There's an on screen narrative at the start of the picture that states that this is an alternate legend of Jesse James, citing the historical accuracy of his being gunned down by one of his own gang. The version offered here avows that it's possibility has been 'vouched for by many old-timers'.
Roys Rogers (my favorite movie and TV cowboy by the way) not only portrays a historical figure here, but also has a dual role as the infamous Jesse James and a character that resembles the outlaw going by Clint Burns. Interestingly, the character Clint is hired by crooked land dealer Phineas Krager (Pierre Watkin) to impersonate Jesse, while Jesse later impersonates Clint Burns after a fatal shoot-out for Burns. It probably sounds more complicated than it actually is, so you'll just have to check it out for yourself.
Gale Storm fans, who remember her from the early Fifties TV series 'My Little Margie", might be surprised to see that she turns up here as a newspaper reporter from the St. Louis Journal doing a story on Jesse James. Actually, she was in a couple more flicks with Roy and Gabby Hayes during this time frame, 1941's "Red River Valley" and "Man From Cheyenne" the following year. She's teamed up with fellow reporter Sally Payne, a regular in Roy's early films from Republic.
It wasn't until near the end of the picture that I made a mental note to go back and check something out. Roy Rogers rides his (almost) equally famous horse Trigger BOTH as Jesse James and Clint Burns. This is most evident in an early scene when the outlaws hired by Krager raid Sheriff Gabby Whitaker's ranch led by Clint Burns. Clint arrives and leaves aboard Trigger, and as Jesse arrives on the scene shortly after, he's also riding Trigger! And what are the odds that Clint and Jesse would be wearing the exact same outfits? Probably as good as Roy portraying two different characters in 1942's "Sunset on the Desert" doing the same thing. I wonder what movie audiences of the Forties thought about this coincidence.
If you're expecting a handful of tunes from Roy as usual you might be disappointed here. There's only one when Roy serenades Gale Storm while horseback riding through the countryside. It must have done the trick because at the end of the story, Gale's character decides to hand her newspaper story over to partner Polly Morgan (Payne) to ride off into the proverbial sunset with Roy, ...er Jesse, ...er whoever.
Roys Rogers (my favorite movie and TV cowboy by the way) not only portrays a historical figure here, but also has a dual role as the infamous Jesse James and a character that resembles the outlaw going by Clint Burns. Interestingly, the character Clint is hired by crooked land dealer Phineas Krager (Pierre Watkin) to impersonate Jesse, while Jesse later impersonates Clint Burns after a fatal shoot-out for Burns. It probably sounds more complicated than it actually is, so you'll just have to check it out for yourself.
Gale Storm fans, who remember her from the early Fifties TV series 'My Little Margie", might be surprised to see that she turns up here as a newspaper reporter from the St. Louis Journal doing a story on Jesse James. Actually, she was in a couple more flicks with Roy and Gabby Hayes during this time frame, 1941's "Red River Valley" and "Man From Cheyenne" the following year. She's teamed up with fellow reporter Sally Payne, a regular in Roy's early films from Republic.
It wasn't until near the end of the picture that I made a mental note to go back and check something out. Roy Rogers rides his (almost) equally famous horse Trigger BOTH as Jesse James and Clint Burns. This is most evident in an early scene when the outlaws hired by Krager raid Sheriff Gabby Whitaker's ranch led by Clint Burns. Clint arrives and leaves aboard Trigger, and as Jesse arrives on the scene shortly after, he's also riding Trigger! And what are the odds that Clint and Jesse would be wearing the exact same outfits? Probably as good as Roy portraying two different characters in 1942's "Sunset on the Desert" doing the same thing. I wonder what movie audiences of the Forties thought about this coincidence.
If you're expecting a handful of tunes from Roy as usual you might be disappointed here. There's only one when Roy serenades Gale Storm while horseback riding through the countryside. It must have done the trick because at the end of the story, Gale's character decides to hand her newspaper story over to partner Polly Morgan (Payne) to ride off into the proverbial sunset with Roy, ...er Jesse, ...er whoever.