The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

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The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Theatrical poster
Directed by Andrew Dominik
Produced by Ridley Scott
Jules Daly
Brad Pitt
Dede Gardner
David Valdes
Screenplay by Andrew Dominik
Based on The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford by
Ron Hansen
Narrated by Hugh Ross
Starring Brad Pitt
Casey Affleck
Mary-Louise Parker
Zooey Deschanel
Sam Shepard
Sam Rockwell
Music by Nick Cave
Warren Ellis
Cinematography Roger Deakins
Editing by Dylan Tichenor
Michael Kahn
Studio Virtual Studios
Scott Free Productions
Plan B Entertainment
Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
Release date(s) September 21, 2007 (2007-09-21)
Running time 160 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $30 million[1]
Box office $15,001,776[2]

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (often shortened to The Assassination of Jesse James or simply as Jesse James) is a 2007 American Western drama film. The film is directed by Andrew Dominik, with Brad Pitt portraying Jesse James and Casey Affleck as his killer, Robert Ford.

Filming took place in rural Alberta and Winnipeg, Manitoba. Initially intended for a 2006 release, it was postponed and re-edited for a September 21, 2007 release. An adaptation of Ron Hansen's 1983 novel of the same name, the film dramatizes the relationship between James and Ford. This is Pitt's and Affleck's first collaboration outside of the Ocean's trilogy.

Contents

[edit] Premise and title

The film was adapted from Ron Hansen's 1983 novel of the same name.

Unlike Jesse James movies of the past, Andrew Dominik's film is presented as a psychoanalytical historical epic rather than a shoot-'em-up western. The movie details the outlaw's deteriorating psyche during his final months of life as he slowly succumbs to paranoia and develops a precarious friendship with his eventual assassin, Robert Ford. The strange relationship between the two men is examined over the course of the film.

Peter Bradshaw's review in The Guardian makes note of James's contribution to his own demise as well as the apparent paradox present in the title of both novel and film:

As his career draws to an end, Jesse James becomes aware of the impossibility of facing an increasingly vast army of sheriffs, federal agents and Pinkerton men. He senses that, inevitably, one of his gang will in any case sell him out for a fat reward. Unwilling to give the lawmen that satisfaction, James embraces his own death and subtly cultivates the mercurial attentions of the most obviously cringing and cowardly of his associates: 20-year-old Robert Ford. With the taunts and whims of a lover, he encourages Ford's envious, murderous fascination, and grooms him as his own killer, so that his own legend will be pristine after his death. He engineers a character-assassination of Ford, and the title, knowingly, gets it precisely the wrong way around.[3]

Ford, who grew up idolizing James and wishing to join the gang himself, sets off on a mission to Glendale, Missouri, where the James-Younger Gang are staging the last train robbery of their careers. It is this depiction of Ford's encounter with James in the fall of 1881 which sets off the film.

[edit] Plot

 This article's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. Please help improve it by removing unnecessary details and making it more concise. (January 2010)

A narrator introduces many facts and legends about the American Old West outlaw Jesse James (Pitt) and tells the story of Bob Ford (Affleck), an insecure, unpopular young man who has grown up idolizing Jesse.

Bob seeks out Jesse when the James gang is planning a train robbery, and makes petty attempts to join the gang with his brother Charley's (Sam Rockwell) help, who had been recently recruited. In spite of the unfavorable opinion of Jesse's brother Frank James (Sam Shepard), Jesse allows Bob to take part in the train robbery to prove himself. Bob's admiration towards Jesse starts turning into obsession while resenting his constant bullying.

Bored with Bob's fawning, Jesse sends him away. Months later, the gang members have gone their separate ways. Bob tries to familiarize himself with the other recruits, who often stay at the farmhouse of Martha Bolton (Alison Elliott), the elder sister of the Ford siblings. Jesse's cousin Wood Hite (Jeremy Renner) also stays there; he is attracted to Martha, but Dick Liddil (Paul Schneider), a charming womanizer, frequently gets in his way.

Wood challenges Dick to a gunfight upon finding out that Dick has once slept with Wood's stepmother, Sarah Hite (Kailin See), but it ends in a stalemate.

In exchange for a partnership, Dick reveals to Bob that he is in cahoots with Jim Cummins, an elusive gang member conspiring to capture Jesse for a bounty. Meanwhile, Jesse visits Ed Miller another former gang member, who unwittingly gives away information on Cummins' plot. Jesse kills him and goes on a hunt for Jim, bringing Dick along.

