JESSE JAMES' WOMEN

Don "Red" Barry

JESSE JAMES' WOMEN (1954). Director: Don Barry. 

Jesse James (Don 'Red" Barry) and his gang are hiding out in a small western community where Jesse calls himself Mr. Woodsen. Jesse has an amazing ability to charm the ladies, but he also fleeces and cheats on them with abandon. This time he's juggling several gals: Waco Gans (Peggie Castle of Beginning of the End), who co-owns a saloon; the sexy singer, Delta (Lita Baron of High School Hero); Cattle Kate Kennedy (Betty Brueck), who wants money for her herd but may have a hard time keeping it away from Jesse; and Caprice Clark (Joyce Barrett), the daughter of the banker whose establishment Jesse robs with her complicity. While his brothers and fellow gang members argue with him and amongst themselves, Jesse may have trouble keeping all the ladies from killing each other and himself. 

Lita Baron, Barry, Peggie Castle

Jesse James' Women is actually a fun movie if you don't take it seriously. It borders on the edges of comedy and occasionally steps over, but that's perfectly okay in a movie of this nature. Barry doesn't exactly look like a lover boy, but he's fine in the role, and Peggie Castle makes her mark as the tough saloon gal who doesn't want any other women encroaching into her territory. Michael Carr and Jack Buetel score as, respectively, gang members Bob Ford and Frank James. An interesting aspect of the film is the fact that the protracted fight scene between Waco and Delta, which rivals the one in Destry, is longer than any of the fights between the guys. Waco and Cattle Kate even have a gun dual -- however, brief -- which is something the men never do. Lita Baron warbles a couple of tunes, including "Careless Love" by George Antheil!

Verdict: Surprisingly flavorful comedy-western-musical. ***.