Copyright 1957 by 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. New York opening at the Globe: 22 March 1957. U.S. release: February 1957. U.K. release: 20 May 1957. Australian release: 18 April 1957. 8,257 feet. 92 minutes. U.K. release title: "The JAMES BROTHERS".
SYNOPSIS: At the end of the Civil War, two brothers form a band of outlaws. But one of the brothers, Jesse, falls in love and decides to settle down in a town where no-one knows his real identity.
COMMENT: The script: Although the credit titles make no mention of the fact, what we have here is not so much the "true story" of the James boys, but yet another variation — wearisomely muddled, clumsily constructed and one-dimensionally characterized — of Alfred Noyes' famous poem, "The Highwayman". I don't mind the screenwriter using Noyes as his anonymous source, so long as keeps the story moving as smoothly and rapidly as Noyes does, with plenty of narrative suspense and character conflict, heightened by just the right balance between atmospheric setting and intriguingly realistic background details. Unfortunately, Mr. Newman is a poor hand at all of these vital requirements.
The acting: Admittedly, the script is no great shakes, but a good actor won't throw in the towel, no matter how inferior his material. A good actor will try to make something of it. Unfortunately, only one of the principals has made that attempt and she way overdoes it. Thank you, Agnes Moorehead. As for stolid Robert Wagner and equally juvenile Jeffrey Hunter, the most that can be said is that they seem to know their lines.
The directing: Mr. Ray has stated, "I was not interested in "The True Story of Jesse James." Thanks, Nick, neither are we.
P.S. The original Jesse James was Fox's biggest money-maker for 1939. Tyrone Power was Jesse, Henry Fonda played Frank, Nancy Kelly did Zee, under the direction of Henry King.
OTHER VIEWS: After an exciting pre-credit sequence showing a raid on a small Western bank and a man-hunt through a forest, the remainder of "The James Brothers" fails to sustain the promise and vitality of this beginning... The familiar saga seems to have aroused little real interest in its director. — Monthly Film Bulletin.
SYNOPSIS: At the end of the Civil War, two brothers form a band of outlaws. But one of the brothers, Jesse, falls in love and decides to settle down in a town where no-one knows his real identity.
COMMENT: The script: Although the credit titles make no mention of the fact, what we have here is not so much the "true story" of the James boys, but yet another variation — wearisomely muddled, clumsily constructed and one-dimensionally characterized — of Alfred Noyes' famous poem, "The Highwayman". I don't mind the screenwriter using Noyes as his anonymous source, so long as keeps the story moving as smoothly and rapidly as Noyes does, with plenty of narrative suspense and character conflict, heightened by just the right balance between atmospheric setting and intriguingly realistic background details. Unfortunately, Mr. Newman is a poor hand at all of these vital requirements.
The acting: Admittedly, the script is no great shakes, but a good actor won't throw in the towel, no matter how inferior his material. A good actor will try to make something of it. Unfortunately, only one of the principals has made that attempt and she way overdoes it. Thank you, Agnes Moorehead. As for stolid Robert Wagner and equally juvenile Jeffrey Hunter, the most that can be said is that they seem to know their lines.
The directing: Mr. Ray has stated, "I was not interested in "The True Story of Jesse James." Thanks, Nick, neither are we.
P.S. The original Jesse James was Fox's biggest money-maker for 1939. Tyrone Power was Jesse, Henry Fonda played Frank, Nancy Kelly did Zee, under the direction of Henry King.
OTHER VIEWS: After an exciting pre-credit sequence showing a raid on a small Western bank and a man-hunt through a forest, the remainder of "The James Brothers" fails to sustain the promise and vitality of this beginning... The familiar saga seems to have aroused little real interest in its director. — Monthly Film Bulletin.