Albuquerque (1948) User Reviews

Another Great Western from Randolph Scott

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 1 November 2010]

While traveling from Texas to Albuquerque in a stagecoach, Cole Armin (Randolph Scott) and the other passengers are robbed by criminals on the road. There is a shootout and the horses dart with a little girl inside the stagecoach, but Cole rescues her. Cole, who comes to the town to work for his powerful uncle John Armin (George Cleveland), discovers that he is a hated man that operates the local freight company and is trying to destroy the competition of Ted Wallace (Russell Hayden) and his sister Celia (Catherine Craig) that was robbed in US$ 10,000.00 in the stagecoach. Further, Cole learns that John Armin is responsible for the heist and he forces his uncle to return the robbed amount to the Wallace siblings. Cole proposes a partnership with Ted and Celia and they form the Wallace & Armin Freighting Company. The new company gets profitable contracts with the local mines and John Armin hires the outsider Letty Tyler (Barbara Britton) to work for Ted, Celia and Cole and spy their business. Further, he uses his henchman Steve Murkill (Lon Chaney Jr.) to frame Cole and put him out of business.

"Albuquerque" is another great western from Randolph Scott that performs his usual role of a fair lonely man that helps people from a city. The story is highly entertaining with action, humor and romance very well balanced with predictable twists. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Romântico Defensor" ("Romantic Defender")

Average Scott Western!

[bsmith5552 · 6/10 · 19 June 2004]

"Albuquerque" is a routine Randolph Scott western set in the town of Silver City about two competing freight lines.

Cole Armin (Scott) is on a stagecoach on which oddly enough, the driver Juke (George "Gabby" Hayes) and his co-driver are not armed. As luck would have it, the coach is held up, a passenger killed and a lady passenger, Celia Wallace (Catherine Craig) is robbed of $10,000, money that was to be used by herself and her brother Ted (Russell Hayden) to get their freight line up and running. Of course Cole is immediately attracted to the comely Celia.

The purpose of Cole's trip is to go to work for his uncle John Armin (George Cleveland) and learn his freight business. Cole soon learns that his uncle is behind the robbery and forces him to give the money back (although we don't see how). He declines his uncle's job offer and joins up with Juke and the Wallaces. Evil Uncle John and his chief heavy Murkill (Lon Chaney) do all they can to foil them.

Uncle John sends for confidence woman Letty Tyler (Barbara Britton) to infiltrate the Wallace company and learn of their plans. As you might of guessed, Ted Wallace becomes enamored of Letty and she soon sees the error of her ways and double crosses Uncle John. Meanwhile, the Wallace line negotiates a contract with miners Lane Chandler and Russell Simpson to haul their silver ore down a hazardous mountain trail. Ted is injured and, you guessed it again, Cole is forced to drive one of the wagons. Well..Uncle John learns of this and in a final confrontation they........

Scott is good as always in the lead but is hampered by a predicable and somewhat weak script. Britton does her best as the good/bad girl and Craig is suitably young and innocent as Scott's love interest. In an unusual bit of casting, George Cleveland plays the chief villain, a mean spirited wheel chair bound old man. Cleveland was usually cast as crusty old towns men on the right side of the law. Chaney is wasted again as Cleveland's henchman. His fight with Scott is ludicrous since he goes through the whole thing save for the last punch, with a lighted cigarette in his mouth. Hollywood never did seem to know what to do with Chaney. When he did get a chance to act such as in "Of Mice and Men" (1939), "High Noon" (1952) or "The Defiant Ones" (1958), he exhibited real talent.

Hayes and Hayden had appeared together in the Hopalong Cassidy series between 1937-39 as Hoppy's sidekicks. Hayes after a career in "B" westerns, appeared in several Scott "A" westerns in the last years of his career, which ended in 1950.

This film gives the viewer an excellent example to see the color process "Cinecolor" a cheap technicolor clone that was being used by some studios at the time. You'll notice that the reds all seem to photograph orange (note Scott's kerchief and Chaney's long johns, for example). Not unlike Republic's "Trucolor" which seemed to have a green tinge to it.

Great to see ole Gabby in color for a change though.

About what you'd expect from a Randolph Scott Western.

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 7 July 2009]

Randolph Scott is heading into Albuquerque to take a job with his uncle. However, on the way there, the stage is held up--even though they are not carrying a strongbox. However, a nice lady on board is concealing $10,000 for her and her brother's business...and the robbers seem to know this.