At the farm, Dick and Jesse are greeted by Albert Ford, Bill's young son. Although Albert does not know where Jim is, Jesse beats him. Later Jesse weeps and rides away. Dick decides to apologize to the Fords by traveling back to Martha's farm.

Wood returns from Kentucky to the Bolton farmhouse during Dick's visit and rushes up the staircase to the closed bedroom door, and Bob and Dick prepare themselves for the imminent gunfight. After a short gun battle, Bob shoots Wood in the back of his head. Fords dumps his body in the woods and hatch a plan to conceal this event from Jesse.

Jesse re-emerges one night to pay a visit to the Fords. During dinner, Jesse notices Bob's anxiety and forces Bob to tell a story. Bob then reluctantly recites a long list of similarities he has with Jesse. Jesse is somewhat disturbed by this, and in return tells a story about once killing a man who held a grudge against him, explaining how Bob slightly reminds him of that man. Bob, now humiliated, throws a fit and miserably leaves the room, while Jesse and Charley plan a trip to St. Joseph, Missouri. At his home in St. Joseph, Jesse learns of Wood's disappearance.

Bob loses respect for Jesse as he realizes the nickel books he had read little resemble the man. Bob talks with Kansas City police commissioner Henry Craig (Michael Parks), saying that he has information regarding Jesse James's whereabouts. To prove his allegiance with the James gang, Bob urges Craig to arrest Dick Liddil, who has been staying at the Bolton farm.

Days after Dick's arrest, Bob attends a party held by the Governor of Missouri, Thomas T. Crittenden (James Carville), celebrating Henry Craig's efforts to finally rid Jackson County of the James Gang. To Bob's surprise, Dick Liddil has been released from jail and is now meeting with the governor. It is revealed that authorities aren't particularly interested in prosecuting Liddil; they're really after Jesse James. To save himself, Liddil has disclosed information about the James gang's robberies in his confession.

Bob is brought into a meeting with the governor, and subsequently strikes up a deal with him. Bob is given 10 days to capture or assassinate Jesse James for a bounty of $10,000, and is given further instructions by Craig's partner, Sheriff James Timberlake (Ted Levine). Meanwhile, on the way back from St. Joseph, Jesse talks to Charley about suicide. Charley then convinces Jesse to take Bob under his wing.

The brothers move in with Jesse to his home in St. Joseph, where they stay with Jesse's wife Zee (Mary-Louise Parker) and their two children. One night in the living room, Jesse invites the Fords to take part in the robbery of the Platte City bank. He enacts the way he'll cut the cashier's throat, and demonstrates this by holding a knife to Bob's neck. Convinced that Jesse will eventually kill them, Bob decides to kill him first. As a way to apologize for his actions, Jesse gives Bob a brand new pistol on April Fools' Day, and tells him that he fears for his own sanity.

On a day soon thereafter, Jesse goes out to retrieve the latest newspaper. As it contains a story about Liddil's arrest and confession, a terrified Bob had slipped the front section of the newspaper under a shawl, then strapped on his gun holster before sitting down in the kitchen for breakfast.

Jesse walks back to the sitting-room and discovers the hidden section of the newspaper, learning of Dick's confession. Jesse glares at Bob, and asks why this matter hadn't been reported to him. Panicked, Bob excuses himself and retreats to the sitting-room rocking chair, and Charley soon follows him to put on his holster. Jesse walks in to see if the two are ready for the trip to Platte City. After some silent contemplation, Jesse takes off his gun belt and lays it on the couch. Jesse sets up a chair under a dusty portrait and climbs on top of it with a feather duster in one hand. The Fords draw their guns, and Bob shoots Jesse in the back of the head, killing him instantly.

When Zee tearfully questions Bob, he denies doing or knowing anything before Charley pulls him out of the house, declaring it an "accident". The Fords run to the telegraph office to wire the governor with the news. A brief montage then follows, describing what is to happen to the body of Jesse James.

After the assassination, the Fords become celebrities with a theater show in Manhattan, re-enacting the assassination with Bob playing himself, and Charley as Jesse James. Guilt-stricken, Charley writes letters to Zee James asking for her forgiveness, but never actually sends them. Overwhelmed with despair and terminally ill from tuberculosis, Charley commits suicide in May 1884.

