John Carradine never forgot this movie. Want to know why?
If it seems at first like I am taking the long way around to make a point stick with me and it will all be clear before the finish. Ever seen the trailer for the 1967 movie HILLBILLIES IN A HAUNTED HOUSE? It claims that John Carradine and Lon Chaney were paired up for the first time in that movie.That tells me whoever wrote the script for the trailer never saw THE BLACK SLEEP, HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, HOUSE OF DRACULA or this film.Yes, we all know Long John Carradine plays Bob Ford but if you look close you'll spot Lon Chaney, still a year away from actual stardom, as a nameless member of the James gang.I think you can hear Lon's voice delivering the line "We're with ya, Jesse." Anyway, so why did Carradine never forget this film?Well we all know he plays Bob Ford, the man who shot Jesse James in real life.Well Tyrone Power's legion of female fans did not like the scene of him being shot in the back so when John appeared in the annual Christmas parade of stars down Hollywood Blvd after this film came out angry women threw rotten vegetables at him! Alas, the life of a movie villain is never easy. Trivia note:Charles Halton who plays the nervous bank president and delivers the memorable line "The James gang!Great thundering hallelujah, I'll be ruined. They'll take everything!" plays the pompous Prof. Bullfinch in DR. CYCLOPS (also 1939).score /10
reptilicus 1 June 2001
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw0019885/35517
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