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The Return of Frank James

Play trailer Poster for The Return of Frank James 1940,  1h 32m,  Western/ Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist 71% 7 Reviews Tomatometer 47% 250+ Ratings Popcornmeter
71% Tomatometer 7 Reviews 47% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
When Jesse James's murderers are set free, his brother Frank vows revenge and, accompanied by his gang, sets out to track them down. To fund his manhunt, he robs an express office and is subsequently wrongly accused of the clerk's murder, but a newspaper reporter is determined to find out the truth.

Critics Reviews

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Joshua Polanski Midwest Film Journal Sep 6, 2024
I did not enjoy watching The Return of Frank James and I suspect you won’t either. The colors look good, Fonda’s not bad and the courtroom stuff is a great change of pace, but the filmmaking is only competent. Go to Full Review
Tim Brayton Antagony & Ecstasy Jun 4, 2014
7/10
As a snapshot of what mindless popcorn cinema looked like in 1940, it's a flattering example, still watchable and breezy even if it's not remotely challenging on any level. Go to Full Review
Fernando F. Croce CinePassion Sep 25, 2009
The abstruse stylization of Rancho Notorious is still a decade away, though the frontier is already a severe plain enlivened by intimations of hellfire Go to Full Review
Steve Crum Video-Reviewmaster.com Jun 21, 2008
5/5
Fine Fritz Lang telling of Frank James (Fonda) in sequel to Jesse James. Go to Full Review
Michael W. Phillips, Jr. Goatdog's Movies Feb 29, 2008
2/5
Jeffrey M. Anderson Combustible Celluloid Mar 22, 2007
Gets by with its remarkable photography (an early attempt at color for Lang), crisp action sequences and breezy storytelling. Go to Full Review
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The Return of Frank James

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Cast & Crew

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Fritz Lang

Director

Henry Fonda

Frank James

Gene Tierney

Eleanor Stone

Jackie Cooper

Clem

Henry Hull

Major Rufus Cobb

John Carradine

Bob Ford

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The Return of Frank James

The Return of Frank James (1940) The Return of Frank James (1940) The Return of Frank James (1940) The Return of Frank James (1940) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis When Jesse James's murderers are set free, his brother Frank vows revenge and, accompanied by his gang, sets out to track them down. To fund his manhunt, he robs an express office and is subsequently wrongly accused of the clerk's murder, but a newspaper reporter is determined to find out the truth.
Director
Fritz Lang
Producer
Darryl F Zanuck
Screenwriter
Sam Hellman
Distributor
20th Century Fox
Production Co
Twentieth Century Fox
Genre
Western, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 16, 1940, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 1, 2012
Runtime
1h 32m
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