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Kansas Raiders
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Wikipedia article
'Kansas Raiders' is a 1950 American Western film directed by Ray Enright, and stars Audie Murphy, Brian Donlevy, Marguerite Chapman, and Scott Brady. It is set during the American Civil War and involves Jesse James coming under the influence of William Quantrill.
Plot
Jesse James (Murphy) and his friendsbrother Frank (Richard Long), brothers Cole (James Best) and Jim Younger (Dewey Martin), plus Kit Dalton (Tony Curtis) -- arrive in Lawrence, Kansas, and are falsely accused of being members of Quantrill's Raiders. They are about to be lynched but are saved by the intervention of a Union officer.
The men are released and they go on and join Quantrill (Donlevy). Jesse at first admires Quantrill but comes to question his devotion after seeing atrocities committed by the man and his troops. He also falls for Kate Clarke (Marguerite Chapman).
The raiders take part in the Lawrence Massacre in which Jesse and his men rob their first bank. Most of the raiders abandon Quantrill except for Jesse. Quantrill is blinded then killed in a shoot out with Union troops. Jesse leaves Kate and heads off with his friends to a life of crime.
Cast
* Audie Murphy as Jesse James
* Brian Donlevy as Quantrill
* Marguerite Chapman as Kate Clarke
* Scott Brady as Bill Anderson
* Tony Curtis as Kit Dalton
* Richard Arlen as Union Captain
* Richard Long as Frank James
* James Best as Cole Younger
* John Kellogg as Red Leg leader
* Dewey Martin as James Younger
* George Chandler as Willie
* Charles Delaney as Pell
* Richard Egan as First Lieutenant
* David Bauer as Tate (as Dave Wolfe)
Home media
Universal Pictures released the film on DVD in 2007 as part of its 'Classic Western Round-Up, Volume 1' set, a 2-disc set featuring three other films ('The Texas Rangers', 'Canyon Passage', and 'The Lawless Breed'). The exact same set was re-released in 2011, as part of Universal's '4 Movie Marathon' DVD series, being repackaged as the "Classic Western Collection". In 2014, the film was bundled in a different Universal set, 'Classic Westerns, 10 Movie Collection'; the only difference in this release is that no subtitles were provided on-screen.
References
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