This film is one of the more underrated and seldom seen western classics around. A big reason is that is was done by Paramount, who with the exception of the films of Gary Cooper and later John Wayne, rarely did westerns. Beyond that, Paramount has no regard for their post 1949 films (The earlier films are owned by Universal). Basically, except "The Godfather", "Star Trek", and a few others, you will not even find 70s and 80s films like "Top Gun" on TV, or even remastered for DVD. I think "The Jayhawkers!" is outstanding, but it is a film that requires thought to understand why. Jeff Chandler's Luke Darcy is a character based on William Clarke Quantrill (1837-1865)who was the leader of a bunch of Confederates raiders during the Civil War (In his bunch were Frank & Jesse James). But this character goes far beyond what Quantrill was. He was a very charismatic individual who can seduce people into doing whatever he wanted: Sort of like Napoleon was. Jeanne Dubois (Nicole Maurey),mentioned that during the film (Something that Cam Bleeker (Fess Parker) and most Americans would not understand). Which is why having a Frenchwoman in the film was important (Not just as a love interest). It also explains why Bleeker's wife threw herself at Darcy, before she died, Lordan (Henry Silva) was almost like a puppy dog at his feet, and Bleeker was reluctant to turn him over to the Army (Despite knowing to a large extent, he was responsible for his wife's death). Spoilers ahead: The way that Bleeker was supposed to handle Darcy was turn him over to be hanged, but instead (After beating him up in a fight) had him fight in a duel in a bar (Which of course, Bleeker won),and carried his body out. When soldiers wanted to drag him, Bleeker said carry him. Bleeker then surrendered to the Army, and the Col. said: "I don't know why, you did things the way you did, and I don't know why I am letting you go, but somehow, I think we are both right." (At the beginning of the film, Bleeker broke out of prison, and after being caught, at his ranch that was purchased by Jeanne and fer family (She has a boy and a girl),was offered his freedom for Darcy's capture). So at the very end, Bleeker and Jeanne who by then fell in love will be free to go back to the ranch and live happily ever after. Basically these were very complex characters, nothing cardboard about them. The best were Darcy who really liked Bleeker and Jeanne (Perhaps because he respected them (Bleeker for being a Raider who broke out of prison, and Jeanne for her strength and honor)),despite being someone who wanted to be a dictator),and Jeanne. Jeanne is my favorite. She is a strong character, with a positive moral compass, who survived as a woman with no husband, and two kids, and is the only reason why Bleeker did not turn out bad. This is a film that should be seen more often (Maybe on the Western Channel or Turner Classic Movies),and perhaps it will be more appreciated for the classic it is.

Shortly before the start of the American Civil War rebel Kansas leader Luke Darcy (Jeff Chandler) plans a new independent Republic of Kansas and craving for loot . His vigilante group is called The Jayhawkers and their depredations contributed to the descent of the Missouri-Kansas border region into some of the most vicious guerrilla fighting of the Civil War. Their mission is to end slavery by force but degenerating so completely into a squalid, murderous, slugging match . However, rebel leader Darcy uses The Jayhawkers for his own bid for absolute control of Kansas. Darcy's actions do not sit well with the military governor of Kansas, William Clayton (Herbert Rudley) , as the government command instituted martial law due to "the crime of armed depredations or jay-hawking having reached a height dangerous to the peace and posterity to the whole State (Kansas) and seriously compromising the Union cause in the border counties of Missouri. As William Clayton supposedly wants Darcy captured and brought to justice. For this aim the governor hires an ex-renegade rebel , Cam Bleeker (Fess Parker) , to join Darcy's group and capture their leader . Bleeker has a personal reason for wanting to see Darcy hanged and he's craving for revenge . Darcy was responsible for Bleeker wife's death while Bleeker was in prison .

