IMDb RATING
6.4/10
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Outlaw T.J. "Jesse" James tries to kill insurance agent Milford Farnsworth, who has been mistaken for him in order to collect on a big policy.Outlaw T.J. "Jesse" James tries to kill insurance agent Milford Farnsworth, who has been mistaken for him in order to collect on a big policy.Outlaw T.J. "Jesse" James tries to kill insurance agent Milford Farnsworth, who has been mistaken for him in order to collect on a big policy.
Gloria Talbott
- Princess Irawanie
- (as Gloria Talbot)
Fred Kohler Jr.
- James Gang Member
- (as Fred Kohler)
Richard Alexander
- Jeremiah Cole
- (uncredited)
James Arness
- Marshal Matt Dillon
- (uncredited)
Al Bain
- Train Passenger
- (uncredited)
Eddie Baker
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
Oliver Blake
- Mortimer Hopelaw
- (uncredited)
Phil Bloom
- Train Passenger
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- GoofsAccording to the date on Queasley's telegram, the film takes place in 1880. Yet Milford and Cora Lee sing a song mentioning Grant's Tomb, even though former President Ulysses S. Grant didn't die until 1885, and his tomb in New York City wasn't built until many years after that. Also, Milford sees a young boy playing the piano, who tells him his name is Harry Truman. Truman wasn't born until 1884.
- Quotes
Titus Queasley: Farnsworth, what do you expect to achieve with such crass ineptitude, such utter incompetence, such colossal stupidity?
Milford Farnsworth: Well, I was hoping to become your assistant.
- Alternate versionsIn various literary sources (Citadel press' "The Films of Gary Cooper" for one), both Gene Autry and James Garner are quoted making cameo appearances in the film, but neither is to be found in the present US video version.
- ConnectionsReferenced in Bonanza: Alias Joe Cartwright (1964)
- SoundtracksAlias Jesse James
Lyrics by 'By' Dunham (as William D. Dunham)
Music by Marilyn Hooven and Joseph Hooven (as Joe Hooven)
Performed by Guy Mitchell
Featured review
Funny film with dated cameos.
Bob Hope plays his usual dimwitted cluck who in this film happens to be an insurance salesman. Only Hope, one step from being given the boot and desperate to sell a policy, would sell one to Jesse James. Jesse being the smart guy he is decides this has potentiality. He can fake his own death and lay low for a while with a nice nest egg. Bank robbery, train robbery, his usual line of work does have some risk attached to it. Now guess who the schnook he figures he'll bump off to be the dead Jesse James? Why its Hope come west to protect Jesse until the home office figures a way to cancel the policy.
I saw this in the movies way back when I was 12 years old and it first came out. As such I appreciated fully the significance of the cameo appearances of all those TV western stars. TV westerns were at their height at that time so anyone who saw this knew for instance that Ward Bond was Major Seth Adams of Wagon Train. Today, I wager, that viewers will recognize Bond as Bert the Cop from It's A Wonderful Life unless Wagon Train is being run on Hallmark at the time. Similarly Gail Davis as Annie Oakley or Hugh O'Brian as Wyatt Earp (a show I wish some cable channel would pick up). Nice gag, but dated now.
Nevertheless its a very funny picture with the lovely Rhonda Fleming as Jesse's girl and beneficiary until she falls for Hope. So many smart women keep falling for Hope the schnook in his films. Wendell Corey is a crafty Jesse James with Jim (Dallas) Davis as brother Frank. And of course the obligatory appearance by Bing Crosby.
I saw this in the movies way back when I was 12 years old and it first came out. As such I appreciated fully the significance of the cameo appearances of all those TV western stars. TV westerns were at their height at that time so anyone who saw this knew for instance that Ward Bond was Major Seth Adams of Wagon Train. Today, I wager, that viewers will recognize Bond as Bert the Cop from It's A Wonderful Life unless Wagon Train is being run on Hallmark at the time. Similarly Gail Davis as Annie Oakley or Hugh O'Brian as Wyatt Earp (a show I wish some cable channel would pick up). Nice gag, but dated now.
Nevertheless its a very funny picture with the lovely Rhonda Fleming as Jesse's girl and beneficiary until she falls for Hope. So many smart women keep falling for Hope the schnook in his films. Wendell Corey is a crafty Jesse James with Jim (Dallas) Davis as brother Frank. And of course the obligatory appearance by Bing Crosby.
helpful•291
- bkoganbing
- May 27, 2004
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Details
- Runtime1 hour 32 minutes
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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![Bob Hope and Rhonda Fleming in Alias Jesse James (1959)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMDllNDZkOTgtYmRmNS00YWM0LTgzODQtOWZjYWM0ODg2ODYyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMDI2NDg0NQ@@._V1_QL75_UX90_CR0,2,90,133_.jpg)