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There are no mountains in Missouri and you don’t take “a short ride” from bare land to several inches of snow in a forest. Other than that, “The Assassination of Jesse James” is a fine western of the sparse dialogue/enormous revolver/and land-as-far-as-the-eye-can-see variety. Cinematographer Roger Deakins ("House of Sand and Fog") has done it again. His work is as much a part of the story as the actors. Not only does he capture the changing weather and cloud patterns, but his camera rests on actor’s faces like a portrait painter. He catches just that moment that registers a particular emotion whether it is melancholy or anticipation. Director Andrew Dominik has pulled this crew together well.

Jesse James was a notorious American outlaw of the late 1870’s-1880’s.  If there was a bank or train to be robbed in the Midwest, the James Gang did it. Jesse and his older brother, Frank (Sam Shepard), made a duo of extremes. Frank did not trust people, thought his younger brother prone to violence, and so left the gang. Jesse kept the group together, though his methods were to inspire fear in his men and to start dispatching them one by one. Jesse married his first cousin, Zee (Mary-Louise Parker) and they had two children. 

Narration is done by Hugh Ross who lets the audience know what has happened prior to an incident. This provides a needed time-line. The film begins with a night train robbery in a forest area of Missouri. The masked gang waits quietly by the tracks until they feel the train coming. Rails vibrate and soon you can see the engine headlight. The gang piled logs on the track and Jesse stands atop them like the devil daring it to stop. It is a violent robbery as the expected large payload isn’t there. The famous Northfield bank robbery is not shown in this movie, and that is just as well, for the audience sees that if things don’t go Jesse’s way, violence erupts immediately, either a near-fatal pistol-whipping or gunshot to the head. One gets the idea that all of the James Gang’s robberies were like this.

Robert (Bob) and Charlie Ford (Sam Rockwell) join the James Gang, with younger brother Bob as a Jesse James idol-worshipping hanger-on. Casey Affleck’s Bob Ford is a study of a person who obsesses and worships hoping to be like his idol, only to find the idol may have feet of bloody clay. Through the film, we see Bob Ford changing from an insinuating character to one with plans for fame of his own. He’s just tired of being second, third, fourth or fifth best. Charlie sees what is happening to his brother, but doesn’t know how to stop him. Another member of the gang who may get everyone in trouble is Dick Liddil, the lothario of the group. His backroom escapades always cause problems. Mary-Louise Parker as Zee, Jesse’s wife, takes it all in stride. She doesn’t like Bob Ford, but Jesse allows him in their home, anyway. Whether with family or strangers, these outlaws double-cross on a regular basis and kill anyone who gets in their way. Robbery is a way of life and the term “the land” should have been subtitled “their land.”

Brad Pitt’s Jesse James has sad eyes, a distrustful gaze and a quick temper. When he looks at you, you never know if he’s going to shoot you or say something nice. His violence has a psychotic bent to it. On the other hand, Casey Affleck’s Bob Ford (by the way, Casey is Ben Affleck’s brother) always looks downright sneaky. His manner of speaking is not polished and causes him a certain amount of teasing. In today’s world, this would be the kid with a closet full of guns.

At almost three hours, The Assassination of Jesse James could have been drastically cut, but then the ambience of the story and Deakins photography would be lost, so it’s OK as is. The long meals where Jesse and his gang size each other up for strengths and weaknesses are like dinner at the U.N. I can see Oscar nominations for Brad Pitt as Jesse James, Casey Affleck as Bob Ford, Andrew Dominik for director and Roger Deakins for cinematography. The night train robbery is top-notch. 

St. Joseph, Mo. in the northern part of that state, is where Jesse hung his hat. The town wanted to have the premiere of this film, but Hollywood said “no.” It certainly will make the James Museum in that town a tourist attraction now, even without a red carpet. Brad Pitt is from Springfield, Mo.in the souther part of Missouri.

Copyright 2007 Marie Asner
Submitted: 10/15/07