Days of Jesse James (1939)

Directed by Joseph Kane and released by Republic Pictures, Days of Jesse James is a 63-minute B-Western that puts a surprising twist on the legend of the infamous outlaw. Rather than glorifying Jesse James and his gang, the film casts them in a more sympathetic light—suggesting that the real villains might be hiding behind banker’s suits and legal documents.

Plot Summary
Roy Rogers plays a singing cowboy who uncovers a plot involving corrupt bankers staging a robbery and blaming it on the James gang. As Roy investigates, he crosses paths with Jesse James (Don ‘Red’ Barry), Frank James (Harry J. Worth), and Cole Younger (Glenn Strange), who are portrayed not as ruthless criminals but as misunderstood men pushed into outlawry by injustice. With help from Gabby Whittaker (George ‘Gabby’ Hayes) and love interest Mary Whittaker (Pauline Moore), Roy sets out to clear the gang’s name and expose the real culprits.

Cast Highlights

• Roy Rogers as Roy Rogers
• George ‘Gabby’ Hayes as Gabby Whittaker
• Don ‘Red’ Barry as Jesse James
• Pauline Moore as Mary Whittaker
• Harry J. Worth as Frank James
• Glenn Strange as Cole Younger
• Dorothy Sebastian as Zerilda James
• Scotty Beckett as Buster Samuels
• Harry Woods, Arthur Loft, and Wade Boteler in supporting roles

Soundtrack Notes
Roy Rogers performs several songs written by Peter Tinturin, including:

• “I’m a Son of a Cowboy”
• “Saddle Your Dreams”
• “Echo Mountain”
  These musical interludes add charm and reinforce Rogers’ wholesome cowboy persona.

Behind-the-Scenes Trivia

• The film was released on December 20, 1939, just months after Jesse James (1939) starring Tyrone Power and Henry Fonda—making it part of a wave of Jesse James-themed films that year
• Unlike other portrayals, this version suggests the James gang were framed by corrupt officials, offering an early example of revisionist Western storytelling