Jesse James (1939)

Tyrone Power plays Jesse James; Henry Fonda is Frank James. They’re youngsters who take up a life of crime after a crooked railroad man (Brian Donlevy) tries to buy their farm at a rock-bottom price, then accidentally kills their mother.

Nancy Kelly is Zee, the newspaperman’s daughter who falls for Jesse, warns him that he’d better go straight before he gets used to a life of crime, then leaves him when he does just that.

And Randolph Scott is Marshal Will Wright, sympathetic to the plight of the James boys, but determined to do his job nonetheless.

Meanwhile, the railroad is desperate to put Jesse behind bars.

Using Wright as a middle man, a railroad executive named McCoy promises Jesse leniency if he turns himself in.

He goes back on that bargain, prompting Frank to break Jesse out of jail.

The railroad’s new tactic: Offer an enticing reward and a pardon to any member of the James gang who turns on Jesse.

Tyrone Power as Jesse James, working on plans for his next holdup in Jesse James (1939)

Henry Fonda as Frank James, scolding Jesse for taking too many chances in Jesse James (1939)

Review:

The success of this 1939 film spurred a rash of outlaw biofilms, mostly casting their subjects in the most sympathetic light.

And if this isn’t exactly history, it’s good old-fashioned Western fun. Particulary well done is the James’ attempt to rob the Northfield, Minn., bank. They crash through a store window, then jump their horses off a steep cliff during their escape. That scene prompted new efforts to protect animals on film sets.

The film would be quickly followed by a sequel, “The Return of Frank James” (1940) with most of the cast members returning to the roles they played in this movie.

Nancy Kelly as Zee, worried about Jesse and wondering if he’ll ever change his wild ways in Jesse James (1939)

Randolph Scott as Marshal Will Wright, the lawman who sets out to catch Frank and Jesse in Jesse James (1939)

Directed by:
Henry King

Cast:
Tyrone Power … Jesse James
Henry Fonda … Frank James
Nancy Kelly … Zee James
Randolph Scott … Will Wright
Henry Hull … Maj. Rufus Cobb
Slim Summerville … Jailer
J. Edward Bromberg … Mr. Runyan
Brian Donlevy … Barshee
John Carradine … Bob Ford
Claire Du Brey … Mrs. Bob Ford
Charles Tannen … Charles Ford
Donald Meek … McCoy
Johnny Russell … Jesse James Jr.
Jane Darwell … Mrs. Samuels
Willard Robertson … Clarke
Howard Goodwin … Bill
Ernest Whitman … Pinkie
EddyWaller … Deputy
Paul E. Burns … Hank

Runtime: 106 min.

Memorable lines:

Newspaperman Rufus Cobb, after Jesse has proclaimed his hatred for the railroad: “That’s the stuff. People ain’t hating nowadays like they used to. They’re getting soft. I got to admit that I like a man that hauls off and hates, good and hard.”

Henry Hull as Maj. Rufus Cobb, a staunch ally of Jesse in Jesse James (1939)

Donald Meek as McCoy, the railroad man who uses a promise of leniency to trick Jesse into surrendering in Jesse James (1939)

J. Edward Bromberg as Mr. Runyan, spreeading word of a scheme to catch Jesse in Jesse James (1939)

John Carradine as Bob Ford and Charles Tannen as his brother Charles, visiting Mr. Howard in Jesse James (1939)

Nancy Kelly as Zee with Tyrone Powers as Jesse during a tense moment in Jesse James (1939)

Johnny Russell as Jesse James Jr., meeting his dad for the first time in Jesse James (1939)

Ernest Whitman as Pinkie, breaking the news of Zee’s departure to Jesse in Jesse James (1939)

Brian Donlevy as Barshee, the man responsible for the death of Mrs. Samuels, coming face-to-face with Jesse in Jesse James (1939)

Slim Summerville as a jailer nervous when he learns Frank plans to break out Jesse in Jesse James (1939)

Tyrone Power as Jesse James and Jane Darnell as Mrs. Samuels when the railroad land agents show up in Jesse James (1939)