Catangro
After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.
Neive Bellamy
Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.
Lidia Draper
Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.
bigverybadtom
The movie starts with the government (I assume) offering land for $3 per acre to people who must improve said land-and then a railroad moves in and takes over the land. The settlers turn to the courts, but the railroad wins the court battle, with the lawyer promising to appeal.Jesse James comes to town-or is he a lookalike gambler, wearing the same clothes? Two female reporters have also come in from St. Louis, hoping to get the scoop on Jesse James, the hero for the underdog (or so this film claims). A railroad official hires the gambler to commit crimes to discredit Jesse James, and the story turns to a mix of confusion. In a shootout, who gets killed, James, or the gambler? Unfortunately the movie fails as history (Jesse James was no hero), or as entertainment-we cannot tell who the good guys or the bad guys are. Even the romance at the end is unconvincing. Despite the all-star cast, the movie is a dud.
wes-connors
Roy Rogers stars as Jesse James and his look-alike, gambler man Clint Burns. George "Gabby" Hayes is Mr. Rogers's ex-pal, Sheriff Gabby. Gale Storm (Jane Fillmore) and Sally Payne (Polly Morgan) are a noteworthy team, as two reporters on the lookout for stories about the elusive outlaw hero.Of course, mistaken identity / impersonation is a plot development, since Rogers essays a "dual role". Rogers is charming, as usual; but, there is nothing really elevating this his performance above the ordinary - any potential to deliver a memorable Jekyll/Hyde performance is done in by poor material. The better pair to watch are Ms. Storm and Ms. Paye as the St. Louis Journal reporters - they are the film's highlight. The songs are fine, though badly synched. *** Jesse James at Bay (1941) Joseph Kane ~ Roy Rogers, George 'Gabby' Hayes, Gale Storm
Snow Leopard
This different (and improbable) take on the Jesse James legend makes for pretty good light entertainment. Having Roy Rogers in the lead certainly alters the tone considerably, but he carries it off all right. Gabby Hayes and Gale Storm also help out. The story has an angle on James that probably bears little relation to fact, but it's rather creative, and it makes for a plot that moves quickly and holds your attention. As one of Rogers' earlier films, the emphasis is on action, and there is plenty of it. Not a movie to take seriously, but one that makes for an enjoyable hour of viewing.
Ron Baker
Roy plays a dual role in this classic western. He plays both Jesse James and the identical bad-guy Clint burns. The case of mistaken identity causes some problems for Jesse as he gets put in jail, then accused of burning down Gabby's house. Gale plays a newspaper reporter who is trying to get the scoop on Jesse. Together she and Roy capture the James Gang. This film may not be historically accurate, but it is great fun and a must-see if you're a Roy Rogers fan or a Gale Storm fan. (Gale steals the picture from Roy).
