Jesse James (film)

For other uses, see Jesse James (disambiguation).

Jesse Jane
Jesse James movie poster
Directed by	Henry King
Produced by	Darryl F. Zanuck Nunnally Johnson
Written by	Nunnally Johnson
Starring	Tyrone Power Henry Fonda Nancy Kelly Randolph Scott
Music by	Louis Silvers
Cinematography	George Barnes W. Howard Greene
Editing by	Barbara McLean
Distributed by	Twentieth Century Fox
Release date(s)	January 27, 1939
Running time	106 min.
Language	English
Budget	$1.6m U.S.

Jesse James (1939) is a western movie directed by Henry King and starring Tyrone Power, Henry Fonda, Nancy Kelly, and Randolph Scott. Written by Nunnally Johnson, the film is loosely based on the life of the notorious outlaw for which the film derives its name. It is "notorious for its historical inaccuracy."^[1]

The American Humane Association began to oversee filmmaking after a horse died when it was driven off a cliff on set.

Plot

A railroad worker named Barshee (Brian Donlevy) forces farmers to give up the land the railroad was going to go through, giving them $1 per acre (much less than fair price) for it. When they come to Jesse's home, Jesse (Tyrone Power) tells Barshee that his mother Mrs. Samuels (Jane Darwell) is the farm's owner. Barshee repeatedly tries to force her into selling, until her other son Frank James (Henry Fonda) gets involved. Frank fights and easily beats Barshee, but Barshee's men get involved and Jesse shoots him in the hand. When arrest warrants are issued for Frank and Jesse, Major A. Rufus Cobb (Henry Hull) editor in nearby Liberty, Missouri and uncle of Zerelda (Zee) Cobb (Nancy Kelly), Jesse's lover, quickly comes to tell them to leave. Frank and Jesse learn that Barshee is responsible for the death of their mother and Jesse kills him in revenge. This begins Frank and Jesse's career as outlaws. Three years later, with a $5000 on his head, Jesse marries Zee and turns himself in, having been promised a light sentence by Marshall Will Wright (Randolph Scott). But the judge supersedes Marshall Wright's recommendation and Jesse is given a stiff sentence. So Frank breaks Jesse out of jail but is captured in the process. Jesse continues his life of crime and eventually Zee leaves him, taking their son Jesse Jr. Years later, a wounded Jesse returns home and Zee joins him in the belief that they will escape to California. Meanwhile, Frank has escaped and sends Bob Ford (John Carradine) to Jesse with a message. But Bob Ford betrays and kills Jesse instead.

Reception

Jesse James was a smash hit and the fourth largest-grossing film of 1939, behind Gone with the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and in front of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. A sequel, The Return of Frank James, directed by Fritz Lang and with Henry Fonda reprising his role as Frank James, was released in 1940.

A remake was directed by Nicholas Ray in 1957, The True Story of Jesse James.^[1]

Animal cruelty

The film gained a measure of notoriety, however, for a scene in which a horse falls to its death down a rocky slope toward the end of the film. This scene was one of many cited by the American Humane Association against Hollywood's abuse of animals, and led to the association's monitoring of filmmaking.^[2]

Cast

• Tyrone Power as Jesse James
• Henry Fonda as Frank James
• Nancy Kelly as Zerelda 'Zee' James
• Randolph Scott as Will Wright
• Henry Hull as Maj. Rufus Cobb
• John Carradine as Robert Ford
• Charles Tannen as Charlie Ford
• Slim Summerville as Jailer
• J. Edward Bromberg as Mr. Runyan
• Brian Donlevy as Barshee
• Donald Meek as McCoy
• Claire Du Brey as Mrs. Bob Ford
• Jane Darwell as Mrs. Samuels
• Lon Chaney, Jr. as James Gang member
• Eddy Waller as Deputy

Production

Much of the filming for Jesse James took place around the town of Pineville, Missouri in McDonald County, Missouri, because at the time the town and surrounding area looked much the same as it would have in the 1880s and 1890s. Pineville still celebrates Jesse James Days annually in homage to the film and the movie stars who descended on the small town to make it. In their off time from filming, the films' stars and crew, including Tyrone Power, Henry Fonda and Randolph Scott, would seek out relaxation at the Shadow Lake resort in Noel, Missouri, on the shores of Elk River (Oklahoma).

See also

• List of American films of 1939
• The Return of Frank James (1940), sequel starring Henry Fonda.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "The True Story of Jesse James Review". Channel Four. http://www.channel4.com/film/reviews/film.jsp?id=109599&section=review. Retrieved 2008-10-30. 
2. ^ "Cruelty to Animals in the Entertainment Business : Cruel Camera - Cruelty on Film : the fifth estate : CBC News". CBC News. http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/cruelcamera/cruelty.html. 

External links

• Jesse James at the Internet Movie Database
• Jesse James at AllRovi