Wednesday

I have finally watched the last of the three Westerns that came out recently: The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. It is a slow, poetic film, with little dialogue, and long drifting shots of the countryside. Some people might find this annoying. A narrator helps to pull you along, but (as you'll know if you read me regularly) I didn't think he was necessary. This film is adapted from a book which (again you'll know if you read regularly) is obvious here, especially towards the end. It has the feeling of idol-worship about it. I know next to nothing about Jesse James, and I think it might help if you did before watching this movie. Robert Ford (played by the brilliant Casey Affleck) idolises Jesse James, but he seems like a substitute for the writer more than anything else. There was something wrong about it. I was also unsure about the blurred shots that sometimes appeared - what were they trying to achieve? The film became interesting for me towards the end, after Ford has killed James. It only lasts ten or twenty minutes, but it was fresh and interesting. Ford is to begin with loved and praised for what he's done, but this slowly turns into accusations of cowardice. It's a fascinating period, and perhaps a better film could've been made about just that time. Anyway, what's my favourite of the three Westerns? You decide! I've set up a poll, so have a vote.