Maverick director Samuel Fuller made his directorial debut with the B-movie western “I Shot Jesse James” (1949). This black & white, 81-minute oater opens during a daylight bank robbery. A bearded Jesse James (Reed Hadley of “The St. Valentine's Day Massacre”) and his accomplices have the bank president and his employees at gunpoint. Nevertheless, Jesse cannot see is the president edging his foot closer to an alarm bell in the floor. The tension builds as a cashier stuffs money into a set of saddle bags. The manager grinds the alarm mechanism underfoot. The alarm goes off, and Jesse and his gang flee. One of Jesse’s minions, Bob Ford (John Ireland of “Red River”), scrambles out of the bank with the loot in those saddle bags. Gunshots ring out as the gang gallops out of town. Bob takes a bullet in the back and drops the saddle bags in the road. Jesse and his gang hightail it out of town. The infamous outlaw rushes to keep Bob from falling out of the saddle as the gang storms out of town.
Several months later, Bob splashes buckets of steaming water over Jesse’s back as the outlaw legend as he bathes. Bob spots a brand, spanking new, nickel-plated, Colt’s .45 revolver on a nearby stool. Picking it up and admires it, Bob is surprised when Jesse tells him the revolver is a gift to Bob, a reward for the latter’s loyalty. Meanwhile, Jesse’s wife, Zee (Barbara Wooddell of “The Great Jesse James Raid”), complains to Jesse about Bob and his younger brother, Charlie (Tommy Noonan of “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”), who are hiding out with them. Jesse masquerades as an honest rancher under the alias of Tom Howard. He has managed to live in quiet anonymity in Missouri, while conducting his bank robberies in other states. Jesse shares his paranoid nature with Bob when he tells Bob that everybody wants to collect the $10-thousand bounty on his head. According to Jesse, a man must choose his friends with discretion.
Jesse has no idea how desperate Bob is to wed an old flame, Cynthy Waters (Barbara Britton of “Dragonfly Squadron”), who has been on tour, warbling songs for a roadshow company. No sooner does Bob learn about Cynthy being in a nearby town than he lights out to see her and propose marriage. Cynthy rejects Bob’s offer. She insists she can neither live on the run nor hide out from the law while Bob gallivants out of Missouri with Jesse and Frank James. Not only does Bob vow to hang up his six-gun, but he also plans to resume farming if Cynthy will marry him. Bob’s trouble is he has very little cash, so Cynthy--much as she loves Bob—turns down his marriage proposal. Bob’s obsession with Cynthy creates more problems than he imagined. Another man, John Kelly (Preston Foster of “Montana Territory”), approaches Cynthy with a business proposition. He wants to invest in Cynthy’s song and dance routine. When he catches Kelly in Cynthy’s room, Bob smolders with jealous rage.
Later, at the Howard ranch, Charlie is reading a newspaper article aloud about amnesty for anybody who kills or captures Jesse James and turns him over to the law. While Charlie reads the article, Bob imagines what he could do with the $10 thousand and the amnesty. Initially, he decides to buy a wedding ring for Cynthy, marry her, and settle down with the ten grand to live a quiet farmer’s life. Without further ado, Bob brandishes the Colt’s .45 with pearl handles that Jesse gave him and shoots the outlaw in the back while he struggles to adjust a picture on a wall. Eventually, Bob learns all of his best laid plans are compromised. Although he lands amnesty, Bob gets only $500 instead of the $1o thousand. Of course, Cynthy is appalled by Bob’s treachery. Although the law cannot touch him, Bob is shocked that some deranged souls want to kill him because Bob had killed Jesse. No matter where he rides, Bob encounters either contempt at his cowardice or men itching to slap leather so they can brag they have killed Jesse James’ murderer.
In “I Shot Jesse James,” Samuel Fuller shows more sympathy for Bob Ford than the eponymous outlaw. Fuller suffered no illusions about Jesse’s notoriety. He regarded Jesse as nothing less than a murdering coyote. Incidentally, Fuller doesn’t beat around the bush. He has Bob Ford bushwhack Jesse early in the film. Afterward, Bob goes prospecting in Crede, Colorado. Bob and Kelly’s paths cross again. They share a hotel room. Bob awakens the next morning and discovers to his anger that the ring he bought for Cynthy has been stolen. He accuses Kelly of the thief. However, Kelly clears himself and brings the thieving hotel clerk (Byron Foulger of “Ride the High Country”) to confess he stole Bob’s ring. By now, Cynthy fears Bob and wants to flee. However, Bob’s days are numbered when he tangles with Kelly who has pinned on a town marshal’s badge. Fuller directs with a fast, efficient hand and doesn’t let this outlaw saga wear out its welcome.
