
"JesseJamesRidesAgain"wasthefirstofthreeserialsthatfeaturedtheJamescharacterthatwereproducedbyRepublicbetween1947and1950.OfcourseJesseJamesintheseserialsbearsnoresemblancetotherealJesseJames.Infact,Jesseistheheroratherthanthevillaininallthree.ButwhoamongtheSaturdayMatineecrowdreallycared?<br/> Thisentryinvolvesthefamiliar"B"westernplotofthevillainstryingtotakeoverthelocalranchesbecausethere'soilundertheland.MeanwhileJesseJames(ClaytonMoore)andhispalSteveLane(JohnCompton)fleeMissouriandwindupinthemiddleoftheconflictassistingtheranchers.TheytakeaparticularinterestincrippledrancherTomLondonandhisdaughter(LindaStirling)whoarebeingraidedbytheBlackRaidersledbyRoyBarcroft.TristramCoffin,a"respectable"towncitizenisthebrainsbehindtheoutfit.<br/> Theserialcontainstheusualcliffhangersandreliesheavilyonstockfootagefromthe1943JohnWaynefilm"WaroftheWildcats"fortheracetotherefinerysequence.Andyes,weseethatfamousshotoftheexplodingoilderrickinthisonetoo.Thestuntworkistopnotchasusual.Twoofthestuntmen,TomSteeleandDaleVanSickelinadditiontodoublingmostoftheactorsintheactionscenes,appearinfourdifferentbitroleseachoverthecourseofthefilm.<br/> ClaytonMoore,soontobecomeTV'sLoneRanger,playsJessenotunlikethemaskedman.LindaStirlinginherfinalserial,haslittletodoexceptacthelplessandlookbeautiful.Comptonissimplyawfulasthehero'spal.BarcroftandCoffinmakeaformidablepairofvillains.HollyBane(akaMikeRagan)andCharlieKingarealsopartofthegang."B"westernveteransEdmundCobb,LeRoyMason(ontherightsideofthelawforachange),GeneRothandEdwardCassidyroundoutthecast.KeithRichards,whowouldplayJesseinthe1950serial"TheJamesBrothersofMissouri"hasabitasaphonydrunktryingtofindoutwhatJesse'snextmoveisgoingtobe.<br/> ThisserialisasgoodasanyturnedoutbyRepublicatthattimeandthoughpredictable,isenjoyablenonetheless.







