While robbing a bank, Ed Miller (Dennis Quaid) becomes anxious and shoots the bank teller. In the gunfire that follows, Jesse James (James Keach) is wounded. After the gang makes good their escape, Jesse ejects Ed from the gang. Ed's brother, Clell (Randy Quaid), agrees with Jesse and rides away with the rest of the gang. The James-Younger gang consists of Frank (Stacy Keach) & Jesse James, Cole (David Carradine), Jim (Keith Carradine), & Bob Younger (Robert Carradine), and Clell Miller. After returning to their Missouri home, the Ford brothers, Charlie (Christopher Guest) and Robert (Nicholas Guest) try unsuccessfully to join the gang. Despite their rough profession, the gang pursues a fairly ordinary life when not robbing banks, trains, and stagecoaches. While Jesse woos Zee (Savannah Smith Boucher), Cole has a long-standing arrangement with Belle Starr (Pamela Reed), whom he gladly calls a whore, which is why he likes her. The Pinkertons' pursuit of the gang figures heavily and the fact that many Missourians preferred the James-Younger gang to the law explains how they often lived normal lives.
The movie pieces together some of the tales of the gang in an entertaining fashion. The climactic battle in Northfield, Minnesota, is well done. The famous gang met its match in a bunch of armed civilians. Though the Northfield Robbery was in 1876, the story jumps to 1882 when Jesse has the Ford brothers over to discuss 'business.' Of course, Bob Ford was more interested in the price on Jesse's head.
The big selling point of this version is that four sets of siblings were cast to portray these criminal families. Though that is cool, it is beside the point. In fact, it may have detracted from the film. This is a good story and mostly well-acted. The weakest parts are James Keach, who is surprisingly wooden, and David Carradine, who lacks range. This is a problem because these are the two leading characters.
Good popcorn fun and recommended.
No comments:
Post a Comment