The Long Riders Review

MPAA Rating: R
Released: 1980

By the time the 1980's came around, the Western genre had become nearly extinct in American cinema, but every once in a while a quality Western would fly in under the radar and offer a sliver of hope for fans of the genre. Walter Hill's The Long Riders is one such Western, and although it's not terribly well known it stands tall as one of the essential movies for those that enjoy escaping back to the days of the wild frontier.

Director Walter Hill is best known for his other works such as 1979's The Warriors and 1982's 48 Hours, but in 1980 he also released a little-known gem that detailed the life of the James and Younger gang, and he did so with a twist. In order to lend authenticity to the siblings that composed the James and Younger gang, Walter Hill decided to select actors that were related to each other.

David, Keith and Robert Carradine play the roles of Cole, Jim and Bob Younger. Stacy and James Keach play Frank and Jesse James. Dennis and Randy Quaid perform the roles of Ed and Clell Miller. And finally Christopher and Nicholas Guest play the roles of Charlie and Bob Ford.

This novel approach to cast selection ended up working wonderfully, for the literal family resemblances made the characters they portrayed all that more believable.

Since Walter Hill wanted The Long Riders to be an accurate depiction of historical fact, the plot will hold no surprises for those who are familiar with Jesse James' story. Hill wasn't the first, nor was he the last, to base a film on the James and Youngers either, but his version does stand out from the crowd due to its fantastic cinematography. The movie possesses the bloody grit and realism one would expect from a spaghetti Western rather than a John Wayne flick.

There were too many actors for me to critique the performances of each, but two actors in particular made The Long Riders that much more enjoyable for me. David Carradine is one of my favorite actors; he has an easy-going charisma that really compliments his roles. That being said, walking into the movie I wasn't certain whether David Carradine could truly fit into an authentic Western, especially for the major role of Cole Younger. By the time the ending credits began to roll, I wondered why I ever doubted him. Carradine's depiction of Cole is fascinating and a joy to watch.

The second runner up is Stacy Keach. My first real exposure to his work was his roles in two Cheech and Chong movies, so while I knew he was quite capable of playing a bumbling stoner cop I had no idea what to expect once he donned the cowboy duds. Again I was pleasantly surprised – he nailed the role of Frank James, which actually caused a slight problem since I felt he outperformed his brother. To me, Frank James was more intriguing than his better-known brother Jesse! But that's picking at nits since everyone did their job and made a quality movie.

Most of us probably know how the fated bank robbery of Northfield, Minnesota turned out; so I won't be sharing any real unknown plot spoilers or secrets by commenting on it. The final battle was very well choreographed in my opinion, featuring many slow-motion shots during critical moments. Although slow-motion is a technique often abused by directors, I think its use was a wise choice for The Long Riders because it makes each bloody hit against the Younger brothers all that more dramatic. Rather than watch the ambush from afar, it helps draw us into the film and get an idea of how chaotic and horrifying it must have been for the bandit gang during their final showdown.

If you're a fan of the Western genre, make sure you give The Long Riders a try; it will be well worth your time.

Movie rating: 8 stars

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