Once in town, Scott goes to this uncle about the job. However, he soon learns that this uncle is a jerk--the typical bad guy from Westerns. You know, the rich guy who only wants to become richer by cheating and stealing and threatening until he owns everything. And, it just so happens that this jerk was behind the robbery. Scott demands that the uncle returns the money and then Scott goes into business with the nice lady and her brother.

Not surprisingly, this is NOT the end of the problems---just the beginning. Again and again, intrigues of various types occur to try to crush the uncle's opposition. One trick is to bring in a pretty lady to befriend Scott and his partners. She's a crack shot and it looks bad for Scott--until he figures out why she's come to town.

Unlike most later Randolph Scott films, this one shows Scott as a bit more headstrong man. All too often in his films he's the last one to suggest violence, but in this film he's quick to suggest a lynching (screw the law, let's have a hangin') and later he's quick to threaten the uncle. What a surprise to see him as such a hot-head--though in most other ways, he's the same old Scott you'd expect.

As far as the film goes, there's nothing particularly unusual about it. Gabby Hayes plays the usual character, Scott is a hero, the baddie cannot be reasoned with and ultimately is destroyed and Scott gets the girl. Despite this very typical plot, it's all handled very well and as a result is well worth your time.

By the way, there are two weird scenes in the film. First, late in the movie, there is a fist fight between Scott and the uncle's #1 henchman, Lon Chaney, Jr.. In it, Chaney smokes as he fights--something I never saw before and I did admire how he could puff away as he got his butt kicked. Second, get a load of that runaway cart scene with the whip--now THAT was one impossible feat!

The great Randolph Scott and the beautiful Catherine Craig

[Wuchakk · 6/10 · 3 January 2015]

Released in 1948, "Albuquerque" is a Western starring Randolph Scott as Cole Armin, who arrives in the New Mexican town to work for his wicked uncle's ore-hauling freight line. When he discovers overt corruption, he switches to another company with an eye on his partner's sister (Catherine Craig). Meanwhile his uncle hires a hottie spy (Barbara Britton) from out of town to destroy the competition.

Reviewer msroz said it best in describing "Albuquerque" as an "okay and likable western, neither exceptional nor routine." The story is interesting, but loses momentum here and there; aspects of the film are better than the whole. One aspect that's great is the cast: Scott's amiable as the protagonist, George Cleveland is effective as the wannabe godfather of Albuquerque, Lon Chaney is formidable as one of the main heavies and the two women are gorgeous, especially Catherine Craig. She's both stunning and winsome. Another great element is the scenic Southwest locations, shot in Sedona, Arizona, and Iverson Ranch, California.

As long as you can adapt to the old-style of fimmaking "Albuquerque is a worthwhile Western, but it's hampered by the negatives noted above.

The film runs 90 minutes.

GRADE: B-

The 'Lost' Film of Albuquerque

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 24 March 2007]

According to the book The Last of the Cowboy Heroes which is about Joel McCrea, Audie Murphy, and Randolph Scott, the author says that Albuquerque was the only film he personally did not review because he claimed it was lost. Hadn't been seen in years.

Good thing for western fans somebody was doing some spring cleaning at Paramount because a print was apparently found and now it's out on the open market. Albuquerque is a pretty good western too with Scott involved in a family feud with Uncle George Cleveland.

George Cleveland sends for his nephew Randolph Scott with the intention of making him part of his freighting business, headquartered in the fast growing settlement of Albuquerque. Cleveland is more than just a business owner, he's the town boss which he runs from a wheelchair. He even has the sheriff in his pocket.

Randolph Scott is not a cowboy hero for nothing. That includes not backing relatives up when they're villains. He goes to work for a rival outfit headed by brother and sister Russell Hayden and Catherine Craig.

Cleveland is full of all kinds of tricks and he even sends for a western Mata Hari in the person of Barbara Britton to worm her way into the confidence of his rivals. Barbara's great as the homespun vixen who develops her own agenda.

Randolph Scott's original home studio was Paramount, it was where his first studio contract was with. Albuquerque marked the last film he ever did for Paramount and they gave him a good one.

Note also Lon Chaney, Jr., who is George Cleveland's chief henchman, a rather loathsome bully of a man and Gabby Hayes, who is just Gabby Hayes.

Albuquerque must have been loved by Republicans across the nation in 1948 with its chief villain as a town boss who rules from a wheelchair. A certain Democrat from a wheelchair had made hash of them for four straight presidential elections and he was gone. They had high hopes of winning the White House that year too, but things went awry and they had to settle for an ersatz boss getting his comeuppance in Albuquerque. I'm not sure why Cleveland was in a wheelchair since nothing was really made of it in the plot. My guess is he was injured and played the part that way because he had to.

