Jesse James (1939)

Director:

Henry King
(more)

Writer:

Nunnally Johnson (original screenplay)
(more)

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 | Train | Bank | Farmer | Reward

Cast

Tyrone Power	...	Jesse James
Henry Fonda	...	Frank James
Nancy Kelly	...	Zerelda 'Zee'
Randolph Scott	...	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
Charles Tannen	...	Charles Ford
Claire Du Brey	...	Mrs. Bob Ford
Willard Robertson	...	Clarke
Harold Goodwin	...	Bill
Ernest Whitman	...	Pinkie
Eddy Waller	...	Deputy
Paul E. Burns	...	Hank (as Paul Burns)
Spencer Charters	...	Minister
Arthur Aylesworth	...	Tom Colson
Charles Middleton	...	Doctor
Charles Halton	...	Heywood
George Chandler	...	Roy
Harry Tyler	...	Farmer
Virginia Brissac	...	Boy's Mother
Edward LeSaint	...	Judge Rankin (as Ed Le Saint)
John Elliott	...	Judge Mathews
Erville Alderson	...	Old Marshal
George P. Breakston	...	Farmer Boy (as George Breakston)
Lon Chaney Jr.	...	One of James Gang
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Donald Douglas	...	Infantry Captain (uncredited)
James Flavin	...	Cavalry Captain (uncredited)
Sam Garrett	...	Rider / Roper (uncredited)
Wylie Grant	...	Barshee's Henchman (uncredited)
Harry Holman	...	Engineer (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp	...	Union Soldier (uncredited)
Leonard Kibrick	...	Boy (uncredited)
Sidney Kibrick	...	Boy (uncredited)
Ethan Laidlaw	...	Barshee's Henchman (uncredited)
Tom London	...	Soldier (uncredited)
George O'Hara	...	Teller (uncredited)
Paul Sutton	...	Lynch (Barshee's Henchman) (uncredited)

Directed by
Henry King
Irving Cummings		(uncredited)

Writing credits
Nunnally Johnson		(original screenplay)
Gene Fowler		contributing writer (uncredited)
Curtis Kenyon		contributing writer (uncredited)
Hal Long		story contributor (uncredited)

Produced by
Nunnally Johnson	....	associate producer
Ben Silvey	....	associate producer (uncredited)
Darryl F. Zanuck	....	producer (uncredited)

Cinematography by
George Barnes		(photographed by)
W. Howard Greene		(photographed by) (as W.H. Greene)

Film Editing by
Barbara McLean

Art Direction by
William S. Darling		(as William Darling)
George Dudley

Set Decoration by
Thomas Little

Costume Design by
Royer

Makeup Department
Robert Cowan	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Buddy King	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Ray Lopez	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Ben Nye	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Webster Philips	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Doris Rowland	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Dot Snyder	....	body makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Sid Bowen	....	unit manager (uncredited)
William Koenig	....	production manager (uncredited)
V.L. McFadden	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Otto Brower	....	second unit director (uncredited)
Hal Herman	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Robert D. Webb	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Henry Weinberger	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Joe Behm	....	props (uncredited)
G.L. Cooper	....	painter (uncredited)
Charles Fremdling	....	props (uncredited)
Tom Gillette	....	carpenter (uncredited)
L. Paul Haines	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Frank E. Hughes	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Frank Patterson	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Jack Stubbs	....	props (uncredited)
Al Withers	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Roger Heman Sr.	....	sound (as Roger Heman)
Arthur von Kirbach	....	sound
Hal Lombard	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Jack Miller	....	cable person (uncredited)
Roy Potts	....	boom operator (uncredited)
W.R. Snyder	....	assistant sound (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
William F. Mittlestedt	....	photographic effects (uncredited)
Ben Southland	....	photographic effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Cliff Lyons	....	stunt double: Tyrone Power, Henry Fonda (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Charles Bohny	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
A.C. Bumpus	....	additional grip (uncredited)
James Cairns	....	electrician (uncredited)
Robert Campbell	....	electrician (uncredited)
R.M. Harmon	....	additional grip (uncredited)
J. James	....	electrician (uncredited)
W. Harry Jones	....	additional grip (uncredited)
Wendell Jones	....	additional grip (uncredited)
Phil Mandella	....	additional grip (uncredited)
W. Nugent	....	electrician (uncredited)
Hugh C. Peck	....	additional grip (uncredited)
Jack Percy	....	head grip (uncredited)
Bobby Petzoldt	....	best boy electric (uncredited)
Edward Petzoldt	....	gaffer (uncredited)
R. Pipes	....	generator operator (uncredited)
Frank Powolny	....	still photographer (uncredited)
C.E. Richardson	....	second grip (uncredited)
Irving Rosenberg	....	camera operator (uncredited)
William Russell	....	generator operator (uncredited)
Gordon Sandsberry	....	electrician (uncredited)
Sheridan Smith	....	generator operator (uncredited)
W. Stewart	....	electrician (uncredited)
Paul Uhl	....	film loader: Technicolor (uncredited)
S. Warn	....	electrician (uncredited)
Paul Woods	....	electrician (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Eddie Armand	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Sam Benson	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Steve Brandt	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Ollie Hughes	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Josephine Perrin	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Richard Billings	....	assistant cutter (uncredited)
Robert Fritch	....	assistant cutter (uncredited)