After Charley's death, Bob's life takes a turn for the worse. He is shunned by the public and branded a cowardly traitor; threats from strangers are almost a daily occurrence. In times of angry frustration, Bob daydreams of visiting the families of Jesse James's victims to convince himself he killed Jesse for the benefit of humanity. Bob becomes an alcoholic, trapped in a constant struggle to liberate himself from his ever-growing guilt.

Ten years pass since Jesse's assassination. Bob has prospered working as a saloonkeeper in the small mining town of Creede, Colorado. He becomes romantically involved with a dancer named Dorothy Evans (Zooey Deschanel), who has long conversations with Bob to comfort him.

Bob is sought out and murdered by a man named Edward O'Kelley. The narrator ends with an epilogue, recounting that O'Kelley would later be pardoned, and that in contrast to Jesse James, Robert Ford would achieve no fame after death.

[edit] Cast

Gang
  • Brad Pitt as Jesse James, the notorious outlaw of Missouri. Although violent in nature, ferocious and cunning when he is off with his gang, Jesse is always calm and protective when around his family, refusing to let his children know about his criminal life. Jesse is weathered by life and is exhausted from being chased by the law, which has been pursuing him for well over a decade. His sheer paranoia has driven him to the brink of insanity, and it has become increasingly difficult for him to trust those who are closest to him, in fear that they might turn against him. For this reason he secretly desires to live a quieter life and even contemplates suicide every so often, but his reputation hangs in the balance, and there is no easy way out.
  • Casey Affleck as Robert "Bob" Ford, a young man, not long out of his teens, who is eager to make a name for himself. Born to a large family, Bob is the youngest of seven children, and is picked on because of his socially awkward nature. Bob would always turn to Jesse James as an ambiguous source of pride or inspiration. Wanting to meet his hero in person, he, along with his elder brother Charley, joined the James gang. He attempts to earn Jesse's approval, but Jesse's paranoia and inconsistent behaviour, as well as his tendency to exploit Bob's awkwardness sees Bob grow disillusioned with him. With the chance to make a name for himself and receive a full pardon, Bob decides to kill Jesse without thinking about the repercussions such an act can cause.
  • Sam Rockwell as Charley Ford, the cheerful older brother of Bob Ford, who attempts to get his younger brother the acceptance he desperately yearns for. After much pleading, Charley finally convinces Jesse to take Bob in under his wing, only to learn that Bob has other motives in mind. Struck with deep regret, Charley accompanies Bob during the assassination, ultimately leading both brothers to certain doom.
  • Paul Schneider as Dick Liddil, the most promiscuous member in the gang. Dick is bursting with arrogance, and always eloquent in his speech and delivery, making him one of the more charming characters in the film. Liddil has an ability to lie his way out of most problems, and Wood Hite deeply envies his ability to live a carefree life as a lothario.
  • Jeremy Renner as Wood Hite, the younger cousin of Frank and Jesse James. Hite uses his kinship with the James family as a method to intimidate others, especially Bob. Wood later on develops a feud with Dick Liddil, which eventually causes a disastrous chain reaction.
  • Sam Shepard as Frank James, the older brother of Jesse James, who is described as a stern and very constrained man. Although only aged 38, his life as bandit has influenced his appearance to that of a 50-year-old. The brothers hardly ever communicate with each other, if so only with melancholic gazes or a few abrupt words. Frank leaves Jesse early to escape the monotony of the crime life.
  • Garret Dillahunt as Ed Miller, a lonesome, dimwitted outlaw who is left with close to nothing after the James Gang disbanded. Jesse pays him an unexpected visit in the winter of 1881, and Ed reveals too much about a conspiracy involving Jesse's capture, driving Jesse to a reckless hunt for those involved.
Women
  • Mary-Louise Parker as Zerelda "Zee" James, the wife of Jesse James. Zee is in constant concern for her husband's well-being, and is equally protective and caring about their children.
  • Zooey Deschanel as Dorothy Evans, a young woman that Robert Ford confides in during the last months of his life in Creede, Colorado. Knowing that she can sing and attract customers, Bob hires her for his nightclub, and even sparks up a romantic relationship with her. Until his death, Dorothy remains the only person that Bob has spoken revealingly to about his motives for killing Jesse. The character of Dorothy Evans is largely fictionalized.
  • Alison Elliott as Martha Bolton, the widowed elder sister of Robert and Charles Ford. Her farmhouse serves as a place where members of the James Gang would frequent when in need of shelter, or a place to hide out. Dick Liddil and Wood Hite attempt to win her affections.
  • Kailin See as Sarah Hite, the stepmother of Wood Hite. Her affair with Dick Liddil causes the two men's friendship to sever, resulting in deadly consequences.
Authorities
  • James Carville as Thomas T. Crittenden, the Governor of Missouri. Crittenden is growing increasingly tired of the James Gang's antics, and thus hires Bob Ford to capture or assassinate Jesse James for the $10,000 bounty.
  • Michael Parks as Henry Craig, a local police commissioner who has sworn to eradicate the James Gang from the state of Missouri.
  • Ted Levine as Sheriff James Timberlake, a local sheriff who warns Bob to use caution during his assignment.
Other
  • Michael Copeman as Ed O'Kelley, the man who kills Robert Ford.

