Production
Shortly after his success with 1955's Rebel Without a Cause, Ray was hired to direct this movie based on Jesse James' later life. He had only one movie left under his contract with 20th Century Fox, before he would depart for Europe and film Bitter Victory. The studio suggested a remake of King's 1939 biography of Jesse James.
It is speculated that had James Dean not died in a car crash before production began, he would have starred in this movie as Jesse James. In place of Dean, director Ray hoped to cast Elvis Presley, who had successfully completed his first film, Love Me Tender. Ray's son Tony also was cast in the film as Bob Younger, the first time he appeared in one of his father's movies.
Hope Lange, a contract player for 20th Century Fox, was hired for the role after her Academy Award-nominated success with Peyton Place. John Carradine had appeared in the first Jesse James film as Bob Ford and appears in the 1957 version as Rev. Jethro Bailey.
Ray shot the movie using CinemaScope, a new technology at that time. The movie was shot in 1956. Stock footage that had previously been used on the earlier James film which inspired this one was re-used and reconfigured for CinemaScope.
Read more about this topic: The True Story Of Jesse James
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