Alias Jesse James (1959)

Bob Hope is Milford Farnsworth, a down-on-his-luck insurance salesman desperate to sell a policy. He meets a man in a bar back East and talks him into taking out a $100,000 in life insurance.

What he doesn’t know is that the man is the notorious outlaw, Jesse James (Wendell Corey). How does Milford’s boss react to his big sale? He sends Milford West to make sure Jesse doesn’t die.

Rhonda Fleming is The Duchess, Jesse’s girl, at least until Milford shows up. When Milford dresses up in Jesse’s clothes and dons Jesse’s guns to protect his client, some people mistake him for the notorious outlaw.

That gets Jesse thinking. If Milford, while being mistaken as Jesse James, was shot, he and The Duchess could cash in on the $100,000 policy and live happily ever after.

Review:

Worth watching. Sure, some of the jokes are old and tired, but the film picks up in the last 20 minutes, with one of the funniest chase scenes in Western filmdom.

And when it comes time for a final showdown, Milford has an unexpected ace up his sleeve. Hugh O’Brien, Ward Bond, James Arness, Roy Rogers, Fess Parker, James Garner, Gene Autry, Jay Silverheels, Big Crosby and Gary Cooper show up to help him pick off the bad guys. A neat touch.

All the while, the lovely Fleming is marking notches on the stock of Milford’s rifle.

Directed by:
Norman McLeod

Cast:
Bob Hope … Milford Farnsworth.
Rhonda Fleming … Cora Lee Collins
aka The Duchess
Wendell Corey … Jesse James
Jim Davis … Frank James
Gloria Talbott … Princess Irawanie
Will Wright … Titus Queasley
Mary Young … Ma James
Gary Cooper … Gary Cooper
James Arness … Marshal Matt Dillon
Ward Bond … Maj. Seth Adams
Gail Davis … Annie Oakley
Hugh O’Brian … Wyatt Earp
Fess Parker … Davy Crockett
Roy Rogers … Roy Rogers
Jay Silverheels … Tonto
Bing Crosby … Bing

Runtime: 92 min.

Memorable lines:

Mildred, about heading west to prevent the death of Jesse James: “But Mr. Queasley, I’m likely to get killed.”
Queasley: “Stop trying to cheer me up.”

Ma James: “It’s important to keep a gun clean, you know?”
Milford Farnsworth: “Oh, I know. A guy could get blood poisoning from
getting killed with a dirty bullet.”

Jesse, after he’s rubbed some red from the Duchess’ lipstick from Milford’s cheek: “What’s that?”
Milford: “I shaved this morning, and I’m a slow bleeder. I better get out of here before I become a faster one.'”

The Duchess: “I’m sorry things didn’t work out better for you.”
Milford: “Oh, things worked out fine. Just fine. I got myself mixed up in a robbery, practically put my company out of business, double-crossed my friends. It’s not easy to louse up a whole town in three days, but I made it. Compared to me, General Custer was a big success.”

Milford: “Oh, he can’t do that (marry) to my girl. We’ve got to figure out a way to stop that.”
Indian girl: “How?”
Milford: “It’s no time for Indian talk. Let’s get moving.”