Review of I Shot Jesse James (1949) by Steve W — 02 May 2013

Samuel Fuller's debut isn't as strong as his other films, but there are some moments of nuance and brilliance and nuance among the basic tropes of the times. The bar scene in which Ford asks the musician to play the song that tears into him, the infamous bathtub scene, and the reenactment of the famous shooting on stage are all amazing scenes.

However, the movie seems to lose steam throughout and the second half is just a basic western love triangle. The acting is solid and the story is okay, but ultimately the smaller parts of the movie work better than a whole package.