The relentless expansion of the railroad pushes westward, forcing people off their land as it goes. When the mother of Jesse and Frank James is victimized by a ruthless landowner called "Barshee" (Brian Donlevy), the brothers begin a campaign against the railway company. Following a familiar Robin Hood formula, Tyrone Power and Henry Fonda target the trains, but with a specific code: they avoid injuring anyone or tak…

The film's visuals are striking thanks to Technicolor, though it does feel slower as time passes. Nunnally Johnson’s script chooses myth over reality, portraying Jesse James (Tyrone Power) and Frank James (Henry Fonda) as uncomplicated rural people. Representatives of the railroad are shown using intimidation to acquire land at reduced prices. Jesse and Frank turn to robbery—stealing from trains and banks—becau…

This is a special movie with a special cast—just don’t go into it expecting a documentary. The story unfolds during the era when railroads were first appearing, and they were buying up farmland for next to nothing, sometimes using intimidation to get landowners to sign over their property. When one particularly unpleasant railroad agent tried pressuring Jesse James's mother, he got more than he anticipated. Throug…