The Long Riders

Another movie-themed blog after the last one, but it’s a good movie: 1980’s “The Long Riders”.  It’s the true story of Jesse James’ James-Younger Gang, which operated in the mid-US in the 1870s.  This movie starts off with Ed Miller’s dismissal, climaxes with the ill-fated bank robbery in Northfield, Minnesota, and finishes up with Frank James’ surrender after his brother Jesse’s death, shot by Bob Ford in his own home.

What makes this movie special?  Well, first off the story is true and compelling.   Second is the cool slow-motion and sound effects when the gang members are dispatched one by one in Northfield.  Third, I like the occasional Civil War references, even if the events take place over a decade later.   Fourth is the scenery, mostly shot in Georgia even if it takes place in Missouri, Texas (one bar scene) and Minnesota.  For some reason it reminds me of this area (Northern Virginia and northwest Maryland).  I could mention the Ry Cooder soundtrack, but I didn’t really notice that too much – perhaps it fit too well into the background. 

But the most substantial is the casting of real-life brother actors as real life brother characters:   Jesse James (James Keach) & Frank James (Stacy Keach); Ed Miller (Dennis Quaid) and Clell Miller (Randy Quaid); Charlie Ford (Christopher Guest) and Bob Ford (Nicholas Guest); and Cole Younger (David “Kill Bill/Kung Fu” Carradine), Jim Younger (Keith Carradine), and Bob Younger (Robert “Revenge of the Nerds” Carradine). Of this group, Cole Younger is by far the baddest.

In fact, the whole cast does well:  add in Pamela Reed as Belle Starr, the whore Cole Younger hooks up with, and James Remar as her half-breed husband Sam.   The movie has a darker tone than “Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid”, and NO “Raindrops” song to ruin the mood.  The chemistry between Redford and Newman made that film more like "these are two great buddies who like robbing trains," rather than a western.