It turns out that the robbery was actually committed by the owner of the bank, who wants to take the money for himself while pinning the robbery on James' gang. Helping Roy is Gabby Whittaker (Hayes), the owner of a rich gold mine who lost his fortune in the robbery and whose daughter (Pauline Moore's Mary Whittaker) has seen Jesse face-to-face. Of course, Mary and Roy fall for each-other by the end of the picture and the bankers plans are foiled after Roy and Gabby infiltrate James' gang, and discover that they were not responsible for the robbery.
Given that it was released the same year, it is likely that this film was made to cash in on the success of Henry King's Jesse James. Like that film it has, as you might expect, even less regard for historical fact and paints the titular outlaw (here played by Donald Barry) in a sympathetic light. Jesse has been forced into his life of crime by corrupt bankers and railroad men, and he cares deeply for his family. Barry, better known as Don 'Red' Barry, came to Republic in 1939 after spending most of the 30's playing bit parts. The same year that he played Jesse he played the villain in Saga of Death Valley, also with Rogers, and in the Three Mesquiteers' film Wyoming Outlaw. The following year he signed on with the studio as a contract player and got his big break playing the titular character of Republic's Adventures of Red Ryder serial.
Barry does a good job playing James, imbuing the character with a sense of honor ands humanity but also a dangerous, violent streak. The scene where he goes to visit his family is quite touching and later, when he stands up for Mary to against an overbearing lawman (who is unaware that James is the man he is hunting), he is able to show his honorable side. It's no wonder the actor went on to be a western star in his own right. The rest of the cast acquit themselves nicely as well. The always solid Harry Worth puts in a good turn as Jesse's brother Frank. Glen Strange is his usual menacing self as Cole Younger. Roy has good chemistry with Pauline Moore and, as always, with Gabby Hayes. Arthur Loft brings plenty of sleaze to the role of the corrupt banker. Fred Burns is solid as the local sheriff who aids Roy in his investigation while Harry Woods acts a a foil for Rogers as railroad detective Captain Worthington.
The subplot involving Worthington, who wants to keep the reward for capturing Jesse to himself, adds yet another plot thread to the already complicated story but, somehow, the script, by Earle Snell and Jack Natteford, manages to balance all these disparate threads into a fairly cohesive 63 minutes. Director Joseph Kane keeps the economically paced story moving at a good clip and the action is especially well handled. There were three songs featured in the movie but the version I saw (which was edited for TV) only retained one, "Echo Mountain," which Roy sings to Mary's organ accompaniment upon meeting her and reprises at the end of the film. It's a decent enough little tune.
Overall, Days of Jesse James features the same consistent level of quality that would mark Roy Rogers westerns as long as Kane was in the producer's chair. Just don't go in looking for a historically accurate movie about the life of the outlaw.
Score: 8/10
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