Spirit of the West

After I saw "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" , I wanted to see every movie Terrence Malick ever did. Terrence Malick was not involved in the making of this film, but before seeing it I heard that he was a major influence. Let me tell you I rushed out and bought Malick's "Days of Heaven" right after. For those of you who haven't seen "Jesse James", a beautiful, dreamlike, poetic film yet, I would tell you to rush over to the nearest big screen that's showing it and watch it for yourself. This is the kind of film that is fully appreciated on the big screen, because I think you might lose the scope of it on your television.

The basic story is right there in the very long and somewhat ironic title of the film. It centers on the last year of Jesse James' life when he befriends the man who will ultimately kill him, Robert Ford. James is played by Brad Pitt, while Ford is played by Casey Affleck, they are two men who seem to be joined together by fate. Ford introduces himself first to Jesse's brother Frank (Sam Shepherd) who is a little creeped out by him, but Jesse takes a shine to the young wannabe gunfighter and gets him to ride along on a train robbery. Afterwards the group disbands but Jesse gets Robert to stay with him for awhile. All is good until Jesse soon feels a little unsettled by Robert's idolizing of him and sends him away.

As time goes by we see Robert's affection dim a bit and later turn to hatred. We see Jesse not as the Robin Hood of the west like he's depicted in folk legends, but as a sometimes sadistic killer who becomes paranoid of the people around him. But there is a certain melancholy in Jesse where he feels almost sick with himself and his rotten deeds, and he becomes one who welcomes his own death. Robert Ford is eerily obsessive. He starts out admiring Jesse James but then realizing the only way to become him is to kill him.

There is that great line at the end of John Ford's great western "The Man who Shot Liberty Valance, "When the legend becomes fact, print the legend". The denouement of "Jesse James" is showing Robert Ford printing his own legend, but tragically for him, it wasn't up to snuff compared to Jesse James.

This film works like a dream, we see soft focuses of Jesse and sometimes he is in the shadows as if his iconic image is always present when he's around. I have always liked Brad Pitt, but I never thought any thing he's done has been spectacular, but I really think his performance here is the best I've seen him in. He seems to really tap in to Jesse's manic depressive and world weary state very well, I actually think he's on par with Affleck who is getting all the award buzz. Affleck wears the face of little weasel very well, but he makes Robert Ford more complex, we actually do feel sorry for him at the end of the film, as he turns into a man who doesn't regret what he did, but someone who expected to be treated differently than he was.

The story of these two men is fascinating, it's presented to us as if we are in a dream world of the old west, the images are startling such as the surreal train robbery at the beginning with Jesse's gang all in full head masks, and the train looking as if it's coming through another dimension. Another scene where Jesse accounts his murdering of a gang member he suspects double crossed him is like out of his own imagination. The sound, and the lighting, and majesty of this film brings together a unique experience, this is one my favorites of the year.

4 stars out of 4