Along Came Jones

Plot

Gary Cooper added "producer" alongside "star" on his resume with this light-hearted Western about a mild-mannered cowboy (Cooper) who drifts into a small town with his sidekick (William Demarest). Naturally, he's mistaken for a notorious highway robber (Dan Duryea), although he can barely handle a gun. His impersonation of the menacing gunman falls apart when his skills are put to the test, and he faces certain doom when challenged by the returning gunman himself. In the end, however, our hero defeats the villain and even ends up with his girl (Loretta Young). A send-up of both Western clichés and Cooper's own heroic persona, Along Came Jones is brisk, amusing entertainment. ~ Don Kaye, Rovi

Review

Along Came Jones is a really nice little flick. That may sound like faint praise, but it's not intended that way, for Jones is a really pleasant way to pass an hour and a half or so. Its charms are gentle, but nonetheless very real. Count star Gary Cooper as chief among those charms. Cooper seems to be having a great time kidding his usual "strong, silent" type Western hero, and he clearly enjoys the opportunity to play comedy. His ingratiating personality and quiet charisma are put to great use here, and it's an easy, effortless performance that puts a smile on viewers' faces. William Demarest is perfect as his foil, the crusty sidekick with hidden soft spots, and Loretta Young is a wonderful help as the girl friend who ends up saving Cooper's bacon. And as the villain of the piece, Dan Duryea employs his nasty snarl and menacing sneer to excellent effect. Nunnally Johnson's screenplay has plenty of good gags and finds humor in some unexpected places; if it's a bit sloppy in places and in need of a little pruning, those are minor quibbles. Stuart Heisler directs capably; his work could use a bit more imagination, but he handles things well enough and helps to shape some of the messier aspects of the screenplay. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi

Cast

• Gary Cooper - Melody Jones
• Loretta Young - Cherry de Longpre
• William Demarest - George Fury
• Dan Duryea - Monte Jarrad
• Frank Sully - Avery De Longpre, Cherry's Brother

Russell Simpson - Pop de Longpre; Arthur Loft - Sheriff; Willard Robertson - Luke Packard; Don Costello - Leo Gledhill; Ray Teal - Kriendler; Ernie S. Adams - Townsman; Erville Alderson - Bartender; Jack Baxley - Rancher On Street; Hank Bell - Posse; Paul E. Burns - Small Man; Lane Chandler - Boone; Ralph Dunn - Cotton; Billy Engle - Wagon Driver; Frank S. Hagney - Townsman; Tom Herbert - Card Player; Herbert Heywood - Townsman; Bob Kortman - Wagon Driver; Chris-Pin Martin - Store Proprietor; Frank McCarroll - Posse; John Merton - Card Player; Charles Morton - Fat Card Player; Lee Phelps - Fat Card Player; Tony Roux - Old Mexican; Walter Sande - Ira Waggoner; Paul Sutton - Man at Bar; Lane Watson - Town Character; Chalky Williams - Posse; Frank Cordell - Guard on Coach; Douglas Morrow - Rifleman; Ralph Littlefield - Townsman; Tommy Coats - Coach Passenger; Lou Davis; Ed Randolph - Coach Passenger

Credit

Walter Plunkett - Costume Designer, Arthur S. Black, Jr. - First Assistant Director, Stuart Heisler - Director, Thomas Neff - Editor, Hugo W. Friedhofer - Composer (Music Score), Art Lange - Composer (Music Score), Charles Maxwell - Composer (Music Score), Gus Norin - Makeup, Wiard Ihnen - Production Designer, Milton Krasner - Cinematographer, Gary Cooper - Producer, Julia Heron - Set Designer, Arthur Johns - Sound/Sound Designer, Fred Lau - Sound/Sound Designer, Nunnally Johnson - Screenwriter, Alan LeMay - Book Author

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