Exciting film inspired by historical facts set during pre-American Civil War (1861-1865) in which the Jayhackers use guerrilla warfare to destroy targets and led by men set on revenge, invading peaceful towns , making violent raids in Kansas territory . The picture efficiently describes the atmosphere of violence and confrontation among bands and bloody assaults . Stars the known hero Fess Parker-pre Daniel Boone- as the ex-con and an ex-raider whom the military governor sends to capture Darcy well played by Jeff Chandler . Along with this excellent duo there are various notorious actors and familiar faces accompanying them such as : Nicole Maurey , Henry Silva , Herbert Rudley , Frank DeKova , Don Megowan , Leo Gordon , Jack Kruschen , Glen Stange , and Harry Dean Stanton. The motion picture was well directed by Melvin Frank.

The picture was based on historical events , these were the following ones : Jayhawkers and red legs are terms that came to prominence in Kansas Territory, during the Bleeding Kansas period of the 1850s ; they were adopted by militant bands affiliated with the free-state cause during the American Civil War . These gangs were guerrillas who often clashed with pro-slavery groups from Missouri, known at the time in Kansas Territory as "Border Ruffians" or "Bushwhackers." After the Civil War, the word "Jayhawker" became synonymous with the people of Kansas, or anybody born in Kansas. Today a modified version of the term, Jayhawk, is used as a nickname for a native-born Kansan. The meaning of the jayhawker term evolved in the opening year of the American Civil War. When Charles Jennison, one of the territorial-era jayhawkers, was authorized to raise a regiment of cavalry to serve in the Union army, he characterized the unit as the "Independent Kansas Jay-Hawkers" on a recruiting poster. The regiment was officially termed the 7th Regiment Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, but was popularly known as Jennison's Jayhawkers. Thus, the term became associated with Union troops from Kansas. After the regiment was banished from the Missouri-Kansas border in the spring of 1862, it went on to participate in several battles including Union victories of the Battle of Iuka and the Second Battle of Corinth. Late in the war, the regiment returned to Kansas and contributed to Union victory in one of the last major battles in the Missouri-Kansas theater, the Battle of Mine Creek. The Jayhawker term was applied not only to Jennison and his command, but to any Kansas troops engaged in punitive operations against the civilian population of western Missouri, in which the plundering and arson that characterized the territorial struggles were repeated, but on a much larger scale. For example, the term "Jayhawkers" also encompassed Senator Jim Lane and his Kansas Brigade, which sacked and burned Osceola, Missouri. In the first year of the war, much of the movable wealth in western Missouri had been transferred to Kansas, and large swaths of western Missouri had been laid waste, by an assortment of Kansas Jayhawkers ranging from outlaws and independent military bands to rogue federal troops such as Lane's Brigade and Jennison's Jayhawkers. In February 1862, the Union command instituted martial law due to "the crime of armed depredations or jay-hawking having reached a height dangerous to the peace and posterity to the whole State (Kansas) and seriously compromising the Union cause in the border counties of Missouri.

The Jayhawkers maybe unique in the annals of screen history in that as a film with a Civil War era plot it makes absolutely no mention of slavery. Nor are there any black people in this cast.

What we have here in ante-bellum Kansas is the story of Luke Darcy who envisions himself as starting some kind of fascistic territorial republic in the struggle for Kansas's loyalty. Jeff Chandler plays Darcy and he is a fascinatingly evil man with a great deal of charisma.

To bring him down military governor Herbert Rudley uses ex-renegade raider Fess Parker. Parker and Chandler have a history and it involves Parker's late wife who Chandler ran off with and abandoned.

Parker's got ample reason to just shoot him down like a dog, but Rudley wants him alive to stand trial. Complicating things further is Nicole Maurey and her two kids who Parker's fallen for and then Chandler takes an interest when he sees her.

The story does get a bit silly at times, but the players are all doing their best. Henry Silva plays one of Chandler's raiders who has an incredible jealousy of Parker and a barely disguised gay crush on Chandler.

Jerome Moross wrote the music score and it's lively and quickens the pace of this film. Fans of the Wagon Train series will recognize parts of the score as Wagon Train's theme.

The story of Kansas before the Civil War, usually with John Brown as the protagonist has supplied the cinema with a whole range of films. The Jayhawkers with the charismatic, fascistic, but wholly fictitious Luke Darcy is far from the best one ever done.