By Glenn Erickson
Bad Men of Missouri
Brief Synopsis
The Younger Brothers become outlaws to fight off carpetbaggers.
Cast & Crew
Read More
Ray Enright
Director
Dennis Morgan
Cole Younger
Jane Wyman
Mary Hathaway
Wayne Morris
Bob Younger
Arthur Kennedy
Jim Younger
Victor Jory
William Merrick
Film Details
Genre
Western
Drama
Release Date
Jul
26,
1941
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.
Distribution Company
Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.
Country
United States
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 14m
Sound
Mono (RCA Sound System)
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Film Length
8 reels
Synopsis
At the end of the United States Civil War in 1865, the Younger brothers, Jim, Bob and Cole, return to their home state of Missouri to discover that carpetbaggers from the North have taken over the state. Because money issued by the defeated Confederate government is now worthless, many farmers cannot pay their taxes. William Merrick, a carpetbagger, takes advantage of this to drive farmers off the land in the railroad's right of way in order to obtain it for himself. Shortly after their return, Martha Adams, Cole's girl friend, dies when the Adams family is forced to leave their home. Hank, the brothers' father, is also threatened with losing his farm for failure to pay his taxes. When Merrick arrives with Sheriff Brennan to take possession, Hank tries to argue his rights and is shot by Greg Bilson, one of Merrick's men, who also kills Brennan. When Cole and Bob return their gunfire, one of Merrick's men sets their house on fire, driving the Youngers away. A warrant is sworn out for the Youngers for Brennan's murder and they go into hiding. A few days later, Pettibone, who works for Merrick, takes the stagecoach to make a delivery of money. The Youngers steal it from him, and at Jim's suggestion, return the money to the farmers so that they can pay their taxes. During a train robbery, the Youngers meet Jesse James and join his gang. The Youngers continue to rob the carpetbaggers and distribute the money to farmers who are down on their luck. Bob is wounded during one of the robberies and when they stop for a doctor, they are recognized and the doctor's office is surrounded by deputies. Jim, who had been at the post office mailing a letter to his girl, Mary Hathaway, stampedes a herd of cattle and the Youngers escape under their cover. Because Bob's injury slows the men down, the Youngers and the Jameses separate. Pettibone suggests that Merrick use Mary to lure the Youngers into the open. They arrest her as an accomplice and Jim offers to turn himself in if Mary is released. That night, Cole and Bob break into the jail where Jim is being held and learn that Merrick and Bilson plan to have Jim murdered when he is moved from the jail. Because Merrick's men have been ordered to shoot at anyone wearing a duster, the Youngers force Merrick and Bilson to wear their dusters and send them out into the street where vigilantes kill them. The Youngers continue to steal and are captured in Minnesota where Mary visits them to explain that Missourians, who see them as heroes, have started a petition for their release.
