The narrator in the film is unseen. He reveals Robert Ford’s thoughts and intentions, and it is extremely effective throughout the entire film. It helps us see inside Bob’s character; the part that a book can tell you, but a movie cannot.
Robert Ford is a 20-year-old who looks up to Jesse James with no question of who he really is. Bob is not like the other men. He’s small, pale, wears a button-up shirt and vest, and keeps his face shaved and his dark hair combed nicely to the side. His youth makes it easy for the others to take advantage of him and laugh behind his back at his obsession with the outlaw Jesse James.
Bob keeps a box full of Jesse James memorabilia, including pictures and dime store novels all about the James gang. Bob’s brother, Charlie, and Jesse’s cousin, Wood, find Bob’s stash and mock his admiration for Jesse by grabbing his items and scattering them around the room. The acting by Casey Affleck in this scene is heart wrenching. He portrays the character’s naivety exceptionally and beautifully. His childish voice breaks with embarrassment. At this point in the film, you can begin to realize that Bob’s admiration for Jesse may never be reciprocated.
When Jesse James doesn’t like someone, he can easily get rid of him. When Jesse James wants something, he can easily get it. He’s a dangerous man who has no true friends, and those who call themselves his friend only do so out of fear.
When Jesse takes down a 14-year-old boy and tries to smother him to get him to talk, you know he’s on the edge of a breakdown. When gang member Dick Liddle has to get him to stop, Jesse leans into his horse and sobs for a few moments. This is the only time in the film when you see this kind of emotion with Jesse.
The film takes a suspenseful turn when Bob kills Jesse’s cousin, Wood, after he and Dick get into a gunfight. Wood has Dick backed into a corner, and when Dick pulls his trigger and finds nothing, Wood prepares to take one last shot at Dick. From behind, Bob pulls out his gun and kills Wood.
Brothers Charlie and Bob fear that Jesse James will suspect them of the murder. They know it’s only a matter of time before Jesse kills them both and they are sick with worry about when it will happen. They decide to take care of Jesse before he takes care of them.
Robert Ford’s decision to kill Jesse James came out of fear for his life and for that of his brother’s, but it also had a lot to do with jealousy. As he reveals, “I've been a nobody all my life. I was the baby; I was the one they made promises to that they never kept. And ever since I can recall it, Jesse James has been as big as a tree.”
In the end, Bob regrets his decision to kill Jesse James. He misses the outlaw as much as anyone and opens up about repercussions of his decision: “You know what I expected? Applause. They didn’t applaud.”
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford was nominated for two Academy Awards in 2008: one for Best Achievement in Cinematography for Roger Deakins and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for Casey Affleck.
I love how the film portrayed Jesse James as a cold-blooded, calculated killer. We tend to forget that this is how Jesse James really was. He was a merciless murderer; capable of anything he put his mind to. Brad Pitt's performance is haunting, frightening, and totally unexpected. Even his laugh set me on-edge. Casey Affleck is brilliant; he plays Robert Ford innocent and meek, but in the end has the capability of bringing down the most infamous outlaw. This film brings into question society's fascination with killers; where Jesse James is glorified, the man who brings him to justice is considered a murderer and a villain.
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