The Long Riders (1980)

I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much

hyped garbage

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

!980's version of the well-worn Jesse James-Cole Younger legends as they move from one robbery to the next, but never abandon their regional roots.Kick-ass western in the mode of The Wild Bunch (1969). Certainly no effort here at glamorizing anybody or anything. These outlaws of legend are about as grungy and unslickened as I expect the real ones were. No bath tub Motel 6 around here. Heck, they're not even very likable. No romanticizing these rough-necks, even as they plug a couple bank tellers in pretty cold-blooded fashion. Then again, they're respected by family and locals. Perhaps in their own way, they're continuing Confederate resistance to Yankee domination.And get a load of that hog farm that's about the last word in mud and slop. No Farmer John's running this pig-pen. Thankfully, there're no cosmetic gun-downs. Instead, when shots are traded, blood spouts freely from gaping puncture wounds, something traditional Hollywood seldom did. But, holy of holys, even director Hill and Co. carry on Hollywood's tradition of never shooting horses, even when that's obviously the best way of thwarting outlaw escape. Nonetheless, I salute the makers for their efforts at background realism, so unlike the air-brushed accounts of the 40's and 50's. But who is Pamela Reed. Her turn as a sluttish Belle Starr darn near steals the show, and that's up against strong turns from the Keach and Carradine brothers, respectively. Given the crowded cast, there's not much chance at developing character, but the scripters furnish good glimpses through he-man byplay and interaction with women. If the movie's flawed, I think it comes with the Northfield raid which appears overdone and none too plausible given the deafening cannonade of shots.All in all, it's a memorable western, well-mounted and well-performed. So if you liked The Wild Bunch, you're bound to like this successor. Yes indeed, decades of film-makers have milked the James legend, but this is one of the best, if not the best.

OK Western-drama, detailing the exploits of the James-Younger gang (Jesse James et al). Not very captivating though: seems pretty much join-the-dots. You never get to feel much empathy for any of them. Just seems kind of bland.This said, the action sequences are good. The slo-mo shooting sequences are a bit overdone though, and weren't necessary in the first place.Good performances from three sets of brothers in the main roles: David, Keith and Robert Carradine as the Youngers, James and Stacy Keach as Jesse and Frank James respectively and Dennis and Randy Quaid as the Millers.Entertaining enough, but not great.

After the Civil War, the James-Younger gang commits a series of daring robberies of banks and trains in and around Missouri. The Pinkerton Detective Agency is called in to try and deal with these notorious outlaws.I love this western for many different reasons. Chief amongst them is simply that it looks and sounds gorgeous, full of authentic period detail, beautiful costumes, rich traditional music and expertly staged action. I also love the cast, all of whom are tremendous; some may dismiss the idea of casting four sets of real life brothers, but it works beautifully because they are all great players. David Carradine and Stacey Keach as Cole Younger and Frank James in particular are two of the few actors I can think of who could pull off these larger-than-life roles and not look ridiculous. Everyone is great though and special mention has to go to Reed as Belle Starr, who sizzles up the screen and matches the machismo shot for shot. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of it though is its detached political stance - one view of Jesse James is as a heroic fighter who refused to bow to the North and stole from wealthy Yankee businessmen, whilst he and the gang can just as easily be labelled as bigoted cut-throats and killers. The movie doesn't preach either way, but it does emphasise the protagonists' army bushwacker pasts and their sense of disbelief and resentment at the Confederate defeat, whilst making no apologies for their actions. This tension builds towards the excellent finale at the infamous disastrous bank raid in Northfield, where I'm caught between satisfaction that the bandits have finally met their comeuppance and sheer horror as they are trapped and shot to pieces. The slow-motion sequence with the horses jumping through the windows as they desperately try to escape is one of the most powerful and visually arresting moments in all western cinema. The movie was obviously a labour of love for director Hill and co-writer/co-producer/star James Keach, and they've created a rich, mythic depiction of the end of the Old West, balancing the traditional gunfights and saloon scenes with pensive moments, square dances and rural landscapes. Its trump card is the fabulous music by Ry Cooder, which mixes a contemporary score with period instruments, traditional songs and moody interludes and enhances all the key sequences, becoming an integral part of the story (the Rally 'Round The Flag recital the boys object to, Jim and Bob singing and playing the Jewish Harp on the train) and completely immersing the viewer in 1870's America. A sensational and thrilling western, not to be missed, for both the tremendous direction and the pleasure of watching the Carradine, Keach, Quaid and Guest brothers in action. For other cinematic versions of the James-Younger gang's exploits, check out Nicholas Ray's 1957 The True Story Of Jesse James or Philip Kaufman's 1972 The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid.

The story of Jesse James is the richest source of material for westerns. There is so much written about it and only a small part of it was shown on the screen. 'The Long Riders' keeps to the same part of the story as most other films: what happened shortly before Northfield, Minnesota and a bit after. I wish a more complete film would be made about it, starting with the civil war and ending after the trial of the Ford brothers, also showing the alleged involvement of the Governor of Missouri in the cowardly killing of Jesse. The film has great moments: the "handkerchief" fight between Cole Younger and Sam Starr where each man has to hold on his mouth a part of a handkerchief, while they fight with "Bowie" knives, a fight that was probably inspired by "Kansas Raiders"(1950), the night before Northfield with the members of the gang and their women, the beautiful landscape with the group riding their horses. The Carradine brothers as the Youngers are superb and so are Randy and Dennis Quaid as the Millers. Same for Pamela Reed as Belle Starr. I cannot think of a Frank James that can compare to Henry Fonda. Stacy Keach does his best but there is something lacking. James Keach underplays Jesse. It is not a bad performance, far from it, but from what I read Jesse was more outgoing than Frank, who was the guy who wanted no publicity.The shootout at Northfield would have come out better without the slow motion scenes.