Alias Jesse James

Alias Jesse James is a 1959 American Western comedy film directed by Norman Z. McLeod and starring Bob Hope and Rhonda Fleming.[2][3] Based on a story by Robert St. Aubrey and Bert Lawrence, the film is about an outlaw who tries to kill an insurance agent who has been mistaken for him in order to collect on a big policy. Costumes by Edith Head.

Alias Jesse James
theatrical release poster
Directed byNorman Z. McLeod
Produced byJack Hope
Screenplay by
Story by
  • Robert St. Aubrey
  • Bert Lawrence
Starring
Music byJoseph J. Lilley (uncredited)
CinematographyLionel Lindon
Edited by
  • Jack Bachom
  • Marvin Coil
Production
company
Hope Enterprises
Distributed byUnited Artists
Release date
  • March 20, 1959 (1959-03-20) (US)
Running time
92 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$1.9 million (est. US/ Canada rentals)[1]

Plot

Milford Farnsworth (Hope) is a bumbling insurance agent who unknowingly sells a life insurance policy to the outlaw Jesse James (Wendell Corey). Farnsworth is sent out West to protect the insurance company's investment by "protecting" James.

James has his own plans to have Farnsworth killed while dressed as the outlaw, so that he and his soon to be "widow" Cora Lee Collins (Rhonda Fleming) can collect on the $100,000 insurance policy. Farnsworth avoids several attempts on his life while he and Collins fall in love with each other.

After the last attempt is made on his life, Farnsworth impersonates the justice of the peace who is supposed to marry James and Collins. When Farnsworth and Collins make a run for it, they end up in a gun battle with the James Gang where several Western heroes make their cameos to surreptitiously help Farnsworth. In the end Farnsworth is victorious, marries Collins, and becomes president of the insurance company.

Cast

Cameo appearances

The gunfight scene at the end of the film features a number of cameo appearances by movie and television personalities. Though none are identified by character name in the film, each actor is dressed to resemble the iconic western character he or she played, and they each speak dialogue that echoes their famous catchphrases or identifiable habits:

Following the theatrical release of the film, some later versions did not include all the cameos due to myriad legal problems with the rights, but Hope's clout at the time was so great that he managed to gather a dazzling array of screen cowboys for the original. The 2007 "MGM Movie Legends" DVD release of the film includes all of the cameos.

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See also

References
  1. "1959: Probable Domestic Take", Variety, 6 January 1960 p 34
  2. Variety film review; March 18, 1959, page 6.
  3. Harrison's Reports film review; March 21, 1959, page 46.
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