American Myths - The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford | Renegade Cut

Learn about The American Adam, The American Dream and other myths that were helped made popular through stories about the old west. See how these relate to The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Support Renegade Cut Media through Patreon: / renegadecut
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BIBLIOGRAPHY AND FURTHER READING:
/ the-water-is-wide-an-a...
deepfocusreview.com/reviews/t...
cinephiliabeyond.org/assassin...
sequart.org/magazine/51966/ana...
www.teachwithmovies.org/handou...

[@PRATIK1900]

Can not believe Roger Deakins did not get an Oscar for cinematography for this film.

[@ThisguyQuake]

I know!!! That when I stop caring about Oscar

[@agoogle6454]

I honestly remember watching that year just to see this win cinematography! Take nothing away from there will be blood, it was great work but nothing when compared to Deakins work on Jesse James

[@stanley-fghijk441]

It's the greatest work he's ever done, and that's saying a lot.

[@davidfernandez8515]

It wasn't even his best movie of the year. He was nominated for No Country for Old Men as well, and he lost to There Will Be Blood...

[@ibrown3KC]

Nick Cave and Warren Ellis's original score is beautifully haunting and unforgettable, too, and should have won an oscar. At least Deakins was nominated (though he should have won, too.)

[@gokinsmen]

2007 had three masterful "anti-Westerns," The Assassination of Jesse James, No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood, all of which punctured American myths codified by the old west era and the Hollywood western genre.

[@valentinsguigna]

gokinsmen what’s anti-western about No Country for Old Men?

[@duffman18]

Valentin TutuBoperMainan A "man with no name" goes round murdering people in the desert. Except he's shown to be more accurately a sociopath.

[@garcalej]

No Country for Old Men strips away the artifice of the Old Western by applying its tropes within a modern setting. Cattle rustlers and desperados are replaced by cartels and hitmen, horses and wagons replaced by trucks and black SUVs. The west is presented as still "wild" and "lawless", but with the exotic allure of antique history stripped away, you see the violence as it is, not as how it is erroneously remembered. You see just how out of place such romanticism is in a modern context. Shoot a man with a revolver in 1875 and you're an "outlaw". Shoot him with a .44 caliber automatic in the present day and you're simply a murderer.

[@RandyLeftHandy]

A fucking great year for movies.

[@AHafan2]

The notion of the guy in the black hat being a romantic character doing things on his own terms - still violent and a villain, sure, but representing the kind of freedom anyone, even the little guy, could embody - was ripped apart in that one scene where Chigurh stalks into that guy's office and shoots him in the face with a shotgun, while the camera makes you watch him choke on his own blood with a face full of buckshot while his murderer calmly explains to his underling how dumb his was of doing things was. It's like that whole unspoken idea of the bad guy being a different kind of good, even being smarter than the good guys representing society in a lot of ways in westerns, got smashed in the most succinct and horrific way.

[@ononono7016]

With globalism, the notion of the "temporarily embarrassed millionaire" has also become more common in other countries. Especially apps like KZbin give people the hope that as long as they put themselves out there, they'll be heard, special, and rich. I would conclude that that is the reason why people are so dissatisfied with their lives. "I could and should do better, but I haven't, yet, while people on the internet have already succeeded with things I could've done."

[@chrispowerfilm]

For years I felt like a mad monk in the desert waving this film at my friends only to have most of them “turn it off” halfway through. Andrew D is one of the best filmmakers alive and this film deserves more acclaim. Thank you for this review

[@whatinthefudge5346]

They should make another movie I'm surprised Brad Pitt never made another western

[@SuperMegaTube]

Casey Affleck is sensational in this movie

[@seaque.]

this is how video essays should be. I have been watching video essays about movies & everything, this is one of the best I've ever seen.

[@MyssBlewm]

A new take on the American Dream is "starting my business from a garage".