Still Albuquerque must have had great appeal to the GOP market.

Randolph Scott and Lon Chaney

[kevinolzak · 7/10 · 22 January 2014]

1947's "Albuquerque" was shot in the Cinecolor process, usually employed for Westerns, though one horror film made was Lugosi's "Scared to Death" (1946). Randolph Scott stars as Cole Armin, present when his stage is robbed just outside town, where he has been summoned for work by uncle John Armin (George Cleveland), whose name is despised because he rules by hook and by crook. Once Cole learns that his uncle is responsible for the stagecoach holdup (resulting in a man's murder), he recovers the money and joins the opposition, quickly running afoul of Armin's right hand man Steve Murkill (Lon Chaney), keeping a watchful eye on Cole with the aid of newcomer Letty Tyler (Barbara Britton). At a full 90 minutes, there are plenty of obstacles for the dependable Scott, while Cleveland is effectively cast against type as the wheelchair-bound villain (which Chaney would play in 1951's "The Bushwhackers"). Having begun her career opposite Boris Karloff in 1940's "Doomed to Die," attractive Catherine Craig was soon to retire as Mrs. Robert Preston, while Barbara Britton, best remembered for television's MR. AND MRS. NORTH, had previously worked with Randolph Scott in 1945's "Captain Kidd." A born scene stealer is the welcome Karolyn Grimes, little Zuzu in "It's a Wonderful Life," adorable as ever as Myrtle Walton, whose life is saved by Cole when he stops the runaway coach. This was no great stretch for Lon Chaney, repeating his stock henchman part many times over the following decade, but coming just over a year after being cast adrift by Universal, his starring days now behind him, the picture helped kickstart his career again (though his brawl with Scott, cigarette remaining in place, can't compare with the one against John Payne in 1949's "Captain China"). Along with crooked sheriff Bernard Nedell, he actually enjoys more screen time than the main villain.

Gets better as it goes along

[westerner357 · 6/10 · 25 June 2004]

At first I thought this was going to turn into another B western since it has a cast that includes Gabby Hayes, Russell Hayden and Lon Chaney in it, but then the plot quickens and it starts to get better as time goes on.

Randolph Scott plays Cole Armin, a happy-go-lucky guy who decides to come to Albuquerque and work for his wheelchair-bound uncle, John Armin (George Cleveland) in his freight business, only to find out that his uncle has got the town under his thumb and is willing to resort to murder in order to keep it that way.

Cole decides he doesn't want any part of his uncle's business and goes to work for honest-guy Ted Wallace (Hayden) and his sister Celia (Catherine Craig) who are the only freight competition in town against his uncle. They get a contract to transport ore for the miners down from the mountains, but Cole's uncle tries to sabotage it every step of the way, including bringing in beautiful Barbara Britton to spy on them and having Lon Chaney pick fights with Cole.

But that's all for naught because Britton starts to fall in love with Hayden and she informs Cole as to what his evil uncle is up to. It all ends in a gun battle on the street and the bad guys get their just rewards, including John Armin.

I'm glad the previous poster mentioned the cheap "Cinecolor" process that Paramount originally used because I was wondering why the film had a washed-out, 'colorized' look to it. It's even more apparent on the new Universal DVD that's recently come out.

Still, it not bad. Even Gabby Hayes was bearable.

6 out of 10

water runs thicker than blood in this one

[weezeralfalfa · 9/10 · 20 April 2008]

It begins with several of the principles on a stage run to Albuquerque. Gabby Hayes(Juke, sounds like Duke) is the driver and begins his usual tirade against women in general, with his girlfriend Pearl being an exception. He then relates a garbled version of the biblical story of Samson to justify his retention of long whiskers against the wishes of Pearl, who is the town barber, no less, and who claims if everyone followed his example, she would be out of business. This point will return to dominate the last scene in the film. Gabby seems an irritation to some reviewers, but is a definite plus to this one. It's too bad he wasn't in more of the better Randoph Scott westerns to help lighten up Randy's usual iron-jawed demeanor. Also on this stage are Randy(Cole Armin), his future wife(Cathrine Craig , as Celia Wallace), whom he is getting acquainted with, and a little girl(Myrtle), to whom he soon becomes a hero when he rescues her from the runaway stage after it is held up by henchman of Randy's wheelchair-bound uncle John Armin(George Cleveland), who essentially runs the town.

