Jesse James (1939)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Henry King

Writer:

Nunnally Johnson (original screenplay)

Release Date:

27 January 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Romance | Western

Tagline:

The Epic Story of the most Colourful Outlaw who ever lived

Plot:

After railroad agents forcibly evict the James family from their family farm, Jesse and Frank turn to banditry for revenge.

Plot Keywords:

Railroad | Bank | Train | Reward | Farmer

Cast

Tyrone Power	...	Jesse Woodson James
Henry Fonda	...	Frank James
Nancy Kelly	...	Zerelda 'Zee' Cobb, later Zerelda 'Zee' James
Randolph Scott	...	Marshall Will Wright
Henry Hull	...	Major Rufus Cobb
Slim Summerville	...	Jailer
J. Edward Bromberg	...	Mr. Runyan
Brian Donlevy	...	Barshee
John Carradine	...	Bob Ford
Donald Meek	...	Mc Coy
Johnny Russell	...	Jesse James Jr. (as John Russell)
Jane Darwell	...	Mrs. Samuels - Jesse's mother
Charles Tannen	...	Charles Ford
Claire Du Brey	...	Mrs. Bob Ford
Willard Robertson	...	Clarke

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

West Germany:12 (f) | Norway:16 | Australia:G | Finland:K-16 | Spain:13 | UK:U | USA:Approved (certificate #4590) | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Lake Ozark, Missouri, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

A scene in which a horse falls to its death from a cliff, and the subsequent public outcry, led to the American Humane Association (AHA) overseeing filmmaking through its new Film and TV Unit. Eventually they introduced the now-familiar AHA certification, "No animals were harmed in the making of this motion picture."

Goofs:

Continuity: On the river bank, when Jesse James bids farewell to Pinkie, the latter changes place, from beside the mule, with his hand on its back, to the front of the mule, holding the rein, between shots.

Quotes:

[last lines]
[about Jesse James]
Major Rufus Cobb: He was one of the doggonedest, gawl-dingedest, dad-blamedest buckaroos that ever rode across these United States of America!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Living Steam: Virginia and Truckee Then and Now at the Nevada State Railroad Museum (2008) (V)

Soundtrack:

The Battle Cry of Freedom

Jesse James

This is an extremely enjoyable movie. It does not follow historical accuracy, and mixes some of the actual events into different time sequences.

One thing I liked about this movie is that it illustrates how the Pinkertons actually did throw a grenade through the window of Jesse's mother's home. In reality, it killed his little brother and blew off his mothers arm. In this movie it kills his mother, but does illustrate how Jesse had more motive for his actions than just money.

Being produced less than 60 years after the death of the real Jesse James, it provides a view into the popular "feel" for this outlaw and how the public viewed him at that time. Henry Fonda is great as Frank James and Randolph Scott makes a good Marshall. But, Henry Hull is an all time classic as "Uncle Rufus" and really adds a lot to this movie. This movie is one of my favorites.