Legendary Outlaws, Vol. 2 (1950)

Actors: John Ireland, Ann Dvorak, Henry Hull, Hugh O'Brian, Reed Hadley, Clifton Young, Tommy Noonan, Don 'Red' Barry, Gaylord Pendleton, Robert Anderson, Robert Lowery - Return of Jesse James: Johnny is a spitting image of the real Jesse, unfortunately for him; he is mistaken for him by a grizzled old member of the now deceased James Gang. Johnny is convinced to lead a new gang to rob banks using the same infamous method as the famed outlaw. Jesse's brother Frank decides to put a stop to the defamation of his dead brother's name. Gunfire: The now reformed outlaw Frank James (Don Barry) is living quietly in Greed, Colorado as a respected member of the community. An exact double for Frank gathers a gang and begins a path of chaos that Frank is blamed for. Will Frank go back to his outlaw ways to save himself? DVD Bonus & Features: Scene Selection Menu, Bios, Promo Trailer Product Specs: DVD-9, Dolby Digital, NTSC/All Region, English Language

"The King of B-Westerns & Serials...VCI Entertainment ~ Legendary Outlaws Vol.2"

VCI Entertainment presents "Legendary Outlaws, Vol. 2" (The Return of Jesse James / Gunfire) (1950) --- (Dolby digitally remastered)....relive those thrilling days from the early '30s, '40s and '50s when western action took us down the dusty trails and the plains to exciting adventures....some of the best B-Westerns ever to grace the Saturday Matinee Screen...just remember double thrills, chills, mystery and suspense...hitting the bull's eye with excitement...don't miss any of the features loaded with top notch directors and actors that will leave you wanting more of their B-Western adventures, so pop some popcorn, sit back and enjoy the movie.

First up we have "The Return of Jesse James" (1950) (75 min - B/W)...under director Arthur Hilton, producer Carl K. Hittleman, screenplay by Jack Natteford, story by Carl K. Hittleman, music score by Ferde Grofé Sr ...the cast includes John Ireland (Johnny Callum), Ann Dvorak (Susan Ellen Younger), Henry Hull (Hank Younger), Hugh O'Brian (Lem Younger), Reed Hadley (Frank James), Clifton Young (Bob Ford), Margia Dean (Marge, saloon girl), Sid Melton (Saloon waiter-Piano player),Victor Kilian (Westfield Sheriff Rigby), Tommy Noonan (Charlie Ford), Byron Foulger (Rufe Dacon), Paul Maxey (Joseph 'Elmer' Galway), Sam Flint (The Jeweller), Norman Leavitt (Dr. Hallstrom), Barbara Woodell (Ann Woodson), Earle Hodgins (Mason County Sheriff), I. Stanford Jolley (Commissioner Morton) ----- our story gives John Ireland and Henry Hull something to sink their teeth into, good screenplay, excellent supporting cast and wonderful direction frm Arthur Hilton in one of the best Lippert Pictures ever to come out of Poverty Row ----- special footnote actor John Ireland appeared as Pvt."Windy" Craven the introspective letter-writing G.I. in the classic war epic "A Walk in the Sun" (1945) this was his first big break, "My Darling Clementine" (1946) as Billy Clanton, "Red River" (1948) as Cherry Valance, "I Shot Jesse James" (1949) as Bob Ford, Ireland was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role as the reporter Jack Burden in "All the King's Men" (1949), during the early 1950s Ireland was often in starring roles, as the emoting, brooding hero, and almost exclusively in "B" pictures, in the mid-'50s on he appeared mainly in Italian "quickie" features and showed up occasionally in supporting roles in major pictures "Spartacus" (1960) as Crixus, appeared in almost 200 films and various television appearances. ----- second special footnote, Ann Dvorak was the daughter of silent film star Anna Lehr, Dvorak entered films at the start of sound, as a dance instructor for the lavish MGM musicals. She came to international prominence in "Scarface"(1932) with Paul Muni, but often complained about the lack of quality of her films, that led to arguments with her bosses at Warners, other films were "Flame of the Barbary Coast" (1945) as Ann 'Flaxen' Tarry with John Wayne, "Abilene Town" (1946) as Rita with Randolph Scott, Dvorak appeared in over 80 films and various television appearances ----- another great B-Western under the Lippert Pictures banner.

