Moviecut—Santa Fe

source: Santa Fe

Santa Fe

I remember that rather hilarious line from "Blazing Saddles", but I think this is the first film with Mr. Scott I've ever seen. He was kind of the poor man's John Wayne. The plot here is that the Civil War is over, and while his brothers carry around a lot of anger about what happened during the war, Randolf plays a guy who goes to work helping to organize and build railroads connecting the west with the rest of the country. Some parts of the film, like the scene with the native Americans, and they remark "Some day we'll name a train after you, Chief." (Ha, ha, "Super-chief" How funny. Almost takes the sting off the genocide!) The brothers take to train robbing after gambling doesn't work out for them, and there's a bit of pathos between the good guys and bad guys and the historical Bat Matherson being dropped into the mix.

Got a 2 disc set of 6 Randolph movies and so far this is the best one. Nonstop action, and they leave it open ended. Alot of seriousness and a random Native American issue (not sure they really needed that :P ) Not often I see a conflicted Scott. This one did Quality: 9/10 Entertainment: 8/10 Re-Playable: 6/10

A former Confederate soldier takes a job building the Santa Fe railroad after the end of the Civil War and tries to persuade his three brothers to join him, fearing they will otherwise fall into a life of crime owing to their enduring hatred of the North It's another solid Randolph Scott western, which covers the railroad expansion of SantaFe. The railroad and its set pieces convey the hard work that was done quite well. The conflict is on par too, which has Indians, gambling tents and rival companies disrupting Scott's efforts to build a railroad - but his brothers, who have gone on the outlaw track, make things awkward for Scott, and as a head of the family he takes upon himself to stop them. Which leads to gunfights, and particular exciting train fight between Scott and Jock Mahoney. It's a typically enjoyable western that also conveys the treatment of southerners from carpetbaggers and such like after the civil war.

Wonderful premise where 4 brothers, after the civil war, go different directions with the elder brother, Randolph Scott, working for the railroad and the other 3 wind up as bank robbers. The film becomes muddled as you really don't understand the conflict between the various factions within the railroad. You also don't know how to feel about the brothers. Are they victims of circumstances? What was the fate of the surviving brothers by film's end? Roy Roberts plays the villain here. I remember him as a hotel innkeeper who refused admission to Gregory Peck for being Jewish in "Gentleman's Agreement," and 20 years later to a black couple in "Hotel." This is a great part for Randolph Scott. He is a real good guy here, and yet still loyal to the concept of family.