I Shot Jesse James (1949)

Bob Ford murders his best friend Jesse James in order to obtain a pardon that will free him to marry his girlfriend but is plagued by guilt and self-disgust.

Director:

Samuel Fuller

Writers:

Samuel Fuller (story), Homer Croy (article),

Stars:

Preston Foster, Barbara Britton, John Ireland

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Preston Foster	...	John Kelley
Barbara Britton	...	Cynthy Waters
John Ireland	...	Bob Ford
Reed Hadley	...	Jesse James
J. Edward Bromberg	...	Harry Kane
Victor Kilian	...	Soapy
Tom Tyler	...	Frank James
Tommy Noonan	...	Charles Ford (as Tom Noonan)
Eddie Dunn	...	Joe, Silver King Bartender
Margia Dean	...	Saloon Singer
Byron Foulger	...	Silver King Room Clerk
Jeni Le Gon	...	Veronica, Cynthy's Maid
Barbara Woodell	...	Mrs. Zee James
Phillip Pine	...	Man in Saloon (as Phil Pine)
Robin Short	...	Troubadour

Storyline

While the law hunts him, Jesse James lives quietly in a rented house on the corner of Lafayette and Twenty-first street in St. Joseph, Missouri, under the alias of Tom Howard. His wife Zee begs him to end his association with the Ford brothers. Before they can leave on a "last" bank holdup, Bob learns that his childhood sweetheart, Cynthy Waters, now an actress, is in St. Joe and he brushes aside all caution to see her. Cynthy is beginning to realize that she is a liability to her manager, Harry Kane, because she will not leave Missouri. Meanwhile, John Kelley has come into her life. She pleads with Bob to turn honest. Cynthy tries to get a pardon for Bob, but the best offer she can get is for a 20-year stretch in prison. Then, the Governor offers amnesty and a $10,000 reward to any member of the James gang betraying Jesse. When his chance comes (April 3, 1882)Bob shoots Jesse in the back. He gets the amnesty but the reward is cut to $500. He also loses the love and respect of Cynthy,...

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Plot Keywords:

pardon | amnesty | prospector | reward | missouri | 

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Taglines:

THE THRILLING AND COLORFUL LAST DAYS OF AMERICA'S MOST FABULOUS OUTLAW...POWERFULLY WRITTEN IN GUNSMOKE! (original print ad - all caps)

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Genres:

Drama | History | Romance | Western

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 February 1949 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ich erschoß Jesse James

Filming Locations:

Iverson Ranch - 1 Iverson Lane, Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lippert Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Shot in ten days.

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Goofs

When Jesse James goes to straighten the picture on his wall, the opening shot shows the picture slanting down to the right. When the camera angle changes, the picture is slanting up to the right. When the film cuts back to the first angle, the picture is slanting down to the right again.

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Quotes

Bob Ford: Whatta yuh got to eat?
Joe, Silver King Bartender: Sweet corn, cormeal mush, corpone with cracklins,and corn whiskey.
Bob Ford: I'll have it.

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits are shown as posters hanging on a wall.

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Connections

Featured in The Typewriter, the Rifle & the Movie Camera (1996)

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Soundtracks

"The Minstrel Song"
Written by Albert Glasser
Sung by Robin Short

User Reviews

Here's my back.

This is Samuel Fuller's first effort;it is a western and it's got something bizarre,something unusual which we find in every work of this director,whatever he films :films noirs ("underworld USA" ),melodramas ("the naked kiss" ) ,thrillers verging on horror ("shock corridor" ) or westerns ("run of the arrow" and "forty guns").

They say that Fuller approved of Robert Ford's attitude.But his movie is not so simple.It seems that Jesse really WANTS to be killed ;we might take the lines "what are you waiting for?here's my back " literally.

Once Robert Ford has taken the plunge ,his fate is sealed;there's no coming back,no hope for the life he dreams of with his gorgeous girl.Anyway,Cynthy's love has turned to despise at worst ,pity at best.

The scene on the stage is some kind of mirror ,where Ford fully realizes what he has done -a scene which contains an unusual inventive use of the flashback-,as is the folk singer who performs his "ballad of Robert Ford": when he sings his last verse ,he may be frightened,but it's Cain's eye all over again.

I do not have to kill you,Jesse's brother says ,you're already dead.