BIOS:
1. John Ireland
Birth Date: 1/30/1914 - Vancouver British Columbia, Canada
Died: 3/21/1992 - Santa Barbara, California
2. Ann Dvorak (aka: Anna McKim)
Birth Date: 8/02/1912 - New York, New York
Died: 12/10/1979 - Honolulu, Hawaii,
3. Henry Hull (aka: Henry Vaughan)
Birth Date: 10/03/1890 - Louisville, Kentucky
Died: 3/08/1977 - Cornwall, England, UK
4. Hugh O'Brien (aka: Hugh Charles Krampe)
Birth Date: 4/19/1925 - Rochester, New York
Died: Still Living
5. Reed Hadley (aka: Reed Herring)
Birth Date: 6/25/1911 - Petrolia, Texas
Died: 12/11/1974 - Los Angeles, California
6. Arthur Hilton (Director)
Birth Date: 4/05/1897 - London, England UK
Died: 10/15/1979 - Sherman Oaks, California

BONUS FEATURES:
1. Photo Gallery
2. Trailers for "Custer's Last Stand" (1936), featuring Rex Lease, Lona Andre, William Farnum, Ruth Mix, Chief Thunder Cloud.

Second on the double bill is a "Gunfire" (1950) (59 min. B/W)....under director/producer William A. Berke, screenplay by Victor West, musical score by Albert Glasser ....the cast includes Don 'Red' Barry (Frank James and Bat Fenton), Robert Lowery (Sheriff John Kelly), Pamela Blake (Cynthy), Wally Vernon (Clem, Cynthy's Uncle), Claude Stroud (Jim Mundy, outlaw), Leonard Penn (Dan Simons, saloon owner), Steve Pendleton (Charlie Ford (as Gaylord Pendleton), Tommy Farrell (Lerner, Money-Wagon Driver), Dean Riesner (Outlaw Mack), Paul Jordan (Johnny James), Steve Conti (Matt Riley, outlaw), Roger Anderson (Bob Ford),
Gilbert Fallman (Bank President),William Bailey (2nd Sheriff),Barbara Woodell (Emily James), Kathleen Magginetti (Amy James) ----- our story has Don "Red" Barry who can be in two places at the same time swearing to never use his guns again...but is there someone out there impersonating him, will Marshal Robert Lowery believe and help him prove he's not pulling off all the lawlessness on the Lippert Picture lot ----- special footnote actor Don "Red" Barry was a college football star, went into acting on the stage then to Hollywood, played various henchmen and villains then got a big break as Red Ryder in the Republic Pictures serial "Adventures of Red Ryder" (1940). Although he had appeared in westerns for two years or so, this was the one that would keep him there. He would acquire the nickname "Red" from his association with the Red Ryder character. After the success of "Red Ryder" Barry starred in a string of westerns for Republic, "The Tulsa Kid" (1940), "Frontier Vengeance" (1940), "Texas Terrors" (1940), "The Phantom Cowboy" (1941), "The Apache Kid" (1941), "Arizona Terrors" (1942), "The Sombrero Kid" (1942), "Carson City Cyclone" (1943), Studio chief Herbert J. Yates got the idea that Barry could be Republic's version of James Cagney, as he was short and had the same scrappy, feisty nature that Cagney had, Barry could in fact be a good actor when he wanted to be--as he showed in the WW II drama "The Purple Heart" (1944), then came "I Shot Billy the Kid" (1950), "Jesse James' Women" (1954), "I'll Cry Tomorrow" (1955)...appeared in over 225 films and various television series right up until his death in 1980 ----- there's a great deal of entertainment here for all the film noir fans out there...all courtesy of VCI Entertainment, who in my humble opinion is the best there is in restoring early serials and features like this one.

BIOS:
1. Don Barry (aka: Donald Barry De Acosta)
Birth Date: 1/11/1912 - Houston Texas
Died: 7/17/1980 - Hollywood, California
2. Robert Lowery (aka: Robert Larkin Hanks)
Birth Date: 10/17/1913 - Kansas City, Missouri
Died: 12/26/1971 - Hollywood, California
3. William A. Berke (Director)
Birth Date: 10/03/1903 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Died: 2/15/1958 - Los Angeles, California

Own this and others now on DVD....if you crave action, drama and plenty of adventure then this is the place for all of the above...if you enjoyed this collection check out two other releases from VCI Entertainment presents "Legendary Outlaws, Vol. 1", "The Great Jesse James Raid" (1953), featuring Willard Parker, Barbara Payton, Tom Neal, Wallace Ford, Jim Bannon, Barbara Woodell and Richard Cutting and on the second bill "Renegade Girl " (1946) featuring Ann Savage, Alan Curtis, Edward Brophy, Russell Wade, Jack Holt, Claudia Drake, Ray Corrigan, Chief Thunder Cloud...the story lines are excellent with outstanding action scenes and production with over an hours worth of entertainment

Great job by VCI Entertainment for releasing "Legendary Outlaws, Vol. 2" (The Return of Jesse James / Gunfire) (1950), digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward to more of the same from the '40s and '50s vintage...order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment, stay tuned once again with riding the range with B-Westerns that only VCI Entertainment (King of the Serials) can deliver...just the way we like 'em!

Total Time: 134 mins on DVD ~ VCIV545DVD ~ (5/30/2006) June 16, 2006

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