[edit] Production

This working engine and train at Fort Edmonton Park was featured in the film.

In March 2004, Warner Bros. and Plan B Entertainment acquired feature film rights to Hansen's 1983 novel The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Andrew Dominik was hired to direct and write the film adaptation, with Pitt being eyed to portray Jesse James.[4] The role of Ford eventually was between Affleck and Shia LaBeouf; Affleck was cast because it was felt that LaBeouf was too young. Bill Clinton's presidential campaign strategist James Carville was selected to play the Governor of Missouri.[5] By January 2005, Pitt was cast in the role,[6] and filming began on August 29, 2005 in Calgary.[7] Filming also took place in other parts of Alberta, including McKinnon Flats, Heritage Park, the Fairmont Palliser Hotel, the Kananaskis area, several private ranches[8] and the historical Fort Edmonton Park.[8] The historical town of Creede, Colorado was recreated at a cost of $1 million near Goat Creek in Alberta.[9] Filming also took place in Winnipeg in the city's historic Exchange District; the Burton Cummings Theatre (formerly known as The Walker Theatre) and the Pantages Playhouse Theatre,[10] and concluded in December 2005.[9]

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford was initially edited by director Dominik to be "a dark, contemplative examination of fame and infamy,"[11] similar to the style of director Terrence Malick. The studio opposed Dominik's approach, preferring less contemplation and more action. One version of the film had a running time of more than three hours. Pitt and Ridley Scott, producers of the film, and editors Dylan Tichenor (who left the production early to cut There Will Be Blood, and was replaced with editor Curtiss Clayton, who ultimately finished the production) and Michael Kahn (who was brought in for several weeks as the studio's "go to" editor), collaborated to assemble and test different versions, which did not receive strong scores from test audiences. Despite the negative response, the audiences considered the performances by Pitt and Affleck to be some of their careers' best.[12] Brad Pitt had it written into his contract that the studio could not change the name of the film.[13]

[edit] Cinematography

Cinematographer Roger Deakins used palettes of brown and black to produce a bleak yet oneiric quality to the film, reminiscent of the paintings of Andrew Wyeth.[14]
An exterior shot. Notice the color aberration around the edges, imitating the look of old photographs.

One of the most well-known sequences of the film is the scene of a train robbery at night time. Cinematographer Roger Deakins used various cinematographic techniques to give the train more of a presence when it was in pitch darkness. The idea was to generate a heavy sense of atmosphere using only the lanterns held up by the outlaws and the 5K PAR light mounted on the front of the train.[15]

In order to enhance the blacks, Deakins did a slight bleach bypass on the negative, which was especially important in terms of rendering detail.[16]

Some scenes in the film have a blurred effect around the borders of the frame, which were achieved by taking old wide-angle lenses and mounting them onto the front several cameras (Arri Macros in this case). Deakins claimed to have pioneered this technique, naming these combinations of lenses "Deakinizers", which created the effect of vignetting and a slight color aberration around the edges. Deakins recalls:[17]

“ Most of those shots were used for transitional moments, and the idea was to create the feeling of an old-time camera. We weren’t trying to be nostalgic, but we wanted those shots to be evocative. The idea sprang from an old photograph Andrew [Dominik] liked, and we did a lot of tests to mimic the look of the photo. Andrew had a whole lot of photographic references for the look of the movie, mainly the work of still photographers, but also images clipped from magazines, stills from Days of Heaven, and even Polaroids taken on location that looked interesting or unusual. He hung all of them up in the long corridor of the production office. That was a wonderful idea, because every day we'd all pass by [images] that immediately conveyed the tone of the movie he wanted to make. ”


Several time-lapse sequences appear throughout the film, which were shot by Steadicam operator Damon Moreau. According to Moreau, he would be sent out to do these shots when the crew wasn't ready to shoot a scene yet.[16] Often accompanied by the film's melancholic score, these time-lapse sequences remind the audience of the passing time, developing an uneasiness that eventually builds up to the inevitable yet unsettling climax.

