More recruits for the butcher brigade! Kansas Raiders was directed by Ray Enright and written by Robert Richards. The film stars Audie Murphy, Brian Donlevy, Marguerite Chapman, James Best, Scott Brady and Tony Curtis. It's a Technicolor production, with music composed by Milton Rosen and cinematography by Irving Glassberg. The story follows the James and Younger Brothers along with Kit Dalton as they join Quantrill's Raiders after witnessing what they believe to be Redleg atrocities. However, these men discover that they are participating in equally terrible war crimes—something that deeply affects young Jesse James. It’s a very fanciful account of a bitter and sad period in American history. The facts of the era and its characters are discarded in favor of creating an exciting Western from the 1950s. Anyone hoping for a serious, historically accurate portrayal of William Quantrill's Raiders will be disappointed—a sentiment that’s evident in many negative reviews online. However, when considered purely as entertainment, it scores well for casual Western fans because gunfights, knife fights and stand-offs keep things lively. The ominous black flag of Quantrill. Narratively, the film has enough substance to get its point across; we are left with no doubt about the "atrocity exhibition" carried out by Quantrill’s Raiders. There's also a compelling subplot concerning the corruption of youth. It’s certainly not accurate historically, but it doesn’t shy away from the subject matter. After all, this is a 1950s production and at least the filmmakers make sure we understand the nature of the crimes committed by certain groups during the Civil War. In fact, several scenes leave a lasting impression, and from an action perspective, the "sacking of Lawrence" is well-constructed and impactful. The film offers good value in terms of production quality; Glassberg’s Technicolor photography is beautiful, not just for the Garner Valley and Kanab locations, but also because it highlights the quality of the set decoration (Russell A. Gausman/Ruby R. Levitt) and Bill Thomas' costumes. The cast performs adequately, although no one stands out significantly. Donlevy is clearly the best actor on screen, but as Quantrill, he relies solely on his presence; a more overt sense of villainy would have been welcome. Brady provides that missing element as Bill Anderson. Murphy captures the youthful exuberance and bravery of young Jesse James well, while Curtis is enjoyable within the group dynamic. Marguerite Chapman (Coroner Creek) plays Kate Clarke (Quantrill’s girl), facing the challenge of being the only female character in the film. Although she appears older than her historical counterpart (and comes across as a bit too mature due to the writer's creative license), she does a good job portraying a sexy and wise woman in her scenes with Murphy’s young Jesse James. Overall, aside from the historical inaccuracies, this is a solid Western that started the decade on a positive note for Audie Murphy’s entry into the genre. 7/10

Source on TMDB