Randy soon learns that his uncle, and by extension, himself, is not exactly popular among the town folk. He does, however, quickly form a useful friendship with Gabby. After he learns that uncle John was responsible for the stage holdup of his business competitor, Celia Wallace, and the associated murder, he demands that uncle John return the money and decides to work for Celia and her brother Ted(Russell Hayden), instead of for uncle John.

As his rival's prospects rise, uncle John decides to plant an informant(Barbara Britton, as Letty Tyler) in the Wallace office, to keep him informed as to when they are delivering ore from the mines to town so that he can sabotage their run. When this doesn't work, he resorts to the draconian tactic of staging an arson of his own office, for which Randy is blamed. Unfortunately, when the fire was discovered, Randy was in Letty's apartment confronting her with suggestive evidence that she was tipping off uncle John. Myrtle and Letty testify that he was in the apartment when the fire was discovered. This puts him and Letty in the dog house with Celia(his apparent beau) and Ted(who hopes to woo Letty). This news also ends Uncle John's trust in Letty as an informant, and he suggests she leave town. Instead, she switches sides and tells the Wallaces why Randy was in her apartment. Uncle John tries once again to sabotage their ore run, and when that fails, there is a general shootout in town. You can guess the results.

The plot is well constructed and executed, with complicated relationships between the principles, and with a variety of obstacles for Randy to overcome, with the sometimes aid of his associates. At least, Randy was spared the necessity of bringing his uncle to justice. Uncle John had a choice to avoid assassination, but arrogantly trusted that a woman wouldn't have the guts to carry out her threat. The presence of Hayes and two beautiful wholesome single women, as well as little Myrtle, much helped to lighten the otherwise tense atmosphere in this battle for survival, as uncle John put it.

It seems odd that Barbara Britton, the "bad" girl, gets top female billing over Catherine Craig, Randy's love interest. Barbara's on camera time was much more limited.

Those who grew up on the Lassie TV series featuring George Cleveland as "Gramps" will be surprised to find him playing such a mean controlling villain. We may wonder if his wheelchair-bound status has a bearing on this persona. This leaves him with few options for making a living in the wild West. Without apparent family to help support him(except Randy), he can't afford to have some upstart beat him out of the most profitable business in town. On the other hand, from his conversations, he probably achieved his status as the town "boss" before becoming wheelchair-bound.

Colorful Randolph Scott Vehicle

[FightingWesterner · 7/10 · 26 May 2014]

Former Texas Ranger Randolph Scott travels to Albuquerque to work for his uncle's transport service, only to find the old man a swindler and a murderer. Before long, he joins forces with upstart competitor Barbara Britton, in order to show up the old man and protect her and her brother from his uncle's sabotage.

A fairly good Technicolor western, this features another sturdy performance by Scott and some nasty villainy by George Cleveland, Lon Chaney Jr., as a vicious hired hand, and Bernard J. Nedel as the crooked sheriff in Cleveland's back pocket. George "Gabby" Hayes is here too, doing what he does best, as Scott's crusty sidekick.

Some nice twists and a decent amount of action and gun-play moves things along quite nicely.

Below Par Randolph Scott Opus

[oldblackandwhite · 5/10 · 20 July 2011]

Albuquerque will be somewhat of a disappointment for fans of Randolph Scott as well as aficionados of 1940's Technicolor westerns. One of the reasons for watching one of these post-World War II horse operas would be to enjoy outdoor cinematography in the gorgeous three-strip Technicolor process you expect from color movies of this era. Unfortunately Albuquerque was filmed in Cinecolor, an economical 2-strip substitute, which tends to emphasize garish red orange and murky greens while rendering other colors rather pastel. But it was tolerable here. I can remember seeing Cinecolor westerns new, or nearly so, in movie houses when I was a kid in the 1950's, and it seems that the color was considerably more unattractive compared to Technicolor than it shows on the nicely restored Universal DVD of Albuquerque.

The main problem with this picture was that the acting was lifeless and the story unexciting in spite of some pretty good action sequences. The cast was good enough, topped by Scott and gorgeous Barbara Britton with support from colorful Gabby Hayes, menacing Lon Chaney Jr. and pretty Catherine Craig, the lifelong wife of actor Robert Preston. Wholesome Ms. Craig was a good choice as Scott's love interest. Age 33 at the time, she didn't look like Randolph's daughter as some of his leading ladies of the time would! Don't blame the cast, blame Ray Enright's flabby direction and the uninspired Gene Lewis/Clarence Upson Young screenplay.

