The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is a detailed portrait of the infamous American outlaw during the final years leading up to his death at the hands of fellow bandit, Robert Ford. Weighing in with a running time of a cool two-and-a-half hours, this epic story runs almost as long as the film’s unnecessarily long title, though with the original cut rumoured to have stretched over the four hour mark, I’m not complaining.

Contrary to most Western films, the action element is subdued, and much of the time is spent focused firmly on character interactions and development. Indeed, the opening scene depicts a train robbery (the last ever committed by the James brothers) and very little action is witnessed hereafter. As a result it does feel like a slow-burner. The film introduces us to Jesse James with a narration that paints him as a Messianic figure, set to beautiful accompanying music, we are instantly sold as to just how brilliant he is. Competent, flattering, a much-adored gentleman, we’re not supposed to regard Jesse as a criminal, but rather a majestic individual who, despite being America’s most wanted man, even had the unwavering support and respect of the everyday man on the street.

This is in stark contrast to the manner in which Robert Ford is introduced. Initially given zero attention as he flits invisibly around the train-robbery gang members, he is eventually told to leave by Jesse’s brother. His speech is feeble and unnatural, he almost seems eternally on the verge of bursting into tears. He is the direct opposite to Jesse, every inch the weak minded and bodied character. He is played to perfection by Casey Affleck. The title of the film alone makes you dislike him immediately, though by contrasting him so starkly against Jesse, you somehow come to despise him more. It makes you angry that a man so seemingly incompetent could be responsible for Jesse’s downfall.

After the train heist, the James brothers go their separate ways, leaving Jesse on his own after Frank retires from crime. The gang splinters and disbands other than a core bunch consisting of the Ford Brothers amongst others. The following segment of the film slows dramatically. Jesse descends gradually into paranoia, expunging outlaws who were once his colleagues with very questionable motives. Brad Pitt’s on-screen moments pull this part of the film through. He is brilliant and unpredictable when on screen. During the beginning of the film he orchestrates a train robbery with the grace of a flamboyant ringmaster, whereas here he is slowly taken over by mistrust and rage. The film also utilises some truly stunning vistas to enhance the beauty of the story and romanticism of the iconic Western hero. The grandness of the surrounding countryside add further to the feeling that Jesse is increasingly lonely. It is perhaps this reason that he chooses to spend time with Robert Ford, a man obsessed with him and sycophantic in his ways as a consequence.

"Have you ever thought about committing suicide?" A poignant forewarning in yet another beautiful location.

As Jesse becomes evermore paranoid, he invites Robert and his brother to stay with him, partly for protection, partly to scheme for a future robbery. By now the relationship between Robert and Jesse is extremely complex. Jesse is Robert’s all time hero, a man he has looked up to since birth, but his success grates him. He is a nobody in comparison and this breeds untold hatred towards him as a result. With Ford already in cahoots with the local law enforcers regarding the downfall of James, the tension seemingly builds by the second. The film eventually portrays a hopeless scenario in which the Ford’s are seemingly waiting to kill or be killed by Jesse. During this period Pitt’s portrayal takes a turn to the much darker side, where we see James behind closed doors as a terrifying human being. The film comes alive during this final third as the tension mounts and suffocates the characters, particularly Robert, whose speech once again suffers and becomes evermore faint and erratic.

The eventual assassination is a huge release of emotion. The film ends with a eulogy of James and the fates of the Ford brothers. For the briefest of times you almost feel empathy for Robert Ford, considering the state of an increasingly erratic and unstable Jesse James, though once you view their exploits after the murder your allegiances are rapidly reaffirmed.

The Coward Robert Ford

The performances of Pitt and Affleck are blatantly strong points in the film. The visual beauty is also impossible to question and the musical score was haunting and effective. Where it falters drastically is the pacing. The film is a long film, but it also feels like a long film. The story could well do with being a lot more concise. The film’s narration also falters at times. Whereas it is used to excellent effect in the opening and final scenes, in places if feels too simplistic and obvious when it mimics the actions on screen like a tedious fire-safety video. All in all, it’s just a beautifully told story with extremely well portrayed characters. Though I can only imagine how tedious a four-hour version would have been.

8/10