The Return of Frank James

Return of Frank James

The movie is the sequel to Jesse James (1939). It begins where the earlier movie ending, showing the last scene from Jesse James. In that scene, Jesse gets shot in the back by that traitor and coward, Bob Ford. If viewed immediately after the earlier film, one has the impression the cameras never stopped rolling. Filmed in Technicolor, this wonderful movie is greatly buoyed by the encore performances of good guys, Henry Fonda and Henry Hull. Fearsome bad guy John Carradine and conniving baddie Donald Meek fill the evil side of the equation. Gene Tierney makes her film debut in Return as the ambitious female reporter (working for daddies paper).

This Missouri (map) Western pits good verses evil and the common people verses big business (the railroad). Frank is driven to settle the score with the Ford brothers and the Railroad. Frank finances his escapades through a familiar venture. Robbery. When judged by his peers, Frank has done nothing wrong. He is a gentleman robber, a Robin Hood of the west. Who wishes for nothing more than to settle down and work a piece of land.

As in Jesse James, Henry Hull adds considerable humor to the movie. He is the pickled editor of the local newspaper who rants against assorted targets. The dictated editorials all end with the same opinion: "take 'em out and shoot 'em down like dogs".

In total, Return is a Good Viewer, and considerably less sappy than Jesse James. Other Jesse James movies (list)

Director: Fritz Lang
Cast: Henry Fonda.... Frank James
Gene Tierney....Eleanor Stone
Jackie Cooper .... Clem
Henry Hull.... Maj. Rufus Cobb
John Carradine....Bob Ford
J. Edward Bromberg....George Runyan
Donald Meek....McCoy
Eddie Collins.... Station Agent at Eldora
George Barbier....Judge Ferris
Russell Hicks.... Prosecutor
Ernest Whitman.... 'Pinky' Washington
Charles Tannen....Charlie Ford
Lloyd Corrigan.... Randolph Stone
Victor Kilian.... Preacher
Edward McWade....Col. Fentridge Jackson
Date: 1940 92 mins.