In the devastating aftermath of the Civil War, four brothers from the South head out West to carve out a new life for themselves in Santa Fe. Randolph Scott is at his appealing best as the oldest straight arrow brother anxious to put the war behind him and move on. He takes a job with the Santa Fe railroad expansion and encourages his brothers to do the same. His siblings, however, can't let go of their bitter hatred of Yankees and quickly fall in with a band of outlaws determined to stop the progress of the railroad, even if it means destroying their own brother.

Loosely based on the 1945 novel Santa Fe: The Railroad That Built an Empire by James Marshall, Santa Fe thinks big and makes the most of its vivid Technicolor scenery shot primarily on location in beautiful Prescott, Arizona. Combining elements of drama, humor, and romance with some impressive action sequences along the way, Santa Fe has something for everyone and Randolph Scott fans will not be disappointed.

The supporting cast includes the fetching Janis Carter as Scott's love interest, with Billy House and Olin Howlin as railroad conductors that provide the film's comic relief.

Santa Fe was one of many successful collaborations between Western hero Randolph Scott and producer Harry Joe Brown. Theirs was a frequent partnership that lasted nearly 20 years and produced such films as Decision at Sundown (1957), Ride Lonesome (1959), and Comanche Station (1960).

Producer: Harry Joe Brown
Director: Irving Pichel
Screenplay: Kenneth Gamet, Louis Stevens (story), James Vance Marshall (novel)
Cinematography: Charles Lawton, Jr.
Film Editing: Gene Havlick
Art Direction: Walter Holscher
Music: Paul Sawtell
Cast: Randolph Scott (Britt Canfield), Janis Carter (Judith Chandler), Jerome Courtland (Terry Canfield), Peter Thompson (Tom Canfield), John Archer (Clint Canfield), Warner Anderson (Dave Baxter).
C-87m.

by Andrea Passafiume