The Long Riders (1980, dir. Walter Hill)

The Long Riders (1980, dir. Walter Hill)

What Is It?: The tale of the James-Younger Gang (better known as the Jesse James gang) drawn in broad, moving mythic strokes.

What About It?: The central conceit of the film --– that the siblings are played by siblings -- works far better than it should. Stacy and James Keach play Frank and Jesse James, respectively, the Younger brothers are played by David, Keith and Robert Carradine and Dennis and Randy Quaid play the Miller brothers. Heck, even Bob and Charlie Ford are played by Christopher and Nicholas Guest. And though this could be gimmicky, it comes off as we're sure Hill meant it to --– that the actors would have an ease and, well, familiarity with one another that would be both literally and cinematically genuine. The film has a classic Western feel to it, and, though the violence is balletic and Peckinpah-esque, it is most decidedly not a revisionist take on the genre, as Hill's later, Wild Bill, is. Hill is here to lament the passing of Jesse James and the mythical West, not to show us some larger truth. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Why Should I See It?: The chemistry among all the actors is infectious. The scenes between David Carradine and veteran character actress Pamela Reed (before she was a veteran, natch) are alive with sexual tension and resentment. The editing by long-time Hill cutter Freeman Davies is truly character enriching, as weird as that may sound, and the score by Ry Cooder is folky and appealing. Highly recommended.

What Else Is It Like?: I Shot Jesse James, The Great Northfield, Minnesota Raid, Night Passage.

When Is It Playing Until ON DEMAND?: 11/30/06

Watch It ON DEMAND On Comcast Cable.

-- ddt/pdx