The Return of Frank James
The Return of Frank James is a 1940 American Western film directed by Fritz Lang. It stars Henry Fonda as Frank James and Gene Tierney in her first film, with Jackie Cooper, Henry Hull, John Carradine, J. Edward Bromberg, Donald Meek, Eddie Collins, and George Barbier in supporting roles.
This movie is a sequel to Henry King’s 1939 film Jesse James. The story follows Frank James after his outlaw brother Jesse is killed by the Ford brothers, as Frank seeks revenge on Bob and Charlie Ford. Although the film is not historically accurate, it was a commercial success.
Gene Tierney plays a reporter for The Denver Star. Some railroad scenes were filmed on the Sierra Railroad in Tuolumne County, California. The film was produced and distributed by 20th Century Fox and released on August 16, 1940, with a runtime of 92 minutes. The Academy Film Archive preserved The Return of Frank James in 2000.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 16:19 (CET).