Bad Men of Missouri (1941)

The Younger brothers — Cole, Bob and Jim — return to Missouri after the Civil War, eager to pick up their lives where they left off four long years ago.

But they learn that Northern carpetbaggers now rule the land. In particular, a man named William Merrick is gobbling up the farms one by one, evicting the old owners when they can’t pay their taxes.

That happens to the family of Cole’s fiance, who winds up dying of illness. It’s on the verge of happening to their father, Hank, who winds up being killed by Merrick’s henchmen.

And Jim fears it will happen to the family of his fiance, Mary Hathaway.

Having wounded several deputies in defense of their father, the brothers start their life on the run.

And while they’re on the run, they figure they may as well rob a few stages, banks and trains. The money is returned to the farmers so they can pay off their taxes and avoid losing their land to Merrick.

Frustrated that his land-grabbing attempts are being foiled, Merrick decides to throw Mary in jail to lure the Youngers out of hiding.

Dennis Morgan as Cole Younger, determined to get justice in the post-war South in Bad Men of Missouri (1941)

Arthur Kennedy as Jim Younger, eager to get in touch with Mary in Bad Men of Missouri (1941)

Review:

Wow, talk about throwing out the history books.

Then again, the film was made on the heels of the highly successful 1939 film, Jesse James — a movie that spawned several flattering movies about bandits of the past.

The best thing about the film is the role of Mr. Pettibone, the man who handles Merrick’s finances. Whether traveling by train or stage, he keeps getting robbed by the Youngers.

There are some rousing action scenes too, including a stampede down the streets of town and a burning haywagon that smashes into the Younger home.

Wayne Morris as Bob Younger, cheerful while recuperating in Bad Men of Missouri (1941)

Jane Wyman as Mary Hathaway questions Merrick’s plan to foreclose on mortgages in Bad Men of Missouri (1941)

Directed by:
Ray Enright

Cast:
Dennis Morgan … Cole Younger
Jane Wyman … Mary Hathaway
Wayne Morris … Bob Younger
Arthur Kennedy … Jim Younger
Victor Jory … William Merrick
Alan Baxter … Jesse James
Walter Catlett … Mr. Pettibone
Howard Da Silva … Greg Bilson
Faye Emerson … Martha Adams
Russell Simpson … Hank Younger
Virginia Brissac … Mrs. Hathaway
Erville Alderson … Mr. Adams
Hugh Sothern … Fred Robinson
Sam McDaniel … Wash
Dorothy Vaughn … Mrs. Dalton
William Gould … Sheriff Brennan
Robert Winkler … Willie Younger
Ann E. Todd … Amy Younger
Roscoe Ates … Lafe

Runtime: 84 min.

Victor Jory as William Merrick, the carpetbagger trying to gobble up all the land in Bad Men of Missouri (1941)

Walter Catlett as Mr. Pettibone, Merrick’s hard-luck assistant in Bad Men of Missouri (1941)

Memorable lines:

Pettibone, having boarded a stage with three men he doesn’t know are the Youngers: “I wondered if you’d let me sit over there and you sit over here because it makes be very ill to ride backwards.”

Pettibone: “But Mr. Merrick, what could anyone do in my place? The whole gang jumped on me. … I was outnumbered about 10 to 1.”
Merrick: “There are only three Youngers.”

Mary Hathaway, when Jim offers her money the Younger Brothers took from Pettibone: “If you really want to do something for me, take it back. Stop what you’re doing before it’s too late.”
Jim Younger: “It got too late the first day Merrick and his crowd came to Harrisonville, Mary.”

Howard DeSilva as Greg Bilson, Merrick’s crooked enforcer in Bad Men of Missouri (1941)

Alan Baxter as Jesse James, hoping to include the Younger Brothers in his gang in Bad Men of Missouri (1941)

Russell Simpson as Hank Younger, dad of the Younger brothers in Bad Men of Missouri (1941)

Jane Wyman as Mary Hathaway tries to convince fiancee Jim Younger to change his thieving ways in Bad Men of Missouri (1941)

Arthur Kennedy as Jim Younger and Wayne Morris as Bob Younger makes an unexpected acquaintance during a train robbery in Bad Men in Missouri (1941)

The Younger Brothers, Dennis Morgan as Cole, Wayne Morris as Bob and Arthur Kennedy as Jim, contemplate a partnership with Jesse James in Bad Men of Missouri (1941)