Particularly wasted in this lackluster oat-burner was the strikingly beautiful and talented Barbara Britton. I admit to having a crush on Barbara since I watched her as a kid in the light-hearted early television mystery series Mr. And Mrs. North. I still think of her one of the great unappreciated beauties and talents of the classic movie era. She promisingly starts out as a bad babe in Albuquerque, but disappointingly, she too soon turns into a good girl, weakening whatever dramatic potential her character had. She usually played classy good girls, but she displayed a sexy, naughty look at times. It would have been interesting if the boring script had let her be bad to the end.

Albuquerque had its moments, especially in the action department. The runaway ore-loaded mule wagons careening down a winding mountain road was an exciting moment. Scott's fist fight with the brutish Chaney was likewise well staged. This was one of the last times Scott was capable of doing one of these physically stressful encounters without the stunt double who didn't look like him. It must have be hard on him, as he was about 50 at the time. Though he was still claiming to have been born in 1903, which would have made him only 45. Since it was known that Scott was a World War I veteran, it went about that he was one of the youngest men to have served in the American Expeditionary force on the Western Front. He supposedly lied about his age to volunteer at 14. But when the 1900 census became available to the public in 1970, it revealed that he was actually born in 1898, meaning he was the more ordinary service age of 19. It was not the Army he lied to about his age, but everyone else!

Never mind, Scott was still up to what he needed to do in Albuquerque. Unfortunately the production was not up to his standard. Not a terrible western, but not nothing to shoot your six-gun into the air about.

Cool Western

[Rainey-Dawn · 8/10 · 12 March 2016]

I like this one. I enjoy all the leading actors/characters Randolph Scott, Barbara Britton, George 'Gabby' Hayes & Lon Chaney (among others) that made this film enjoyable to watch. I know I was enjoying it until the end because I found myself looking for more footage when it was over with - that says a lot coming from a person that does not watch a lot of Western films. Yes this one is enjoyable.

There is some side switching, gun-slinging, a few good punches, a splash of humor, great casting and a good story to follow outside of all the action. Fun, fun film overall for any fan of the Western genre. My only complaint: it wasn't long enough... I wanted more of it in the end.

8.5/10

Albuquerque

[coltras35 · 7/10 · 26 January 2022]

Cole Armin comes to Albuquerque to work for his uncle, John Armin, a despotic and hard-hearted czar who operates an ore-hauling freight line, and whose goal is to eliminate a competing line run by Ted Wallace and his sister Celia. Cole tires of his uncle's heavy-handed tactics and switches over to the Wallace side. Lety Tyler, an agent hired by the uncle, also switches over by warning Cole and Ted of a trap set for them by the uncle and his henchman.

Standard issue Randolph Scott western in cinecolour, which means fast-paced, entertaining and sprinkled with some good action which culminates into a good showdown. There's a touch of romance and good humour from Gabby Haynes. A western is always enjoyable when he's in one, and he's got a good camaraderie with Scott. Lon Chaney also stars as the villain's sidekick, and there's a good fight between him and Scott.

Too Much Orange!

[beezwax-42493 · 5/10 · 31 March 2020]

I watch old Westerns 3-5 per week. I know my genre, and this had the oddest visual appearance. Seems everyone was wearing ORANGE. It was so distracting that I could barely watch it through. It was very unnatural. Some reviewers have noted the second-rate color filming technique used here, which explains this I guess. But it was a total failure. It was so annoying, that is why I have only given this film 5 stars. I also find Gabby Hayes so annoying, that he ruined the picture for me. Have never understood why these old coots are so popular on screen. Their "humor" is extremely juvenille and silly. Enough said.

Enjoyable Enough

[Uriah43 · 6/10 · 3 September 2013]

"Cole Armin" (Randolph Scott) is a former Texas Ranger who decides to accept an offer from his uncle, "John Armin" (George Cleveland) to help him run a freight office in Albuquerque. What Cole doesn't know is that his uncle is exceedingly corrupt and practically runs the town like an evil tyrant. When he discovers that some new friends are being run out of business he quits working for his uncle and joins them in starting a rival freight company. Naturally, this represents a direct threat to John Armin's interests and he sets about trying to destroy his new rivals using whatever means are at his disposal. Filmed in 1948, this movie was probably well-received in theaters and at drive-ins during this time. And while it is certainly enjoyable enough today it definitely shows its age. Randolph Scott performs well enough I suppose as does George Hayes (as "Juke") and Catherine Craig ("Celia Wallace"). Likewise, both Barbara Britton ("Letty Tyler") and Catherine Craig added some nice scenery as well. All things considered, this was an entertaining movie which should satisfy those looking for a decent western to pass the time. Slightly above average.

