The Return of Frank James (1940)

Director:

Fritz Lang

Writer:

Sam Hellman (original screenplay)

Release Date:

16 August 1940 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

Frank James continues to avoid arrest in order to take revenge on the Ford brothers for their murder of his brother Jesse.

Plot Keywords:

Frank James | Farm | Reporter | Charlie Ford | Revenge

Cast

Henry Fonda	...	Frank James (aka Ben Woodson)
Gene Tierney	...	Eleanor Stone
Jackie Cooper	...	Clem (aka Tom Grayson)
Henry Hull	...	Major Rufus Cobb
John Carradine	...	Bob Ford
J. Edward Bromberg	...	George Runyan
Donald Meek	...	McCoy
Eddie Collins	...	Station Agent (at Eldora)
George Barbier	...	Judge
Russell Hicks	...	Prosecutor
Ernest Whitman	...	Pinky
Charles Tannen	...	Charlie Ford
Lloyd Corrigan	...	Randolph Stone
Victor Kilian	...	Preacher
Edward McWade	...	Colonel Jackson

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

UK:A (original rating) (passed with cuts) | UK:U (tv rating) | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:U (video rating) (cut) | USA:Approved (PCA #6330)

Filming Locations:

Bishop, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The original treatment had Frank romantically interested in the reporter played by Gene Tierney, but the studio became fearful of a possible lawsuit by Frank's widow and/or son, so it was eliminated from the script.

Quotes:

Maj. Rufus Cobb: Now read it back to me, Roy.
Roy: "If we are ever going to have law and order in this part of the country, we got to take vipers like those Fords and that slimy railroad detective Runyon and shoot 'em down like dogs."

Movie Connections:

Features Jesse James (1939)

Good Sequel

Return of Frank James, The (1940)

*** (out of 4)

Fritz Lang directed this sequel to Jesse James, which picks up right after the Ford Brothers shot Jesse in the back. Hearing that the brothers got off with murder, Frank (Henry Fonda) comes out of retirement to seek revenge. This film isn't quite as good as the original but it's still a very worthy follow up with strong direction and some really good performances. Fonda is good as usual but it's Henry Hull who steals the show as the grumpy newspaper owner. John Carradine, Gene Tierney and Jackie Cooper are all equally impressive. The ending is terrific but I personally thought the courtroom scene went a little too over the top in the comedy.