MovieChat Forums > Jesse James (1939) Discussion > I tried, I REALLY tried!

I tried, I REALLY tried!

posted 12 years ago by vawlkee_2000
7 replies | jump to latest

I've seen "The Return of Frank James and it was fanciful but okay.
I tried to sit through 1939's "Jessie James" on TCM today and changed channels after 15 minutes!
A great cast totally wasted in one of the worst MISinterpretations of history I've seen in ages!
The James boys were thieves and murderers. In this mess they're portrayed as misunderstood "Robin Hood" types!
I'll give the benefit of the doubt to just about any film but this one pushed my buttons.
Miss it at all costs!

[–] heyuactor 12 years ago

I too tried but couldn't watch the thing.

"Did you make coffee...? Make it!"--Cheyenne.

[–] vawlkee_2000 12 years ago

Thanks, I'm glad I'm not alone!
I'm used to getting nothing but haters when I post something that's opinionated.

Yup, I know the scene. Poor ol' Cheyenne with a rather painful belly wound! Jason Robards Jr stole that film.

[–] MycroftHolmes 12 years ago

I love this film. Not the exact truth, but based on newspaper accounts of the day. Jesse and Frank were thought of as heroes by Southerners at the time, and that is the tact taken.

What we have here is failure to communicate!

[–] vawlkee_2000 12 years ago

Regardless of their "Robin Hood" status, they were still thieves and murderers.
"Southerners" also considered butchers like William Quantrill as "heroes"...
I'm sticking with my initial statement.
I'm done with this thread.

[–] MycroftHolmes 12 years ago

Of course they were. They were guerilla fighters in the War and kept on going after the War.

What we have here is failure to communicate!

[–] ToddManning 12 years ago

How are you gonna make a thread like this then say "you are done with this thread" after 1 response?
I'm not hating on your opinion but they explained the reason for making this movie at the beginning and that its not entirely accurate and that it was based off newspapers from back in the day.

[–] JelenaG890 9 years ago

I agree with you that this film was completely inaccurate and, yes, both Jesse and Frank James were nothing more than thugs.

However, keep in mind that this film was made in the late 1930s. They really didn't make films back then about unsympathetic characters, especially not in the lead role. The Hays Code was in effect, and that played a role in how films were made.