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Albuquerque
Albuquerque
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Ray Enright
Screenplay by	Gene Lewis; Clarence Upson Young;
Based on	Dead Freight for Piute; by Luke Short
Produced by	William H. Pine; William C. Thomas;
Starring	Randolph Scott; Barbara Britton; George "Gabby" Hayes; Lon Chaney Jr.;
Cinematography	Fred Jackman Jr.
Edited by	Howard A. Smith
Music by	Darrell Calker
Production; company	Clarion Productions
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date	February 20, 1948 (US);
Running time	90 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$728,000
Box office	$1.7 million (US rentals)

Albuquerque is a 1948 American Cinecolor western film directed by Ray Enright and starring Randolph Scott, Barbara Britton, George "Gabby" Hayes, and Lon Chaney Jr. Based on the novel Dead Freight for Piute by Luke Short, with a screenplay by Gene Lewis and Clarence Upson Young, the film is about a man who is recruited by his corrupt uncle to inherit his freight-hauling empire in the southwest, and who eventually defects to his uncle's honest business rival.^[3]

Plot

During a stagecoach holdup, Celia Wallace is robbed of $10,000 and little Myrtle Walton is saved from the runaway horses by a passenger, Cole Armin.

Celia is grateful until she learns Cole is coming to Albuquerque to work for his uncle, John Armin, a ruthless freight-line owner who stops at nothing to put competitors Celia and her brother Ted out of business.

Concluding that his uncle was even behind the robbery, Cole switches sides to work for the Wallaces. Armin uses a woman, Letty Tyler, to spy on his adversaries, but she resents being used when a mine is blown up and Ted is wounded by gunfire.

Cole is framed for arson and jailed. Celia, who loves him, turns against Cole until his acquittal, when Letty explains that John Armin is the man responsible. After an ambush, Cole has to shoot the corrupt sheriff and another gunman, and before the Cavalry finally arrives, John Armin is dealt with as well.

Cast

Randolph Scott as Cole Armin
Barbara Britton as Letty Tyler
George "Gabby" Hayes as Juke
Lon Chaney Jr. as Steve Murkil
Russell Hayden as Ted Wallace
Catherine Craig as Celia Wallace
George Cleveland as John Armin
Irving Bacon as Dave Walton
Bernard Nedell as Sheriff Ed Linton
Karolyn Grimes as Myrtle Walton
Russell Simpson as Abner Huggins
Jody Gilbert as Pearl Eager
John Halloran as Matt Wayne
Dan White as Henchman Jackson
Walter Baldwin as Judge Fred Martin

Production

The film was based on the Luke Short novel, Dead Freight for Piute published in 1941. The New York Times called it a "stirring tale".^[4]

Film rights went to William Pine and William Thomas who ran Pine-Thomas Productions. In January 1946 it was reported Clarence Young was writing the script which would be called The Last Frontier and Johnny Weissmuller would star.^[5] By March the project was retitled Albuquerque and it was reported Pine and Thomas were looking "for a big time star".^[6] In August 1946 Randolph Scott signed to star.^[7] Pine-Thomas specialised in low budget films, but in December they formed a separate company, Clarion, to make one expensive film a year. Albuquerque was to be its first.^[8]^[9]

Arlee Whelan was originally announced for the lead.^[10] The following month she was withdrawn for another film and replaced by Barbara Britton.^[11]

Albuquerque was filmed on location at Iverson Movie Ranch in Chatsworth, California, and in Sedona, Arizona.^[12]

Britton later sued Paramount for $100,000 over the size of her billing.^[13]

Reception

The film was a success at the box office, earning almost $2 million.^[2]

References

^ "$750,000- ,000,000 class held just right by Pine Thomas". Variety. January 26, 1949. p. 7.
^ ^a ^b "Top Grossers of 1948", Variety 5 January 1949 p 46
^ "Albuquerque". Internet Movie Database. February 20, 1948. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
^ DEAD FREIGHT FOR PIUTE. By Luke Short. 275 pp. New York Times 9 Feb 1941: BR24.
^ "Assignments for New Productions". Showmen's Trade Review. January 24, 1946. p. 45.
^ Ex-Boy Star, Partner Arrange Amazon Deal Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times 25 Mar 1946: A7.
^ Of Local Origin New York Times 14 Aug 1946: 34.
^ 'ANGEL FACE' LISTED FOR MISS GODDARD New York Times 9 Dec 1946: 34.
^ FILM FIRM FORMED BY CHAPLIN'S SON New York Times 20 Aug 1946: 36.
^ Caulfield to Forego Stage Trek Privilege Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times 9 Nov 1946: A5.
^ BERNSTEIN SIGNED TO DO FILM SCORE New York Times 31 Dec 1946: 14.
^ "Locations for Albuquerque". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
^ "Variety (January 1948)". Variety. 1948.