Review of Al Jennings of Oklahoma

I first became interested in this film after seeing a photo of the real Al Jennings in a magazine in the late 60s. The story is taken from one of Jennings books ,'Beating Back', published in 1914, and available to read online. As this is promoted as a true story, I wonder why changes were made to the way events happened; did it make for better viewing, and were the name changes done for legal reasons? Al Jennings was still alive when the film was released; he passed away in 1961, just months after the death of his wife. Firstly, Al's brother was killed by Temple Houston, not the John Marsden of the film: Al was not present at the time, but was sleeping, and alerted to the tragedy. He joined criminals while waiting for the time to exact his revenge on Houston. Secondly, his wife was named Maude E. Deayton, not Margot St.Claire. A fine performance from Dan Duryea, and a rare chance to see him in a leading role. Accurate or not, I give this 10 out of 10 for entertainment value. If you have enjoyed the exploits of Frank and Jesse James, and how two law abiding farmers were turned into bandits by the actions of the railway, then you will enjoy this film.