IMDb > The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
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The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) More at IMDbPro »

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The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) -- The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford - Trailer
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) -- Clip: I got a present for you
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) -- Interview: Casey Affleck "On The Story"
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) -- In "The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford," Brad Pitt dismantles the legend of Jesse James.
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) -- Robert Ford, who's idolized Jesse James since childhood, tries hard to join the reforming gang of the Missouri outlaw, but gradually becomes resentful of the bandit leader.

Overview

User Rating:
7.7/10   49,108 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 3% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Andrew Dominik
Writers (WGA):
Andrew Dominik (screenplay)
Ron Hansen (novel)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
10 October 2007 (France) more
Tagline:
Beyond the myth lies America's greatest betrayal.
Plot:
Robert Ford, who's idolized Jesse James since childhood, tries hard to join the reforming gang of the Missouri outlaw, but gradually becomes resentful of the bandit leader. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 12 wins & 19 nominations more
User Comments:
A hauntingly beautiful film more (304 total)
US TV Schedule:
Mon. Nov. 232:45 AMHBO   

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
L'assassinat de Jesse James par le lâche Robert Ford (Canada: French title)
The Assassination of Jesse James (USA) (short title)
more
MPAA:
Rated R for some strong violence and brief sexual references.
Runtime:
160 min
Country:
USA | Canada
Language:
English | Danish
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS
Filming Locations:
Alberta, Canada more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The original unedited screenplay was 132 pages long, but the final version was reduced down to 102 pages. more
Goofs:
Anachronisms: As the gang members wait during the day, to rob the train at Blue Cut during the night, one gang member recites a poem of Catullus ("My love says she would marry only me ..."); the words he recites are from a translation published in 1970, "Catullus: The Complete Poems for American Readers", by Reney Myers and Robert J. Ormsby. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Narrator: He was growing into middle age, and was living then in a bungalow on Woodland Avenue. He installed himself in a rocking chair and smoked a cigar down in the evenings as his wife wiped her pink hands on an apron and reported happily on their two children...
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in "Late Show with David Letterman: (#15.26)" (2007) more
Soundtrack:
Good Ol' Rebel Soldier more

FAQ

Why such a long name?
Why was Sam Shepard cast as the 38-year-old Frank James?
Why was it postponed for so long?
more
271 out of 321 people found the following comment useful.
A hauntingly beautiful film, 16 October 2007
10/10
Author: rick-j-walsh from United States

Andrew Dominik's The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, is a deliberately paced, stunningly visualized, and emotionally charged exploration of the early development of mass media celebrity in America. The film riveted my attention for two hours and 40 minutes, and has remained on my mind for several days after my viewing. Although centered on one of the iconic legends of the Old West, it is far beyond an updated reincarnation of the Western. It is an epic allegory about the development of the American cult of celebrity and the effects of this obsession on the individuals caught in its web.

Visually, the film soars beyond anything that has hit the screen since Conrad Hall's final masterpiece with Road to Perdition. Roger Deakins, the cinematography genius behind The Shawshank Redemption, Kundun, and all the Cohen brothers" films since The Hudsucker Proxy, surpasses his best work. He pulls out all the stops here—intricately orchestrated changes in focus, richly textured colors, dazzling use of light sources, careful manipulations of time, powerfully significant fade-ins and fade-outs, and shots through rain, snow, and rippled old glass—to communicate the story. Deakins' contribution stands out in the railroad train robbery sequence at the beginning of the film. Clearly defined, flickering light sources and deep black shadows create a dazzling, nightmarish vision that haunts the rest of the film. This sequence alone is worth the price of admission.

The richly textured, historically precise visual aspects of the film bring to mind Terrence Malick's Days of Heaven and Robert Altman's McCabe and Mrs. Miller. However, instead of the understated, "realistic" performances featured in those films, The Assassination of Jesse James…showcases powerful, yet still realistic performances by an outstanding ensemble cast.

Sam Rockwell, as the not-too-bright but well-meaning Charley Ford, and Mary-Louise Parker, as Jesse's loving wife, stand out. Yet the film belongs to the two titular leads, both of whom deliver the performances of their careers and create characters filled with disturbing contradictions. Brad Pitt's Jesse James is alternately pitiable and terrifying—an affectionate, loving father, an old-before-his-time sage, an adventurous daredevil, an unrepentant bad boy, and a vicious sociopath. Casey Affleck's Robin Ford is a complex, repellent, and tragic character who challenges the audience's complicity in the undercurrents of the film.

All in all, this is a great film—not for those seeking the simple pleasures of instant gratification. But definitely worth the attention of those who still believe that movies are an art form.

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Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Hugh Ross Best Narrator Ever! xerxerxex
U.S. gross... What the hell? drinking_wigga
Most underrated film I've ever seen vivrant
Casey Affleck's acting is ... armagedon1980
Brad Pitt lets this film down sicknotesam
trailer with cut scenes/dialogue.. marione
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