Kansas Raiders (1950)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Ray Enright

Writer:

Robert L. Richards (story)

Release Date:

20 November 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Western

Tagline:

THE FURIOUS, FIGHTING STORY OF QUANTRILL'S GUERILLAS! (original print ad - all caps)

Plot:

Outraged by Redleg atrocities, the James and Younger Brothers along with Kit Dalton join Quantrill's Raiders and find themselves participating in even worse war crimes.

Plot Keywords:

Outlaw | Jesse James | War Crimes | Atrocity | Oath

Cast

Audie Murphy	...	Jesse James
Brian Donlevy	...	William Clarke Quantrill
Marguerite Chapman	...	Kate Clarke
Scott Brady	...	Bill Anderson
Tony Curtis	...	Kit Dalton
Richard Arlen	...	Union captain
Richard Long	...	Frank James
James Best	...	Cole Younger
John Kellogg	...	Red Leg leader
Dewey Martin	...	James Younger
George Chandler	...	Willie
Charles Delaney	...	Pell
Richard Egan	...	First lieutenant
David Wolfe	...	Rudolph Tate (as Dave Wolfe)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Helen Gibson	...	Bit Role
Jennings Miles	...	Bit Role

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

West Germany:12 (nf) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #14762) | UK:PG (re-rating) | UK:A (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Garner Valley, California, USA

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Goofs:

Factual errors: Although brother Frank did join Quantrill, there is no evidence that Jesse, less than 16 at the time, ever joined the guerrilla raiders in Kansas.

Quotes:

Cole Younger: Like my old pappy used to say, 'A hog that straddles a fence ain't likely to wind up no place.

Fast Moving Western!

"Kansas Raiders" was another of those fast moving little 80 minute westerns turned out by Universal. As was their custom, they liked to cast many of their up and coming young actors in various roles. This one is no exception.

The story takes place during the Civil War where five young riders, Jesse James (Audie Murphy), Frank James (Richard Long), Kit Dalton (Tony Curtis), Cole Younger (James Best) and James Younger (Dewey Martin), are looking to join up with Quantrill's Raiders.

They ride into Quanrill's camp and enlist in his service. Quantrill (Brian Donlevy) takes a shine to young Jesse, who in turn has an eye for Quantrill's woman, Kate Clarke (Margeurite Chapman). After Jesse kills Tate (David Wolfe), one of Quantrill's lieutenants in a knife fight, he is elevated to Tate's position. Jesse learns that Quantrill's other lieutenant, the brutal "Bloody Bill" Anderson (Scott Brady) kills without provocation.

The boys go on raids with the Raiders and Jesse sees the senseless brutality and killing of innocent people. He begins to have second thoughts. After the pillaging of Lawrence Kansas, the gang is pursued relentlessly and they decide to desert Quantrill. However Jesse and the boys remain loyal until.........................................

Murphy, Curtis, Brady, Long, Best and Martin all went on to varying degrees of success in the coming years. Donlevy had a long and successful career playing classy villains. Chapman here, looks too old for the boyish looking Murphy. This was Murphy's second film and he carries most of the picture. Richard Arlen and a young Richard Egan also appear as Union cavalry officers.

Director Ray Enright keeps the story moving and the raid sequences are particularly well done. The "glorious" Technicolor photography is equally stunning.

Audie Murphy, the most decorated US soldier in WWII, would make a career out of these fast paced little oaters over the next 15 years.