[edit] Music

Further information: The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (soundtrack)

The music for the film was composed by Australian musicians Nick Cave and Warren Ellis. Both men also collaborated to create the award winning score for the Australian film The Proposition in 2005.[18]

Nick Cave has a minor part in the latter stages of the film, playing a strolling balladeer in a crowded bar, where, unrecognized by the other patrons, Bob Ford must endure the humiliating lyrics of "The Ballad of Jesse James" as performed by Cave.[19]

Cave and Ellis released a double disc album titled White Lunar in September 2009, which contains several tracks from the Jesse James score, as well as tracks they composed for other films up to 2009.[20]

[edit] Release

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford was originally slated for a September 15, 2006 release.[21] The release date was postponed to February 2007 at first,[22] but ultimately set for a September 21, 2007 release,[23] almost two years after filming was completed.[12]

The film opened in limited release on September 21, 2007, in 5 theaters and grossed $147,812 in its opening weekend, an average of $29,256 per theater.[24] The film has a total gross of less than $4 million.

Warner Home Video released the film on DVD on February 5, 2008[25] in the US, and on March 31 in the UK. So far, about 566,537 DVD units have been sold, bringing $9,853,258 in revenue.[26]

[edit] Reception

[edit] Critical reception

As of December 7, 2007 on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film received a 75% fresh rating from 142 reviews and 58 percent from 31 the Cream of the Crop .[27] On Metacritic, the film had an average score of 68 out of 100, based on 31 reviews.[28]

Brian Tallerico of UGO gave the film an "A" and said that it is "the best western since Unforgiven." Tallerico also said, "Stunning visuals, award-worthy performances, and a script that takes incredibly rewarding risks, Jesse James is a masterpiece and one of the best films of the year."[29] Kurt Loder of MTV said, "If I were inclined to wheel out clichés like 'Oscar-worthy', I'd certainly wheel them out in support of this movie, on several counts."[30] Richard Roeper on the television show Ebert & Roeper said, "If you love classic and stylish mood Westerns such as McCabe and Mrs. Miller and The Long Riders, this is your film."[31] The Star-Ledger film critic Stephen Whitty gave the film four stars and called it an "epic film that's part literary treatise, part mournful ballad, and completely a portrait of our world, as seen in a distant mirror." Whitty also said that the film is "far superior" and "truer to its own world" than 3:10 to Yuma.[32] Josh Rosenblatt of The Austin Chronicle gave the film 3½ stars and said the film "grabs on to many of the classic tropes of the Western — the meandering passage of time, the imposing landscapes, the abiding loneliness, the casual violence — and sets about mapping their furthest edges."[33]

Film critic Emanuel Levy gave the film an "A" and wrote, "Alongside Joel and Ethan Coen's No Country for Old Men, which is a Western in disguise, or rather a modern Western, Assassination of Jesse James is the second masterpiece of the season." Levy also wrote, "Like Bonnie & Clyde, Dominik's seminal Western is a brilliant, poetic saga of America's legendary criminal as well as meditative deconstruction of our culture's most persistent issues: link of crime and fame, myths of heroism and obsession with celebrity."[34] Lewis Beale of Film Journal International said "Impeccably shot, cast and directed, this is a truly impressive film from sophomore writer-director Andrew Dominik...but suffers from an unfortunate case of elephantiasis." Beale said Affleck is "outstanding in a breakout performance" and said Pitt is "scary and charismatic." Beale wrote, "The director seems so in love with his languorous pacing, he’s incapable of cutting the five or ten seconds in any number of scenes that could have given the film a more manageable running time. In the scheme of things, however, this amounts to little more than a quibble." Beale said that ultimately, the film is "a fascinating, literary-based work that succeeds as both art and genre film."[35]

British critic Mark Kermode named the film as his best of 2007 in his end-of-year review on Simon Mayo's BBC radio programme.[36] Kermode later wrote that historians a hundred years from now will consider it "one of the most wrongly neglected masterpieces of its era."[37]