OK Scott vehicle with hard to swallow premise

[adrianovasconcelos · 7/10 · 11 December 2021]

A still young Randy Scott comes to Albuquerque to take a job offer from his uncle, played by Cleveland, the deceitful top villain.

Scott saves a little girl in an unmanned runaway stagecoach, thereby posting notice that he is a caring man with high principles - but not before witnessing a robbery. In a strange twist, he learns in short order that his uncle is the top thief in town, and - righteous fellow! - he turns against his own blood and prospect of becoming rich beyond belief, and falls in with the underdogs trying to compete with his all-powerful uncle.

Of course, it is tough to swallow that premise, but pretty Catherine Craig rates a not inconsiderable motive for Randy's devotion to such a noble cause.

Lon Chaney Jr plays the top villain's top sidekick, a truly loathsome henchman. I have watched more effective performances from Jr, he lacks much needed inspiration here. Apart from Gabby Hayes as the forever chatting stagecoach driver and town jester, and astoundingly beautiful Barbara Britton as the bad girl turned good, not much really stands out apart from a shootout that involves pretty much every male in Albuquerque town!

Good cinematography by Jackman Jr and editing by Howard Smith. Script by Gene Lewis brimming with good humor, and a better than average show from Randy all render ALBUQUERQUE a very enjoyable oater. 7/10.

One of Randolph's better films

[PatrynXX · 7/10 · 24 April 2020]

Which are plenty. To the Shores of Tripoli is also another one. Yeah not sure where he's aiming in the gunfight at the end but overall a fun movie to watch. NO real blood so it's a family fun movie. With kids probably laughing about the shoddy shooting :) Cap guns right. As is usual there is no ending but this time I didn't care.. It was a fun movie...

Quality:6/10 Entertainment? 10/10 Re-Playable: 7/10

Albuquerque

[searchanddestroy-1 · 7/10 · 18 September 2022]

Classic, predictable but unavoidable Randolph Scott vehicle which was hard to find for many years, I don't know why. This is a good western where Randy Scott brings no surprise at all, where the bad guys are at their place and the good one at his. So, do not expect anything unusual, no surprise, only the charm of the late forties, in color, with all the bunch of old timers, as George Gabby Hayes, Lon Chaney Jr. The lead character accused, framed for something that he did not do is so boring to me, so foreseeable, and Scott with his proud, his forever glance that we'll see in many other movies, is not that exciting for my taste. I will prefer him in the Budd Boetticher cycle, ten years later.

Superlative cast with great dialogue from Luke Short novel

[morrisonhimself · 10/10 · 5 November 2017]

Recently (November 2017) a friend told me his favorite Western novelist is Luke Short. Strictly on his recommendation, I got a Luke Short novel, titled "Donovan's Gun," and I am very impressed. Short is now my own second favorite Western novelist, right after Elmer Kelton.

"Albuquerque," my favorite city in these United States, is the setting for this movie although reportedly it was shot in Chatsworth, California, now very urbanized, and Sedona, Arizona.

Perhaps the story is rather slight, maybe even predictable, but the dialogue and the number of important characters raises it 'way above the average.

Well, heck, Randolph Scott is the star (and in one of his most likable roles) so I was predisposed to like it. But Lon Chaney Jr. gives another of his excellent performances. He became an even better actor than his father, without the make-up.

Oh, yes, as the Wolfman he used both his acting talent and make-up, but later roles, such as this and in "High Noon" and "Of Mice and Men," he proved to any doubters he was indeed an actor.

Russell Hayden was a busy man, having 80 credits here at IMDb, but in "Albuquerque" he doesn't have to do a lot.

But his "sister," played by Catherine Craig does. What a beautiful and talented woman. She should have had many more than 38 credits.

Barbara Britton is billed higher and had a longer career, and is also lovely and talented.

Usually playing a grandpa or uncle, and usually a likable codger, George Cleveland, in a Lionel Barrymore-reminiscent wheelchair, is a really horrible villain. Anyone wondering about his acting talent needs to see him in this. Remarkable performance!

Nearly stealing the whole movie, as he usually did, was George "Gabby" Hayes, who had some of the best lines, and whose character owned two mules named, grandly, "Damon" and "Pythias."

His character, "Juke," also got to make Bible references, even if he did sometimes rather garble them, but it was this kind of dialogue that made "Albuquerque" such an excellent movie, even more than the action.

