The Return of Frank James is a 1940 American Western film directed by Fritz Lang and starring Henry Fonda and Gene Tierney. It is a sequel to Henry King's 1939 film Jesse James. Written by Sam Hellman, the film loosely follows the life of Frank James following the death of his outlaw brother, Jesse James, at the hands of the Ford brothers. The supporting cast features Jackie Cooper, Henry Hull, John Carradine, and Charles Tannen.
Frank James (Fonda) has been laying low, farming and taking care of Clem, the son a James gang member. He gets word that Bob and Charlie Ford killed his brother Jesse, and hopes that the law will deal with them. Then he learns that, thanks to the railroad boss, the Ford brothers received full pardons and the reward money, so he goes after them. Clem goes with him (after being told to stay on the farm).
Frank and Clem assume aliases and spread a rumor that Frank James was killed in Mexico. Eleanor Stone, a female reporter, wants to write about it and interviews them. Frank and Eleanor are taken with each other, but eventually she learns who Frank is from the Pinkerton detective who is tracking him. When Frank learns that Pinky, his farm hand, has been convicted as his accomplice and is about to be hung, he has to choose between getting the Fords or helping Pinky.
This film provides examples of:
- Artistic License – History: The film is universally considered historically inaccurate.
- As You Know: A few of the early conversations provide exposition this way, in case the audience hasn't seen the original movie, or forgot it's plot.
- Disney Villain Death: Charlie Ford shoots at Frank from a rock at the top of a cliff. When he runs out of rounds, he checks his revolver, slips, and falls to his death.
- Death Is Dramatic: Clem goes this way, having been shot by Bob Ford just after Frank's trial concludes.
- Killed Offscreen: Upstairs in the livery barn, Bob Ford and shoots through a door at Frank. After a few moments of quiet, Frank kicks the door open and finds Bob dead from the gunshot wound he received from Clem.
- Faking the Dead: Frank and Clem spread a rumor that Frank James was killed in Mexico.
- Fictionalized Death Account: In universe, the Ford brothers star as themselves in a stage play that purports to show how they killed Jesse James. It has little to do with what really happened (as seen in the film's opening scene).
- Folk Hero: Frank is this in universe, the the point that the jury finds him not guilty even of the robbery he confessed to.
- Grave-Marking Scene: Frank visits Jesse's grave. So does the Pinkerton detective.
- Immediate Sequel: Several of the original cast members return, and this film opens with the scene from the film Jesse James where Bob Ford kills Jesse.
- Insistent Terminology: The Yankee prosecutor casually refers to the Civil war as a "rebellion". The Southern judge insist on different terminology.Judge: If you are referring by any chance to the late unpleasantness between the states, that sir was a war for the Southern Confederacy.[...] That's what this court calls it, and [to court reporter] let the record so show.
- Just Like Robin Hood: As Frank's defense attorney, Maj. Rufus Cobb argues that Frank didn't steal from the common folk, but from the same railroad that had taken advantage of several of the jurors.
- Mutual Kill: Clem and Bob Ford end up killing each other, but neither one dies right away.
- Oh, Crap!: The Ford brothers get one when they're starring as themselves in a stage play that purports to show how they killed Jesse James, and see Frank in one of the box seats. Then Bob Ford gets another when he enters the courtroom just before Frank's verdict is read, and the jury acquits him of all charges (including the robbery he confessed to).
- Plot-Triggering Death: Jesse's death is treated as this.
- Previously on…: This film opens with the scene from the film Jesse James where Bob Ford kills Jesse.
- Railroad Baron: McCoy, the railway boss, is still this in spades.
- Running Gag: Maj. Rufus Cobb, a newspaper editor, still dictates editorials to his typesetter, who can still recite them word for word before he finishes his dictation.
