he makes new friends he is blighted by an old adversary and forced to take up his guns once again.

Sugarfoot the film is not to be confused with the TV Western series of the same name that ran from 1957-1961, tho a big connection does come with Arthur Hunnicutt who stars in both. Also featuring Adele Jergens, Raymond Massey, S.Z. Sakall, & Hank Worden, it seems to be a little known Oater in the considerable career of genre legend Scott. It's directed by Edwin L. Marin who collaborated with Scott on 7 other movies, cinematography is by Wilfred M. Cline {Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park, California} and the score is provided by Max Steiner.

Adapted by Russell S. Hughes from a novel by Clarence Budington Kelland, Sugarfoot runs at just 80 minutes and is the kind of no nonsense Western that was rife in the 1950s. It plays out a simple story with the minimum of fuss, throws in some solid punch and gun play, and lets Randy Scott carry the movie on his elegantly chiselled shoulders. There's some disappointment with Massey's villain turn not having enough to do and certainly the romance with the perky Jergens is a touch too formulaic. But with Scott perfect as the gentleman having to get a bit dark of mind, and Hunnicutt on splendid side-kick form, the negatives are but mere specks on an otherwise decent Western mound. 6.5/10