Jesse James' Women

A couple of southern theatre exhibitors decided they could make a western (or, in this case, a Southeastern) just as bad as the worse of those coming from Hollywood and proceeded to prove they could be not only as bad, they could be much worse. They ensured their success at obtaining this goal by hiring Don Barry as the director. Barry was the best choice, as only the egotistical-and-sad Barry could direct (or believe) a film in which he starred as a lady-killer whose charms women could not resist.(The Susan Hayward real-life swimming-pool incident not withstanding.) Jesse James (Don Barry), leaves Missouri for Mississippi, and immediately charms all the women in the cast out of their bloomers and garters, even though three of them towered over him. His first conquest is the banker's daughter who helps him loot the bank in exchange for a promise of marriage; he wanders over to the saloon and runs the crooked partner of the proprietress out of town, takes all of his-and-her money and leaves her, between kisses, hounding him for her share; the third one, the saloon singer, actually makes a mark out of him as she cons him into a boxing match against a professional fighter and he loses the fight and his money, but he holds the singer and the fighter up as they leave town and gets his money back; and then he romances and swindles Cattle Kate, a replay of what he had done somewhere before to Kate and the "gotcha-again" Kate even ends up behind bars. But no film that contains a cat-fight between Peggie Castle and Lita Baron can be called a complete waste of time

Donald Barry stars in, co-wrote, co-produced, directed and probably did the catering, landscaping and janitorial work on this cheesy, badly shot, ineptly written, amateurishly acted and poorly made low-budget-- VERY low-budget--western purporting to be about infamous western outlaw Jesse James. If you're going to make a movie about a real person, it would probably help if you stuck at least a few actual facts in it, and that's what you get in this stinker--few actual facts. Other than showing that Jesse had a brother Frank and that he and fellow outlaw Bob Ford didn't get along, there isn't much about this movie that has any basis in fact. The short and paunchy Barry wrote Jesse as being completely irresistible to women--and makes sure that his henchmen mention that fact every so often--and plays him like a Vegas lounge-lizard in the vein of Wayne Newton (but even smarmier) who has scads of beautiful women just throwing themselves at him. To give Barry credit he did pick some absolutely gorgeous women like Peggie Castle, Lita Baron and Joyce Barrett to fight over him, but whatever efforts they try to make at giving this film some kind of professional touch are ruined by the juvenile and pedestrian script and Barry's completely botched attempt at directing. He smirks his way through the picture and doesn't really have much chemistry with his cast, most of whom are amateurs whose "performances" consist of haltingly reciting their lines and trying to stay on their marks (a few of them even have trouble trying to stay on their horses). The whole project reeks of someone getting a little money together and telling his friends, "Let's make a movie!". Castle and Betty Brueck have a rather long catfight in a saloon, which is actually done fairly well, and there's a sequence with Barry engaged in a boxing match with a traveling prizefighter that is handled tongue-in-cheek and is mildly amusing, but other than those small pluses Barry, Castle (who is far and away the best thing about this picture) and Baron have done far better work, and I wouldn't doubt that at least those two women didn't bring up this picture in any discussion of their careers, as well they shouldn't have.

Al Hillman is Champ O'Toole, not Clem Botts the Sheriff. Please check credits on film. Al Hillman died in 1965 at age 42 from cancer. In his memory, please correct the misprint on the IMDb profile. He did not play the role of the sheriff, but was the colorful boxer, Champ O'Toole, and this can be verified by the credits on the film itself. I found the movie to be fun and full of mischief. The Mississippi setting gives the film an authentic feel for the nature of the far from plush lifestyle of outlaws on the run. The female stars are vivacious and did not mind letting go of their vanity for a little cat fight, which in the 1950's was brazen!

1954? Crazy funny and would be rated R today for all the nutty borderline sexuality! Hilarious cat fights and low-budget drama.

Really surprised me. Enjoyed it for the extra cheese!!! The dance scenes and songs were especially tease-oriented and entertaining.

It was more of a sex comedy than a western and was well edited.

Jesse the player was often caught in his own web, and it was hilarious to see the cowboys betting on the girl fights.

All in all the film was shockingly B fun.

It delivered a silly sexy romp and really, what else can you expect? There were also some weird and experimental camera shots which added to the fun.

Will watch again!

If Jesse James had not been shot by Bob Ford according to Jesse James' Women some enraged husband might have done the deed. This film is an account of a fictional hiatus that Jesse James and his gang have in the state of Mississippi. Jesse is using his middle name of Woodson and traveling incognito as it were.

The rest of the gang including brother Frank played here by Jack Beutel just want Jesse either go home to Missouri or start doing what outlaws do. But Jesse who is presented here as a love 'em and leave 'em Lothario is just having too much fun.

Actually in real life the one thing you can say about Jesse James was that he was a good husband and father to his family. Star Don Barry who also produced this film created his Jesse James totally out of whole cloth. This one is total fiction.

But what fiction when you have women like Peggie Castle, Lita Baron, and Judith Barrett fighting over you. Castle and Baron having a gunfight like they do in Dodge City is a great old hoot.

Don Barry and Bob Steele had similar career paths. Both were short guys who were both B picture heroes and villains and both played good roles in mainstream films as well. With the right breaks they could have had careers like James Cagney.

Jesse James' Women could use some restoration, but it's a fun film.