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   49,876 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 15% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
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:
Awards:
Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 12 wins & 19 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(93 articles)
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User Comments:
Amazing Work of Art more (304 total)

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:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Filming Locations:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
According to Andrew Dominik, Brad Pitt had it put in his contract that the name of the movie was not to be changed. more
Goofs:
Continuity: In every scene where Jesse smokes a cigar, the length of the cigar as well as the size of the ash at the foot of the cigar varies tremendously across shots. Such variation cannot be accounted for by normal burning off of the cigar as one smokes it. 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:
Version of I Shot Jesse James (1949) more
Soundtrack:
Oh, Susanna 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
109 out of 146 people found the following comment useful.
Amazing Work of Art, 9 October 2007
9/10
Author: Terrydoodle from United States

Wow, does this film have style or what? The Assassination of Jesse Jamed by the Coward Robert Ford, is one of the longest titles I've ever seen for a film and the movie's run-time follows the same pattern. I have no problem with this. I would sit through a ten hour "Jesse James" because of the excellent tone given out by director Andrew Dominik. The frozen Missouri/ Kansas landscapes are a treat for the eyes. The musical score does its job: to blend into the film so subtly that I cant imagine the images on the screen without it. The narration neither detracts or adds to the tone, although there is one bit of bad editing that confused my friend as to whether the narrator was speaking or a man's voice had been dubbed poorly.

"Jesse James" delves deep into the inner conflicts and emotions of every character. We live with them, eat with them, and often feel their pain or their confusion. This confusion is often associated with the bi-polar nature of the film's central character, Jesse James, played by none other than Brad Pitt. Casey Affleck delivers a subtle performance here that actually becomes the most effective as the film progresses over its 160 minute running time. I hated Robert Ford for a good portion of the film, thought he was so annoying and clingy that it was a wonder Jesse James didn't kill him within the first day of their complex relationship. But then, as I sat through the so called "gruelling" running time of the film, I learned to feel for him and understand his motives and attraction for Jesse. But ultimately, his childhood, comic book worship of the famous outlaw changes.

The "style" of the film is evident in the first frame of passing clouds. Roger Deacon's cinematography is the best I've seen since Conrad Hall's work in Road to Perdition, perhaps better. He is definitely winning the Oscar this year, between this and No Country For Old Men. There is a scene involving a train robbery where the visuals and utter style blew me away. The lighting and camera direction becomes more subtle and less noticeable after the train scene, but, does not lessen in quality and pure artistry. There is a topic on the IMDb message boards approaching the topic of whether certain films should be labeled "art films." Well all films are works of art, some are horrendous, some are extraordinary. Well, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is an extraordinary work of art.

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