Music Department
Louis Silvers	....	musical director
Cyril J. Mockridge	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Alfred Newman	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Louis Silvers	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Jo Frances James	....	historical data assembled by
Natalie Kalmus	....	Technicolor color director
Rosalind Schaeffer	....	historical data assembled by
Teresa Brachetto	....	script clerk (uncredited)
Duke Callaghan	....	assistant: Technicolor (uncredited)
Edwin H. Curtis	....	dialogue director (uncredited)
Paul Hill	....	assistant: Technicolor (uncredited)
Henri Jaffa	....	associate technicolor color director (uncredited)
Max Larey	....	script clerk (uncredited)
R.C. Moore	....	location manager (uncredited)
Joe Noecker	....	technician: Technicolor (uncredited)
Cliff Shirpser	....	assistant: Technicolor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (presents) (as Twentieth Century - Fox)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1939) (USA) (theatrical) (released through) (as Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation)
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1946) (USA) (theatrical) (reissue) (released through) (as Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation)
• Centfox (1950) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1951) (USA) (theatrical) (reissue) (released through) (as Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation)
• CBS/Fox Home Video (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Fox Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (2005) (Argentina) (all media) (re-release)
• Gativideo (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2005) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox (1939) (France) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Germany (2005) (Germany) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"Darryl F. Zanuck's Production of Jesse James" - UK (complete title), USA (complete title)

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 (passed with cuts) | USA:Approved (certificate #4590) | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Lake Ozark, Missouri, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The film shows both Jesse and Frank going off the cliff on horseback. In reality the stunt was performed once and shot with two cameras.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The movie shows a bomb killing Frank and Jesse's mother. In reality, the "bomb" thrown through the window by the Pinkertons killed their little brother and seriously wounded their mother. She survived, however, although she lost an arm in the attack.

Quotes:

Major Rufus Cobb:[standing over Mrs. Samuel's body] There's no use. She's dead. This is bad! Mighty bad! I'm sure sorry!
Barshee:Well, I'm sorry too!
Major Rufus Cobb:Oh, I wasn't talking about her. She's gone. It's you I'm sorry fer.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Nostalgia Chick: The Adventures of Milo and Otis (#5.6)" (2012)

Soundtrack:

The Battle Cry of Freedom

Hey, Hollywood: James Was A Crook!

This had a great cast with big-name stars like Tyrone Power, Henry Fonda, Randolph Scott, Nancy Kelly, Henry Hull and Brian Donlevey and a bunch more lesser-but-known names with shorter roles. It also had Technicolor, one of the few movies made with it in 1939.

Now the bad news.......regrettably, I can't say much positive for the story. It portrayed the James boys in a totally positive light....and Hollywood has done that ever since. Why these criminals are always shown to be the "good guys" is beyond me. This film glamorizes them and made their enemies - the railroad people - into vicious human beings. The latter was exaggerated so much it was preposterous. Well, that's the film world for you: evil is good; good is bad.

Hey Hollywood: here's a news flash - The James boys were criminals! Really - look it up!