Many critics opined that the film is too long. Kirk Honeycutt of The Hollywood Reporter said that the relationship between Pitt and Affleck "gets smothered in pointlessly long takes, repetitive scenes, grim Western landscapes and mumbled, heavily accented dialogue."[38] Los Angeles Daily News critic Bob Strauss gave the film 2½ stars out of 4 and said, "To put it most bluntly, the thing is just too long and too slow." Strauss also said, "Every element of this Western is beautifully rendered. So why is it a chore to sit through?"[39] Pam Grady of Reel.com gave the film 2 stars out of 4 and said, "The movie is merely a long, empty exercise in style."[40] Stephanie Zacharek of Salon.com said that the film "represents a breakthrough in the moviegoing experience. It may be the first time we've been asked to watch a book on tape."[41]

Jesse James's descendants have effusively praised the film, specifically singling out Affleck and Pitt for their performances.[42]

[edit] Top ten lists

The film appeared on many critics' top ten lists of the best films of 2007.[43]

[edit] Historical accuracy

[icon] This section requires expansion.

The film is considered as one of the most historically accurate portrayals of Jesse James and Robert Ford, even by James's descendants, who found both performances more realistic and true to history than the dozens that came before them.[46]

[edit] Accolades

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford was identified by the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures as one of the top 10 films of 2007. The board also named Casey Affleck as Best Supporting Actor in the film.[47] The San Francisco Film Critics Circle named The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford as the Best Picture of 2007. The circle also awarded Affleck as best supporting actor for the film. Affleck was nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture for the 65th Golden Globe Awards.[48]

The film received two Academy Award nominations for the 80th Academy Awards. Affleck was nominated for Best Supporting Actor and Roger Deakins was nominated for Best Cinematography.[49] Earlier in the year, Brad Pitt won the prestigious Volpi Cup for Best Actor when the film premiered at the annual Venice Film Festival. Several other awards circles also awarded composers Nick Cave and Warren Ellis for their music in the film (see below).

The film also holds a place on Empire's recent list of The 500 Greatest Films of All Time, coming in at #396.[50]

Award Category Recipients and nominees Outcome
Academy Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role Casey Affleck Nominated
Best Cinematography Roger Deakins Nominated
American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases Roger Deakins Nominated
Broadcast Film Critics (BFCA) Best Supporting Actor Casey Affleck Nominated
Chicago Film Critics Best Cinematography Roger Deakins Won
Best Original Score Nick Cave
Warren Ellis		 Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Casey Affleck Nominated
Chlotrudis Awards Best Actor Casey Affleck Nominated
Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Top Ten Films of the Year - 9th
Best Cinematography Roger Deakins Won
Best Supporting Actor Casey Affleck 3rd
Detroit Film Critics Best Supporting Actor Casey Affleck Nominated
Empire Awards Best Film - Nominated
Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards Best Foreign Film - English Language Andrew Dominik Nominated
Florida Film Critics Circle Best Cinematography Roger Deakins Won
Golden Globes Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role Casey Affleck Nominated
Golden Reel Awards Best Sound Editing - Music in a Feature Film Gerard McCann
William B. Kaplan
Jonathan Karp		 Nominated
Golden Trailer Awards Best Drama Poster - Won
Best Voice Over - Won
Houston Film Critics Best Cinematography Roger Deakins Won
International Cinephile Society Top Ten Films of the Year - 4th
Best Supporting Actor Casey Affleck Won
Best Cinematography Roger Deakins Won
Best Original Score Nick Cave
Warren Ellis		 2nd
Italian Online Movie Awards Best Cinematography - Won
Best Actor in a Supporting Role Brad Pitt Nominated
Las Vegas Film Critics Top Ten Films of the Year - 4th
London Film Critics Actor of the Year Casey Affleck Nominated
Film of the Year - Nominated
National Board of Review Top Ten Films of the Year - Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Casey Affleck Won
National Society of Film Critics Best Supporting Actor Casey Affleck Won
Online Film Critics Society Best Cinematography Roger Deakins Nominated
Best Score Nick Cave
Warren Ellis		 Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Casey Affleck Nominated
San Francisco Film Critics Best Picture - Won
Best Supporting Actor Casey Affleck Won
Satellite Awards Best Supporting Actor Casey Affleck Won
Best Art Direction and Production Design Patricia Norris
Martin Gendron
Troy Sizemore		 Nominated
Best Cinematography Roger Deakins Nominated
Best Score Nick Cave Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role Casey Affleck Nominated
Southeastern Film Critics Top Ten Films of the Year - 7th
St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Best Picture - Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Casey Affleck Won
Best Cinematography Roger Deakins Won
Best Score Nick Cave
Warren Ellis		 Nominated
Utah Film Critics Association Top Ten Films of the Year - Nominated
Best Actor Casey Affleck Nominated
Vancouver Film Critics Best Supporting Actor Casey Affleck Nominated
Venice Film Festival Golden Lion Andrew Dominik Nominated
Volpi Cup for Best Actor Brad Pitt Won
Western Writers of America Best Western Drama Andrew Dominik Won