Director
Ray Enright
Director
Cast
Dennis Morgan
Cole Younger
Jane Wyman
Mary Hathaway
Wayne Morris
Bob Younger
Arthur Kennedy
Jim Younger
Victor Jory
William Merrick
Alan Baxter
Jesse James
Walter Catlett
Mr. Pettibone
Howard Da Silva
Greg Bilson
Faye Emerson
Martha Adams
Russell Simpson
Hank Younger
Virginia Brissac
Mrs. Hathaway
Erville Alderson
Mr. Adams
Hugh Sothern
Fred Robinson
Sam Mcdaniel
Wash
Dorothy Vaughan
Mrs. Dalton
William Gould
Sheriff Brennan
Robert Winkler
Willie Younger
Ann Todd
Amy Younger
Roscoe Ates
Lafe
Frank Wilcox
Minister
Spencer Charters
Clem
Duncan Renaldo
Henchman
Frank Mayo
Henchman
Jack Mower
Henchman
Eddie Acuff
Peg Leg
Trevor Bardette
Soldier
Eddy Waller
Leader
Herbert Heywood
Willard
Dix Davis
Bob Dalton
Sonny Bupp
Grat Dalton
Henry Blair
Tod Dalton
John Beck
Preacher
Jack Carr
Carpetbagger
Tom Wilson
Carpetbagger
Art Miles
Carpetbagger
Dutch Hendrian
Carpetbagger
Bud Osborne
Stagecoach driver
Howard Mitchell
Stagecoach station master
Tom Tyler
Deputy sheriff
Leah Baird
Miss Brooks
Creighton Hale
Bank representative
Stuart Holmes
Conductor
Arthur Aylsworth
Dr. Taylor
Paul Panzer
Mr. Peters
Wade Boteler
Sheriff
Joel Friedkin
Postmaster
Glen Cavender
Citizen
Charles Middleton
Porterville sheriff
Bob Perry
Deputy
Ray Teal
Deputy
Arthur Loft
Marshal
Ed Stanley
Prison doctor
Vera Lewis
Milt Kibbee
Crew
Milo Anderson
Gowns
Lester Cole
Contract Writer
Robert Foulk
Dialogue Director
Charles Grayson
Screenwriter
Benamin Russell Hanby
Composer
Howard Jackson
Music
Stanley Jones
Sound
Mrs. Pearl May Kearns
Technical Advisor
Robert E. Kent
Story
Clarence Kolster
Film Editor
Hal Long
Contract Writer
Art Lueker
Assistant Director
Allen Rivkin
Contract Writer
Harold Shumate
Contract Writer
Ted Smith
Art Director
Charles Tedford
Contract Writer
Harlan Thompson
Associate Producer
Arthur Todd
Director of Photography
Barry Trivers
Contract Writer
Jack L. Warner
Executive Producer
Perc Westmore
Makeup Artist
Film Details
Genre
Western
Drama
Release Date
Jul
26,
1941
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.
Distribution Company
Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.
Country
United States
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 14m
Sound
Mono (RCA Sound System)
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Film Length
8 reels
Articles
Bad Men of Missouri
The success of Fox's Jesse James (1939) led to a spate of outlaw stories set in the aftermath of the Civil War in Kansas and Missouri. When the Daltons Rode (1940) is one example of Hollywood populism -- violent thieves from history are given the Robin Hood treatment. 1941's Bad Men of Missouri makes the ex-Quantrill guerillas The Younger Brothers into sympathetic figures, goaded into outlawry by evil carpetbaggers. After their raids, the boys use their loot to help farmers pay the Yankee taxes. Warner contract players Wayne Morris, Dennis Morgan and Arthur Kennedy are the three Youngers, and the handsome Morgan sings a song for good measure. Talk about being in an actor's rut -- Wayne Morris plays Bob Younger in this film, and returned years later to play his brother Cole in the Warner Bros. The Younger Brothers (1949). Jane Wyman is relegated to the sideline, providing a romantic angle. Although the boys pull off daring robberies, much of the action sees them forced into violence by the cheerfully evil carpetbaggers played by Victor Jory and Howard Da Silva. Alan Baxter makes an appearance as Jesse James. Action scenes include several fistfights and a scene of robbers leaping onto the top of a moving train. Ignoring most of the Younger gang's outright murders, the tale sees them captured in Minnesota, leaving girlfriend Jane Wyman to plead for leniency. Critics in 1941 felt that the movie was a historical whitewash with anti-government sentiments, and complained about the lack of realism: the hero-bandits repeatedly escape unharmed through hails of bullets. Perhaps the most realistic film about the notorious historical Younger Brothers is Philip Kaufman's The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid (1972) starring Cliff Robertson. It doesn't pretend that there is honor among thieves.
