The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Director: Andrew Dominik Andrew Dominik

Overview

Brad Pitt stars as legendary Wild West outlaw Jesse James in Chopper director Andrew Dominik's cinematic rendering of the events that would eventually bring about the death of the man rumored be the "fastest gun in the West." An eager recruit into James' notorious gang, Robert Ford eventually grows jealous of the famed outlaw. When Robert and his brother Charlie sense an opportunity to kill James, their murderous action elevates their target to near mythical status. Casey Affleck stars as Robert Ford and Sam Shepard co-stars as Frank James -- Jesse's devoted sibling and partner in crime.

Product Details

Release Date:	02/05/2008
UPC:	0012569829725
Original Release:	2007
Rating:	R
Source:	Warner Home Video
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby AC-3 Surround Sound]
Time:	2:40:00
Sales rank:	44

Special Features

Making of documentary: The Assassination of Jesse James: Death of an Outlaw

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Brad Pitt	Jesse James
Casey Affleck	Robert Ford
Sam Shepard	Frank James
Mary-Louise Parker	Zee James
Paul Schneider	Dick Liddil
Jeremy Renner	Wood Hite
Zooey Deschanel	Dorothy Evans
Sam Rockwell	Charley Ford
Garret Dillahunt	Ed Miller
Brooklyn Proulx	Mary James
Dustin Bollinger	Tim James
Joel McNichol	Express Manager
James DeFelice	Baggagemaster
J.C. Roberts	Engineer
Darrell Orydzuk	Ukranian Train Passenger
Jonathan Erich Drachenberg	Young Train Passenger
Torben S. Hansen	Danish Train Passenger
Alison Elliott	Martha Bolton
Lauren Calvert	Ida
Kailin See	Sarah Hite
Tom Aldredge	Major George Hite
Jesse Frechette	Albert Ford
Pat Healy	Wilbur Ford
Michael Parks	Henry Craig
Ted Levine	Sheriff Timberlake
Joel Duncan	Deputy
James Carville	Governor Crittenden
Stephanie Wahlstrom	Store Customer
Adam Arlukiewicz	Newsboy
Ian Ferrier	Photographer
Michael Rogers	Onlooker at Jesse's Death
Calvin Bliid	Small Boy at Jesse's Death
Sarah Lind	Bob's Girlfriend
Nick Cave	Bowery Saloon Singer
Matthew Walker	Bowery Saloonkeeper
Michael Copeman	Edward O'Kelly
Laryssa Yanchak	Ella Mae Waterson
Hugh Ross	Narrator
Matt Dunkley	Conductor

Technical Credits

Andrew Dominik

Andrew Dominik	Director,Screenwriter
Ricardo Alms	Set Decoration/Design
Christopher Aud	Sound/Sound Designer
Cheryl Bainum	Executive Producer
Guy Bews	Stunts
Jean A. Black	Makeup
Bruce Carwardine	Sound/Sound Designer
Nick Cave	Score Composer
Curtiss Clayton	Editor
Helen Uffner Vintage Clothing	Costumes/Costume Designer
Colt Cosgrave	Stunts
Chad Cosgrave	Stunts
Jules Daly	Producer
Roger Deakins	Cinematographer
Jordon Dodds	Stunts
Joe A. Dodds	Stunts
Brett Edge	Stunts
Lyle Edge	Stunts
Tom W. Eirikson	Stunts
Lisa Ellzey	Executive Producer
Jim Finkbeiner	Stunts
Wacey Finkbeiner	Stunts
Mali Finn	Casting
Dede Gardner	Producer
Martin Gendron	Art Director
Dale Gibson	Stunts
Reg Glass	Stunts
Corry Glass	Stunts
Tom Glass	Stunts
Jason Glass	Stunts
Kristy Glass	Stunts
Deb Green	Casting
Alex Green	Stunts
Brad Grey	Executive Producer
Terry Gunvordahl	Set Decoration/Design
Dennis Hambling	Stunts
Randy Hambling	Stunts
Ron Hansen	Associate Producer
Dave Hospes	Stunts
Marilyn Humphreys	Set Decoration/Design
Richard King	Sound/Sound Designer
Rejean Labrie	Set Decoration/Design
Michael Langlois	Stunts
Terrance Leigh	Stunts
Jackie Lind	Casting
Jacqueline Loewen	Stunts
Michael Madden	Set Decoration/Design
Brad Milburn	Set Decoration/Design
Pat Norris	Costumes/Costume Designer
Amanda Paller	Special Effects
James Paradis	Special Effects Supervisor
Jason Paradis	Special Effects
Brad Pitt	Producer
Shane Pollitt	Stunts
Rochelle L. Pomerleau	Makeup
Jim Randle	Stunts
Scott Andrew Robertson	Asst. Director
Blake Schlosser	Stunts
Greg Schlosser	Stunts
Hayden S. Scott	Special Effects
Tony Scott	Executive Producer
Ridley Scott	Producer
John Scott	Stunts
Leslie Shatz	Sound/Sound Designer
Troy Sizemore	Art Director
Rick Skene	Stunts
Sean Skene	Stunts
Jodi Terhoch	Stunts
Kyle Thomson	Stunts
Jesse Thomson	Stunts
Dylan Tichenor	Editor
Christien Tinsley	Makeup Special Effects
David Valdes	Producer
Grant Van Der Slagt	Set Decoration/Design
Benjamin Waisbren	Executive Producer
Warren Ellis	Score Composer
Gordon White	Set Decoration/Design
Ross Wideman	Stunts

Editorial Reviews

Director Andrew Dominik adopts a style throughout his new psychological western The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford that he believes will give the film the weight and seriousness of an epic. The movie runs a stately 160 minutes not because there is too much action or too many sequences, but because conversations are edited so that protracted silences occur between every line of dialogue. For the first 30 minutes, as the members of the gang are introduced while they plan and execute a train robbery, Dominik is at his best. The deliberate tone and slow pace make this a unique and rewarding sequence, but the next 90 minutes of the film eats away that interest. Casey Affleck embodies the creepy stalker elements of Robert Ford with great skill, but his boyish face keeps him from ever being truly threatening -- perfect casting considering what the director does with the character. Ford's obsession with Jesse James (played as alternately psychotic or brooding by Brad Pitt) manages to be complete, without being in any way sexual. He's a boy trying to figure out what he wants to be when he grows up. His performance, in fact each performance throughout, is solid, but they are undermined by the film's pace. The editing style, which is obviously purposeful, hampers the film's protracted middle because while the film suggests many reasons why Ford kills Jesse, it never seems to take a stand on the issue. Jealousy, fear, duty, and a desire for celebrity are all presented as possibilities, but often these different motivations seem to conflict directly with each other. Over dinner with the Ford family, James humiliates the 20-year-old Robert, and one would think that his actions from then on stem from a desire for revenge, but even after the embarrassment, Ford is seen sniffing James' bedding. A film can be open-ended and open to interpretation, yet still present an explanation as to why everyone was interested in the material to begin with. The movie plays like the director wanted to make the film in order to figure out his own feeling about Robert, but never came to any resolution. The final 20 minutes, after Ford shoots Jesse and must live with the consequences, bring the proceedings back to life. As Robert revels in his notoriety, the viewer can draw so many parallels with what went on before that one can start to see that the material might have supported the stately rhythm. As it is, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is a failure, but the combination of ideas, however unformed, and the style make it a genuine attempt at something new -- which makes the film more interesting than most failures.

All Movie Guide - Perry Seibert