Wonderful Movie

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Let's pretend this picture is a total work of Western fiction. Putting all those historical pros and cons about the real outlaw aside, it is easier to evaluate this humdinger of a movie. Populated by dozens of first-rate character actors, 'Jesse James' comes alive with personalities, period flavor and emotional nuances. You can feel the hum of a late nineteenth century community through all the bustling movement and characterizations. The primary cast is excellent with an outstanding performance by Henry Fonda as Frank James, who plays a volcano under the veneer of an iceberg. He's pitch-perfect throughout and he and Power communicate with subtle glances and the slightest nods making you believe they are brothers.However, while wonderfully scripted, Fonda's part doesn't put much demand on emotional range. Additionally, he's only in about two-thirds of the movie. Compared to Fonda, Power, who is thrilling, is in almost every scene. As Jesse he must be the ardent and tender young lover, the dangerous and vengeful farm boy seeking reparations for crimes against his family, the haunted and hunted son, brother, husband, father and outlaw, by turns in a violent rage and then unsure of his course. Power displays an impressive range as he plays through all of these emotional transitions--and more--seamlessly and beautifully. I take exception with the idea that acting honors go to Fonda, when Power, IMO, dominated this picture in every way. I also feel there is another dimension to consider in Power's portrayal, which is that Power, here just a 25 year old actor, got audiences to spend money on theater seats. He continued to do so throughout his career. 'Jesse James' was among the very top movies in popularity in 1939. Another of Power's movies, 'The Rains Came' with Myrna Loy, was also among the top five or six in popularity that year. People loved Power. Many of us still do. (His beauty here still puts a catch in my throat and I've been a fan for over fifty years!) I think there's even a rarer aspect to acting that only some stars possessed, which is their talent to communicate personal warmth and charisma to an audience. Isn't that what makes actors into stars? A few actors had that; Power had that in spades.

This film's beauty is that it is so simple. This is by far the best version of the Jesse James story - there is not a sign of formalism as is regularly seen in later westerns, especially modern ones. When you are able to tell a story the way Henry King does, simply and clearly, then you begin to discover many other stories inside the main one. And then you know you have the original, the prototype.

Not an actual biography but a good romanticized fictional account of what happened. That is the way with most Hollywood "biographical" films - just names and places being "real" the stories are usually embellished quite a bit - this film is no different. Nevertheless watching the film from a purely entertainment point of view the film is good it does what it sets out to do - entertain. As a general rule: I don't watch many Westerns - I'm not a huge fan of the genre - but there are a few Westerns that I adore. This particular Western has what it takes to keep me entertained.Now I have to say: I do not condone harming animals for any reason especially for "entertainment" and that does include Hollywood films. I'm just glad the Humane Society is watching more carefully now.7/10

When I was a kid, back in 1949, this movie was already 10 years old. One Sunday, my brother comes inside and tells my Dad that "Jesse James" and "The Return of Frank James" were playing downtown at the Pix. My father dropped his newspaper, told my Mom to "hold dinner" and put us in the car to see these two gems. The extremely popular "Jesse James" quickly spawned a sequel; both made by A-list director (Henry King & Fritz Lang). The movies meld together to perfection.Beginning with a great screenplay by Nunnally Johnson, top flight performances, and the exceptional beauty of original 3-strip Technicolor, these movies are often imitated, never equaled. 1972's "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" was obviously an imitation of "Jesse James" in mind, in spirit.We no longer have top stars like Tyrone Power and Henry Fonda, but at least they live on in videos. Wonderfully committed to the Confederate cause, these movies take a few liberties with history, are accurate in many details; but most important in casting "the railroad" as the bad guys. I remember my history, and while many like to bellyache about slavery, the real slave-masters of the era were the railroads -- who stole the earnings and impoverished the lives of the ordinary Americans living in their path. As with slavery, with the full blessing of the government.Once hard to see, I now watch this double feature every year. They never grow old.