The True Story of Jesse James (1957) on Netflix
Approved19571h 32mBiographyCrimeDrama
Jesse James fought for the Confederacy, and he and his brother Frank want a farm in Missouri. Union sympathizers harass them, so they gather a gang and rob trains.
- Netflix3.8/5
- IMDb6.2/101,896 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes88%
Trailer
Plot summary
Jesse James and Frank James fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War. They want to settle on a farm in Missouri, but Union sympathizers in the state harass them. The brothers gather a gang of outlaws and rob trains, and the holdups make the gang folk heroes. Jesse marries Zee, his sweetheart, and the two keep up a settled household. Investigators from the Remington Detective Agency search for Jesse, and a reward of $30,000 is offered.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about The True Story of Jesse James (1957)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- It is speculated that had James Dean not died in a car crash before production began, he would have starred as Jesse James in this film. In his place, director Nicholas Ray hoped to cast Elvis Presley, who had just completed his first film, Love Me Tender.
- Nicholas Ray shot The True Story of Jesse James in CinemaScope in 1956, and stock footage used on the earlier James film that inspired this one was reused and reconfigured for the widescreen process.