By Glenn Erickson
By Glenn Erickson
Bad Men of Missouri
The success of Fox's Jesse James (1939) led to a spate of outlaw stories set in the aftermath of the Civil War in Kansas and Missouri. When the Daltons Rode (1940) is one example of Hollywood populism -- violent thieves from history are given the Robin Hood treatment. 1941's Bad Men of Missouri makes the ex-Quantrill guerillas The Younger Brothers into sympathetic figures, goaded into outlawry by evil carpetbaggers. After their raids, the boys use their loot to help farmers pay the Yankee taxes. Warner contract players Wayne Morris, Dennis Morgan and Arthur Kennedy are the three Youngers, and the handsome Morgan sings a song for good measure. Talk about being in an actor's rut -- Wayne Morris plays Bob Younger in this film, and returned years later to play his brother Cole in the Warner Bros. The Younger Brothers (1949). Jane Wyman is relegated to the sideline, providing a romantic angle. Although the boys pull off daring robberies, much of the action sees them forced into violence by the cheerfully evil carpetbaggers played by Victor Jory and Howard Da Silva. Alan Baxter makes an appearance as Jesse James. Action scenes include several fistfights and a scene of robbers leaping onto the top of a moving train. Ignoring most of the Younger gang's outright murders, the tale sees them captured in Minnesota, leaving girlfriend Jane Wyman to plead for leniency. Critics in 1941 felt that the movie was a historical whitewash with anti-government sentiments, and complained about the lack of realism: the hero-bandits repeatedly escape unharmed through hails of bullets. Perhaps the most realistic film about the notorious historical Younger Brothers is Philip Kaufman's The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid (1972) starring Cliff Robertson. It doesn't pretend that there is honor among thieves.
By Glenn Erickson
Quotes
Trivia
Humphrey Bogart rejected a role in this film, with the words "Are you kidding?"
Notes
News items in Hollywood Reporter add the following information: Ben Stoloff was originally pencilled in to direct. William K. Howard was then scheduled to direct but was replaced by Ray Enright when the former was assigned to Law of the Tropics (see below). Humphrey Bogart was suspended after he turned down the role later played by Dennis Morgan, and Sam McDaniel replaced Willie Best in the role of "Wash." James Cagney, Edward G. Robinson, George Raft, George Brent and John Garfield were all considered for the film. A March 20, 1941 Hollywood Reporter news item lists Ronald Reagan in the cast and a Hollywood Reporter production chart includes Ricardo Cortez in the cast, but neither appeared in the film. This film marked Faye Emerson's debut. According to a Warner Bros. motion picture press release, the studio received a petition from James D. Idol, the mayor of Harrisonville, MO, asking that the film's world premiere be held in the town in honor of the Younger brothers' father, Henry W. Younger, who had been the second mayor. Some scenes were filmed on location in Sonora, CA.
The real Younger brothers, who lived during the later 19th century, turned outlaw after the end of the Civil War. In 1866, Cole Younger joined Jesse James and was followed by Jim, John and Bob. John was shot dead by Pinkerton detectives in 1874, but the rest of the gang continued to rob banks and trains. In 1876, when the gang tried to rob a bank in Northfield, MN, Jim and Bob were injured. Jesse James left the wounded men behind with Cole and the three were eventually captured and sentenced to life imprisonment. Bob died in jail, and after being parolled, Jim committed suicide and Cole took a job selling tombstones. Technical advisor Pearl May Kearns was Cole Younger's last surviving relative.
Among the many films that feature the Younger brothers are the 1948 Warner Bros. film The Younger Brothers, the 1948 RKO film Return of the Bad Men, and the 1950 Paramount film The Great Missouri Raid (see below); The Maverick Queen produced by Republic in 1956 and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Alan Hale and directed by Joseph Kane; the 1958 Allied Artists film Cole Younger, Gunfighter, directed by R. G. Springsteen and starring James Best; The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid produced by Universal in 1972, starring Cliff Robertson and Robert Duvall and directed by Philip Kaufman; and The Long Riders, directed by Walter Hill in 1980 for United Artists and starring David Carradine, Keith Carradine and Robert Carradine.