[@MyssBlewm]

George Daugherty That's great and it's awesome he was able to start up his own business. I didn't mean to knock on any one who does start their own business (especially from their own garage). I just mean that the new myth of the American Dream usually starts with a garage to indicate the whole "rags to riches" story. Companies like Microsoft, KZbin, Google, and Amazon always start with the narrative of "the company started in a garage" when in reality it is kind of a stretch. Bill Gates comes from an affluent family and had the resources to commit a lot of his energy and time on running Microsoft. In my opinion people like to highlight and point out that Bill Gates started his business in a garage and dropped out of college to achieve his dream to give off the narrative that he was a working class guy who worked hard to find success, which isn't the whole truth but that narrative is pushed so the American Dream is continued so it will feel like any one can achieve the rags to riches story. Again, I don't begrudge anyone who has a dream to start their own business, but we shouldn't twist success stories into the myth of "started my company from a garage" because it takes more than just high hopes and a garage to find success. It doesn't mean I find Bill Gates' success story as fake or despicable, I actually really respect him and find his hard work and success admirable, but I don't think we should place him on a pedestal and hail him as an embodiment of the American Dream.

[@johannageisel5390]

Additionally: To start a business from a garage one must first own a garage. Even an own piece of land with a house and garage is already capital. Many people don't have even that.

[@didimean]

Today the American dream is actually having a garage. lol.

[@leviathanmg]

The book is equally enthralling. I used the film narrator's voice in my head while reading it. I've read it twice in the last year. Give it a go if you haven't already.

[@Nick0Kyuubi0Narion]

the book is also way kinder to all the characters. the film minimizes them to the nearest archetypes, while in the book they're all way more complex. robert ford is essentially a nerd/superfan amalgam, while in the book he's way more clever and compassionate.

[@aberry89]

Been waiting on this one for a while :D Such a horribly underappreciated film. In my mind one of the most brilliant deconstructions and reconstructions of one of the hardest narratives to tell - that of a coward. Always leaves me in awe.

[@magnusp7381]

It's the best movie ever in my opinion!

[@Johnnysmithy24]

Smh

[@dustjunky2000]

I swear every moment of this film is pure gold.

[@RobAGabor]

"I may look like Robert Ford, but I feel just like Jesse James" -- Bob Dylan

[@foolishphilanthropy]

“You eat yourself some noodle stew and your clock'll tick all night.”

[@michaelzoltan7988]

2007: The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood, Michael Clayton and Zodiac ... One of the best years in film-making

[@buzhichun]

You made me love my favorite movie even more now. Fascinating analysis.

[@tomboz777]

"When the books documenting the history of 21st century film are written, Andrew Dominik's magical feature will surely feature as one of the most wrongly neglected masterpieces of its era. Visually rich, dramatically mournful, and thematically existential, this was quite the best film of 2007." Love this. One of my favourite films, seriously underrated.👌

[@pbbbht]

The American Dream is the best example of survivorship bias.

[@jorgevial131]

This film changed the genre forever. Characters speak with the vocabulary and the grammar used at that time. That has been adopted in later films.

[@MrChopstsicks]

The first Jesse James movie I’ve seen is American Outlaw, when I was in a phase of loving western cowboys, stealing from the bank and giving it to the people. The glorified Jesse James is a hero and I watched it lots of times. But I always had a doubt that the robberies are as clean as they are (putting large trees on the tracks, using barrels writing “slow down, tree ahead”) getting all the money without an incident. When I first saw The Assassination of Jesse James. That doubt I had is shown, the senseless violence during the train robbery broke the myth of heroism. That is the kind of Jesse James I’ve always imagine due to it’s spotless hero image. I also think it’s the start of de-glorifying heroes like Batman and bring it to the real world.

[@aaronblack8783]

Man, your reviews are equal parts educational and entertaining. I genuinely feel like I'm getting an education across a few different disciplines when I watch your videos! So thank you for putting in the time and effort and research to make such high quality work :)

[@lostintechnicolor]

One of my favorite films of the 21st Century.

[@orvilpym]

Damn. Been a fan for quite some time, but you're still getting better and better. That was an awesome video. Maybe your best so far. None of the repetitiveness that sometimes sneaks in when you struggle for the exact explanation, but clear and concise and still full of emotion and providing a wonderful sense of understanding and closure to the grief about having to say goodbye to these Hollywood myths. Thanks, mate. Brilliant work!

[@Landonio]

One of the greatest films of all time. Casey Afleck not winning Best Actor is a travesty.

[@alexanderg1297]

DDL was amazing in There Will Be Blood tho

[@curiousworld7912]

I think that because America was so 'new' - we didn't have centuries of history upon which to draw our myths - that the sort of resistance to authority and even the anarchy of the post-Civil War West held an attraction to many who found the rising power of industrialists and the banks to be forcing a kind of stricture on the people. Also, we were the first country to have at its disposal huge swaths of 'untamed' land at the same time that mass media made these stories available to even international audiences.