Unfortunately, sometimes the action was made less than exciting because of too many rear-screen projection shots. That is my only carp about the movie.

My other carp is about some of the reviews. It is not really a "review" if the would-be reviewer merely recounts the plot, and especially when not warning readers of spoilers.

One reviewer, in addition, sneered at the fact a stage-coach driver and his supposed "co-driver," who was actually a passenger, not a "co- driver," were unarmed when the bandits held them up.

Juke told the bandits there was no cash box aboard, so nothing to steal -- he not knowing passengers might have valuables -- and he told the hold-up men that's why he was unarmed. So some reviewers really ought to watch the movie before commenting.

I do have one other complaint: There are, at this writing, three versions of "Albuquerque" at YouTube -- and every one is pretty bad to terrible.

The one I finally decided upon was out of focus and about half-way through even out of synch! Why people upload such junk is beyond me.

Another has a picture of John Wayne, which seems a fairly common bit of fraud on the YouTube audience, and the YouTube owners -- Amazon? -- really ought to be ashamed to allow such dishonesty.

One of the others has the movie cut off at top and bottom.

"Albuquerque" is a good movie, one I highly recommend, but if you try to watch at YouTube, choose carefully.

Average Randolph Scott Oater

[zardoz-13 · 6/10 · 27 April 2013]

"Dames" director Ray Enright's "Albuquerque" amounts to an average horse opera about the rivalry between two freighting firms in the rural New Mexico territory. Randolph Scott plays the straightforward hero with his usual clean-scrubbed countenance and apparel. As Cole Armin, Scott discovers legality is thicker than blood. You see, our hero's uncle has summoned him to take over his business. Scott discovers that his uncle is a sidewinder in a wheelchair. Cole quits his uncle cold and goes to work for the opposition after he returns the ten-thousand that his uncle's thieves steal from them. The opposition is a brother and sister named Ted and Cecilia Wallace. Nevertheless, the villainous uncle does everything that he can to sabotage his rival's business. The competition involves driving wagons filled with ore down a steep, winding road. Dependable Gabby Hayes handles the comic relief and works with Cole and the Wallaces. The use of matte shots to put the heroes on the side of a mountain looks pretty good for its day and age. They aren't many surprises but the action is fast and furious for a Scott dust raiser. Lon Chaney, Jr., makes a good villain and he dies while charging our hero with a six-gun. The opening scene with a runaway stagecoach is marvelously staged by Enright and the perils on the trail in the home stretch are sturdy. The production values are more than adequate. George Cleveland's wheelchair antagonist John Armin foreshadows the same kind of villain that Gabriele Ferzetti played in Sergio Leone's "Once Upon A Time in the West." Ironically but fittingly, the villain dies at his own hand. This western concludes with Hayes' girlfriend clipping his abundant whiskers.

NOt Scott's Best

[januszlvii · 5/10 · 18 January 2023]

I agree with the critics here that Albuquerque is not Randolph Scott's.( Cole Armin) best film. The blue screen, fake town and mountains were obvious and the photography was poor. I also do not like Gabby Hayes.( Juke) He always lays the same character and it is aggravating. Cole Armon is a character that Scott can play in his sleep and even his showdowns with Lon Chaney jr ( Steve. Murkil) first fist then him were poorly done. Especially the gunfight where Scott is standing in the open and should be shot but isn't.. The highlight is Barbara Britton ( Letty Tyler) who starred with Scott in his previous ( and better film Gunfighters): Here she is the good bad girl unlike Gunfighters where she is bad. In neither film does she end up with Scott.( here Catherine Craig does ( although Britton is hotter)). I give it 5/10 stars all for Barbara Britton.

A great balance of action, romance,humour

[dieseldemon85 · 10/10 · 25 June 2023]

I knew I would enjoy this film from reading the synopsis on the cover, and I did. This film did a great job of balancing action, romance and humour without going to far in one direction. Cole played by the ever dashing Scott arrives to town in a stage which had been robbed, He came to Albuquerque to work for his uncle. Cole is a quick study and realizes his uncle is loathed by the town. He joins forces with a rival freighting company. Coles uncle tries to stop them by any means thru his brutish muscle Lon Cheney jr. It was a great watch and very much enjoyed all the characters, Gabby Hayes is a good sidekick and offers up some humour throughout especially when you get to meet his lady friend whom he talks about the whole film and we only see in the ending. Delightful 5/5.

