JESSE JAMES MEETS FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER (1966) is a misnomer considering that the star, Dr. Maria Frankenstein (Narda Onyx) is the grand-daughter of the famous scientist. However, her father was a Frankenstein also, so let's not quibble. She moves into an isolated mission building in the Old West with her brother Dr. Rudolph Frankenstein (Steven Geray) to continue her grand-father's experiments.
Juanita Lopez (Estelita Rodriguez) is concerned that several boys from the village have sickened and died after working for the Frankensteins. Meanwhile, Dr. Maria Frankenstein is working on unconscious Francisco Lopez (Felipe Turich) in her laboratory. Maria orders Rudolph to prepare an injection of digitalis, but he substitutes poison and Francisco dies.
In a nearby town, Hank Tracy (Cal Bolder), a friend of Jesse James (John Lupton), is seriously wounded. Jesse takes Hank to the Frankensteins, where Maria turns him into a monster. She tells him, "You are no longer Hank Tracy. You are Igor!...As I think, you will think." Rudolph is killed by the monster when Maria learns that he has been obstructing her scientific research with injections of poison. Then Maria Frankenstein is strangled to death by the monster when she tries to harm Juanita, whom Hank loves. Jesse arrives, tries to shoot Hank the monster, but the killing is eventually done by Juanita. They visit his grave, then Jesse James rides off.
Others in the cast include: Jim Davis (Marshal MacPhee), Rayford Barnes (Lonny Curry), William Fawcett (Jensen), Roger Creed (Butch Curry), Rosa Turich (Nina Lopez), Dan White (Pete Ketchum), and others. Carl K. Hittleman wrote the script. Raoul Kraushaar composed the music. Directed by William Beaudine.
Narda Onyx is terrific as Maria Frankenstein, playing an enthusiastic crazed scientist with no scruples. Her laboratory is very well done and she has some outlandish electrical equipment and helmets. There are lots of cowboys and horses in this schlocky Western/horror movie. Hank is a handsome hunk, with a physique like Schwarzenegger. This was William Beaudine's last movie, which he completed in eight days.
