Jesse James (1939)

Directed by Henry King. Starring Tyrone Power, Henry Fonda, Nancy Kelly, Randolph Scott, Henry Hull, Donald Meek, J. Edward Bromberg, John Carradine, Brian Donlevy, Jane Darwell, Charles Tannen. [PG]

Three-strip Technicolor Western of the notorious outlaw, serviceable so long as you’re not looking for even the faintest hint of historical accuracy. This character portrait makes Jesse James (Power) out to be not only an antihero, but a philosophical and ill-advised sort as well; his law-breaking cohort/brother Frank (Fonda) plays a big enough role in the activities, it’s a wonder why the motion picture wasn’t called Frank and Jesse James. Not without its lulls, especially during the sappy romance scenes between Jesse and cousin Zee (Kelly), his eventual wife. Fonda is effectively cast against type and Power is more relaxed and confident here than he would be in some of his later, better-known roles. Disappointing final act fails to develop a compelling relationship between Jesse and his eventual killer, Robert (Bob) Ford…or perhaps I’m just spoiled by the excellence of Casey Affleck and Brad Pitt under the direction of Andrew Dominik. A sequel, The Return of Frank James, was released the following year (Fonda reprised his role, but director Henry King was replaced by Fritz Lang).

63/100