[@titmaus7732]

The best film in history. Also there will be blood which came out the same year. Beautiful.

[@calipanhead]

YES One of my all time favorite films! Thank you!!!!!

[@hmleao]

Absolutely beautiful. Best analysis I've seen on this movie.

[@solt8389]

This movie has a special place in my heart

[@myouounoanjii]

Fantastic review, Leon. Loved the theme and your presentation.

[@paulmitchum8658]

The same themes are explored in 'My Name Is Nobody,' with none other than Henry Fonda. But there the myths are shown to be almost impossible to escape from. Also huge tonal problems.

[@teenprez]

Fantastic analysis of an under-appreciated film! New to your channel and happy to have found it.

[@steveeb9567]

Leon, I'm surprised you haven't explored, perhaps the most pure and noble good guy/ bad guy western: "Shane"

[@crowtcameron]

One of my favorite ones you've done

[@trevorjones8969]

Yep. Great film. Although my favourite Western is 1971's 'McCabe & Mrs. Miller', directed by Robert Altman. That film appears to me as an authentic picture of the move West - a suitable demythologising and account of the modern world intruding on the notion of manifest destiny. Cheers.

[@brianlamar8758]

By the way there were some female outlaws one of them who was associated with Jesse James her name was Belle Starr and her lover was cole younger he was also the father of pearl even though he denied it to keep Pearl Safe from enemies who were still alive at that time if any of them were they were probably a few but they were probably dangerous so he denied it to keep her safe he didn't want his daughter to meet a terrible Faith like his baby mama did

[@asaquebrada]

Amazing review and analysis.

[@trevinotano]

Solid video. Good job!

[@GeorgeTengTV]

Amazing analysis.

[@matinr3528]

Great video! Watched this movie more than 3 times!

[@jeffcarlin5866]

How brilliant is this film? Jesse James is killed and EVERY SCENE THEREAFTER is a heartbreaker. The movie doesn't END with Jesse's demise. The AFTERMATH is important as well.

[@joshottinger6380]

This was a fantastic movie but I'd like to go deeper into Bob's treatment by other people even before he killed Jesse. This movie always captivated me but if you pay attention to the film, you'll notice people disrespect Bob and treat him like shit for absolutely no reason. I've known people like this in real life; people who just cannot seem to get respect or be treated fairly from other people even if they are genuinely good people. They give respect but get none in return. It's like the Narrator in the video said; "The myth that James robbed from the rich and gave to the poor is dissected in the film. It's bogus." So if Jesse James was never a Robin Hood figure, that would mean Jesse only robbed and killed for his own greedy selfish desire. So why did everyone hate Bob after executing him? The other characters in the movie never gave an actual reason for all of the disrespect and hostility towards Bob.

[@HumbleSeaGoat]

Read the book. Bob Ford is depicted as petulant, whiney, and crude. He's at least likeable in the film, but in the book he was a testy ***hole.

[@sherryboyd817]

This film is pure art

[@jays3652]

Great movie and solid analysis. Though I do think there's more nuance with the American dream. Poor people do not think of themselves as temporarily embarrassed millionaires, it's easy to just state this conclusion but it doesn't hold in terms of their behavior or values. Rather, the american dream is the idea that success and wealth is truly possible and attainable if one works for it. The extent to which this is true is certainly debatable, but the point is valid.

[@asamcdaniel5167]

Thank you for doing this.

[@brianlamar8758]

Maybe because the true story is Frank James got revenge on Bob Ford and nobody else didn't but the man they had in this film took the fall for Frank James cuz he didn't want Frank James to get arrested. So Frank James both got something he wanted: pardon and revenge

[@helenwilliams7065]

Criminally underated.

[@Thetmo2024]

Wow, well done!

[@1997residente]

Adam from Yourmoviesucks was an extra in this movie

[@tomboz777]

1997residente blink and you'll miss it.😏

[@magnusp7381]

I'd be pissed too if someone tortured my family.