The legend of how the west was won is more interesting than the truth

[mark.waltz · 6/10 · 7 October 2016]

A stage coach robbery has motivations that go beyond the typical payroll heist, beyond the nefarious deeds of some bandit, and beyond revenge against the stagecoach company. It's all a huge conspiracy, occurring at the wrong time for who is on board and who that person happens to be related to. This is one of those epic tales of power struggles and the need to prevent any struggles because of competition. It's the case of big fish eating up growing fish so growing fish doesn't get bigger than big fish.

In this case, the big fish is a big toothed piranha stuck in a portly frame, a surprisingly sinister George Cleveland, cast against type as the controlling and crooked town patriarch out to prevent competition at any cost. He's got the law in his pocket, and when one of the stagecoach robbers in custody threatens to squeal, you know his moments on earth are numbered. But the film's hero, Randoloh Scott, ironically Cleveland's nephew, vows to take the ruthless tyrant down, family relations be damned.

This is from the independent team of Pine/Thomas productions whose low budget films were released through Paramount. This is higher budgeted than normal, with an A cast and some really good color photography. Lon Chaney Jr. is appropriately ruthless as Cleveland's henchman, and George "Gabby" Hayes grizzled but gutsy as Scott's loyal pal who is more than just your typical sidekick, able to hold off the enemy without fear.

For feminine touch added, there's Barbara Britton as the stagecoach victim of Cleveland's greed and Catherine Craig as a ploy unsuccessfully used by Cleveland. Karolyn Grimes is added as a little girl who takes a shine to Scott after he rescues her from a runaway stagecoach. Portly Jody Gilbert adds more comic relief as Hayes' old lady friend. In all, above average for a seemingly complex western that is anything but typical.

Pleasant viewing experience

[jarrodmcdonald-1 · 5 October 2022]

Producers William H. Pine and William C. Thomas were known for low-budget action fare. They churned out a lot of hits at Paramount in the early 1940s. Typically their pictures cost anywhere from $300,000 to $400,000 to make and usually doubled their money back. Around the Paramount lot, these two guys were known as the Dollar Bills.

After the war, they were eager to increase their efforts at the studio and try at least one big-budget item each year. ALBUQUERQUE was the first expanded 'A' feature for the duo. The budget was a little more than $700,000, twice what was normally allocated for their productions...as a result of the extra capital, they were able to hire freelancer Randolph Scott, a name familiar to audiences for his work in the western genre.

If it seemed like they were going to have another hit on their hands, well that's exactly what happened. ALBUQUERQUE was a success with audiences, grossing over $2 million...which means it earned as much as three low-budget hits would have earned. There was no turning back for the Bills...they signed a new deal with Paramount, to make three 'A' budget movies annually, usually action-adventure yarns or westerns. Their next picture, EL PASO (1949), starring John Payne and Sterling Hayden had a larger budget and was another smash hit.

The reason these films worked with moviegoers is because they told simple character-driven stories. They were filmed in color, in the case of ALBUQUERQUE the new Cinecolor technology was used...and they were made on location, in the hills of California or somewhere in Arizona. The exterior action sequences for ALBUQUERQUE were shot in Sedona standing in for New Mexico.

Mr. Scott has two leading ladies in this picture. One is lovely Catherine Craig (real-life wife of Robert Preston). She plays a woman who is running a competing stagecoach line. Scott is initially employed by his wealthy uncle (George Cleveland) who owns the other line. Cleveland seems a bit miscast here as a tyrannical entrepreneur who resorts to whatever means necessary to run Miss Craig out of business. Usually Mr. Cleveland turns up as kind-hearted characters.

In addition to his nephew, Cleveland's payroll includes a crooked sheriff (Bernard Nedell) and a henchman who likes to go around causing trouble. The henchman is played with gusto by scene stealer Lon Chaney Jr. Who seems to be enjoying his work! Scott tangles with Chaney and realizes his uncle is corrupt. So he leaves the family operation and goes over to work for Craig and her brother. Now the tables are turned, and it's uncle who is going to be run out of business!

Complicating matters is another woman (second-billed Barbara Britton) that has been hired by Cleveland. Her job is to gain Scott's confidence and undermine him, so that the uncle will emerge victorious in this battle to the finish.

There are some exciting hauling scenes. Plus some fine comic relief provided along the way by George 'Gabby' Hayes as a trusted old sidekick of Scott's. This is not a deep film that comments on postwar society. Nor is it a moody western that taxes the brain. It's just a good old-fashioned oater with a lot of talent put into it that makes it a fine way to spend 90 minutes when you have nothing better to do.