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Two Sams join Brad Pitt’s movie cast". Calgary Sun. 2005-08-31. http://www.calgarysun.com/cgi-bin/publish.cgi?p=103065&x=articles&s=showbiz. Retrieved 2007-05-09. 
  2. ^ "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)". Box Office Mojo. 2008-01-31. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=jessejames.htm. Retrieved 2011-02-19. 
  3. ^ Peter Bradshaw (2007-11-30). "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford". The Guardian (London: guardian.co.uk). http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2007/nov/30/3. Retrieved 2010-01-24. 
  4. ^ Michael Fleming (2004-03-17). "WB aims for Pitt with 'James'". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117901859.html?categoryid=1236&cs=1. Retrieved 2007-05-09. 
  5. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443680/trivia
  6. ^ Michael Fleming (2005-01-24). "Brad motors to WB oater". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117916861.html?categoryid=13&cs=1. Retrieved 2007-05-09. 
  7. ^ Louis B. Hobson (2005-08-24). "Brad Pitt's new wife". Calgary Sun. http://www.calgarysun.com/cgi-bin/publish.cgi?p=98384&x=articles&s=showbiz. Retrieved 2007-05-09. 
  8. ^ a b Kevin Williamson (2007-05-06). "Pitt's wild west showdown". Calgary Sun. http://www.calgarysun.com/cgi-bin/publish.cgi?p=181998&x=articles&s=showbiz. Retrieved 2007-05-09. 
  9. ^ a b Louis B. Hobson (2005-12-02). "Brad for business". Calgary Sun. http://www.calgarysun.com/cgi-bin/publish.cgi?p=114574&x=articles&s=showbiz. Retrieved 2007-06-26. 
  10. ^ Louis B. Hobson (2005-09-07). "Brad’s an outlaw". Calgary Sun. http://www.calgarysun.com/cgi-bin/publish.cgi?p=103929&x=articles&s=showbiz. Retrieved 2007-05-09. 
  11. ^ Horn, John (2007-05-02). "''L.A. Times'' article". Articles.latimes.com. http://articles.latimes.com/2007/may/02/entertainment/et-pitt2. Retrieved 2011-02-19. 
  12. ^ a b John Horn (2007-05-02). "Brad Pitt's 'Jesse James' comes under fire". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2007-05-16. http://web.archive.org/web/20070516072845/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-et-pitt2may02,1,7857762.story?coll=la-headlines-entnews. Retrieved 2007-05-17. 
  13. ^ Emanuel Levy. "Assassination of Jesse James: Andrew Dominik". EmaneuelLevy.com. http://www.emanuellevy.com/search/details.cfm?id=7539. Retrieved 2008-12-07. 
  14. ^ Marshall, Lee (2007-09-03). "The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford | Review | Screen". Screendaily.com. http://www.screendaily.com/ScreenDailyArticle.aspx?intStoryID=34289. Retrieved 2011-02-19. 
  15. ^ [1][dead link]
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  21. ^ Stax (2006-05-30). "Superman's New Date". IGN. http://movies.ign.com/articles/710/710606p1.html. Retrieved 2007-05-09. 
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  31. ^ Richard Roeper. "Review on Ebert & Roeper". Ebert & Roeper. http://bventertainment.go.com/tv/buenavista/ebertandroeper/index2.html?sec=6&subsec=coward+robert+ford. Retrieved 2007-09-27. 
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  38. ^ Kirk Honeycutt (2007-08-31). "Bottom Line: Pretension and vacuity sabotage a potentially terrific tale of celebrityhood". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 2007-10-03. http://web.archive.org/web/20071003223202/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/film/reviews/article_display.jsp?&rid=9707. Retrieved 2007-09-27. 
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[edit] External links

Films directed by Andrew Dominik
  • Chopper (2000)
  • The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
  • Cogan's Trade (2012)
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