[@lornwell3669]

My opinion is quite different on this movie. Jesse is portrayed in public as some kind of Robin Hood. In reality he's ruthless, harsh and cold. I think that's only a mask he puts on. He's only a victim of his own choices and carreer, all he does is just so he could protect his family. Killing of his gang members, etc. Just to taking care of loose ends. Deep down he looks like a sensitive guy and hes forced to do those killings not to leave loose ends. The fact he had insomnia might hint that he was haunted by those killings and things he did. He may also have'nt had the condition of granulated eyelids, but cried rather often when not seen. That's probably the reason why he let Robert shoot him, he was tired of living a life of sorrow Tl;dr Jesse might have been a good and sensitive man and a loving husband, but hotheaded and was forced into the life he led by the choices he made.

[@MarquesUnderwood]

I kid you not. I recently just saw this for the first time! Let me watch your analysis. Perfect timing. Great movie

[@Ryan_Ek2]

Marques Underwood Same here. Saw it about a month ago. It definitely deserves more praise.

[@andrewdeen1]

ive always heard that quote attributed to steinbeck, huh.

[@renegadecut9875]

It's commonly misquoted as from Steinbeck.

[@shayan357]

Underrated af

[@mrshelby4682]

You know the oldest lie in America..? that power can be innocent.

[@scifinerd17]

Something about this film kinda reminds me of The Revenant

[@michaelcalland801]

Masterpiece on film

[@tatata1543]

Great movie.

[@gokinsmen]

THIS is the film Roger Deakins should have won for, not the sanitized Blade Runner 2049.

[@scifinerd17]

gokinsmen Well the cinematography in There Will Be Blood was also really amazing and I think Robert Elswit winning it was well-deserved.

[@TOFKAS01]

Yes, the Western genre is only about mystification of the 19.Century in the USA. Its nothing more. And this mystification just fell out of favour after the babyboomer-generation became old.

[@whatinthefudge5346]

All those things are true about the western tho it was the last true freedom of america something we will never understand the independent spirit of a cowboy lives on also those things did happen Indians did that and all the other stuff had real about men and a romanticized america in sorry we lost that

[@bitterlilraccoon]

What I wish to know is how do we shatter the myth that is the current POTUS? For many that is an easy matter, but for others, it's a lie they simply believe because they wish to.

[@valdemarjuel1267]

Tom Ramirez you have to go back

[@gunsandammo92]

Honest answer? By not making a myth in the other political spectrum. Especially in a aggressive fashion. People will regress back to their beliefs when met with hostility especially when you make someone out to be pure evil when they see that figure as pure good.

[@walterlopez5054]

the problem isn't the myth, nor is it the ignorant "unwashed masses" that voted for him, that was proven by the fact that Hilary Clinton literally had 3 million more votes than he did . the problem is the American Electoral system itself, a corrupted system that ignored the will of the American People and installed, at best a Criminal, and a worst a Russian Puppet into our highest public office.

[@birdtheidiot3002]

I hope the definition of populist in the dictionary won't be changed.

[@AceGoodheart]

Just goes to show how feeble people are. He's no perfect person by any means, but he's also not the person they claim him to be. I shouldn't be surprised though. 2,000 years ago this world nailed an innocent man to the cross. We humans are the same today as we were yesterday.

[@daxdenton2289]

I love this movie I think all western legends could be depicted in the light of this film the light being they are not as special as we think they are and also kinda pathetic Brad Pitt has said this is his favorite film he has been apart of and the worst to preform at the box office the director let Pitt keep the guns and gun leather he used in the film and Pitt worked with legendary and champion fast draw thell reed and Pitt could hit spent 12 gauge shotgun shells draw his guns in a twist hand hip draw the guns used where two colt single action army revolvers 5 1/2 and 7 1/2 inch barrels both black powder revolver frames like the original colt of that era and a smith and Wesson Schofield, 7 inch barrel revolver all three where refinished like new and had action jobs all this was done by thell reed and I believe Pitt still owns these firearms

[@taoalexis]

I guess the reason the film did not work for me was that I had seen the western myth repeatedly exploded in films starting as early as the 1970s. By the time this film was made, that myth was already dead. I didn't have any sense, any more, that this film was exploding that myth; I was, instead, merely comparing it as a movie to other movies. In that regard, the various aspects of the film, from camera use, dialogue, plot structure, direction and the incessant sense that Robert Ford's pain just did not impress me, left me feeling that the film was a waste of my time.

[@Johnnysmithy24]

Man

[@jackcollins2568]

This movie is nothing but bunk.

[@faceofleather]

Fantastic analysis.