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. ***. 

HIGH SCHOOL HERO

Freddie Stewart

HIGH SCHOOL HERO (1946). Director: Arthur Dreifuss. 

The third "Teen  Agers" film from Monogram features the old -- and I mean old -- high school gang up to assorted shenanigans at Whitney High amidst singing and dancing. Freddie's (Freddie Stewart) rival Jimmy (Jackie Moran) is now at Fairview High along with his buddy, Roy (Frankie Darro), and Jimmy is still trying to court Dodie (June Preisser). The only thing that will keep the Whitney football team from being trounced by Fairview is by secretly substituting Dodie for Lee (Warren Mills) during the games. When this subterfuge is discovered, the football team resorts to using dance moves to confound their opponents. In another development Freddie has been told that his show for the governor's appearance has been canceled in favor of professional entertainers. Dodie stupidly blames Freddie for this, but he has a plan. He nearly gets in hot water with sexy singer Chi Chi (Lita Baron), and Dodie's sister, Betty (Noel Neill) is on hand to report it all for the school paper. 

Lita Baron as Chi Chi

High School Hero is good-natured nonsense that features a good cast and some nice musical numbers. Freddie Stewart has quite a nice voice as well, and does a fine job crooning the ballad "You're Just What I Crave." Lita Baron scintillates during her nightclub act and has fun trying to vamp the innocent Freddie. Milton Kibbee and Belle Mitchell are back as Professor Townley and Miss Hinklefink, who has a crush on the professor, and Leonard Penn is cast as a psychology professor who ignites the romantic interest of Dodie's other sister, Addie (Anne Rooney). Just when you think the man couldn't possibly appear in yet another movie, Pierre Watkin shows up as the governor!

Verdict: Another amiable Monogram musical. **1/2.