Frank And Jesse (DVD)

Frank & Jessie- A Review By Addy

Having just review _The Long Riders_ I thought I would do a review on this much later account based on the true story of the James/Younger gang. The easiest way to get a heads up on the story is to read/rate my prior review. This more current version is a fresh, worthy stab at the Life and times of these famous outlaws.

==Film Specs==

Genre: Western
Directed by: ...
...the story of two brothers Frank an Jessie James. Born as southern men they fought for the confederacy during the American Civil War. This film starts earlier in the lives of the James boys from leaving the war to return home and settle down to some semblance of a quiet normal life. In very little time the illusion is shattered by Union greed and violence to the southern folk including the James family. Returning to a world of violence in a bid to ... more

Frank & Jessie- A Review By Addy

Having just review The Long Riders I thought I would do a review on this much later account based on the true story of the James/Younger gang. The easiest way to get a heads up on the story is to read/rate my prior review. This more current version is a fresh, worthy stab at the Life and times of these famous outlaws.

Film Specs

Genre: Western
Directed by: Robert Boris
Produced by: Cassian Elwes, Elliott Kastner
Release date: October 28, 1994
Running time: 105 min.
Certificate: 15

Starring

Rob Lowe
Bill Paxton
Randy Travis
William Atherton
Alexis Arquette
Todd Field
Jim Flowers
Nick Sadler
William Atherton

Synopsis

Frank and Jessie tells the story of two brothers Frank an Jessie James. Born as southern men they fought for the confederacy during the American Civil War. This film starts earlier in the lives of the James boys from leaving the war to return home and settle down to some semblance of a quiet normal life. In very little time the illusion is shattered by Union greed and violence to the southern folk including the James family. Returning to a world of violence in a bid to get justice the boys don't just get the justice and stop. In collaboration with the younger family and a couple of other men, Jesse James leads a gang in a personal war against the Union banks and railroads. Breaking an oath they swore to never take up arms against the Union deems them as outlaws to the Union but Robin Hood style heroes to the Confederacy and Southern sympathisers. Incensed at the loss of copious amounts of money, delays and embarrassment the head honcho of the railroad hires the famous Alan Pinkerton of the Pinkerton detective agency to bring the gang to justice only to find that is not going to be the easiest of feats.

What's New Pussycat?

So what, if anything different does this portrayal offer? Well firstly this film starts much earlier on in the life of the two brothers and gives a good account of what was endured after the war, as well as the injustices that they saw and were victims of themselves. This helps you as a viewer empathise with the outlaws and have a sort of affection for them. You perhaps feel that in their shoes you would do the exact same things. So in this instance you are not so distanced from the characters. The film also gives you quite an intimate look into their personal home life just as Long Riders does, but in this film it just feels a touch different. This Jesse feels more in touch with humanity such a way that he seems more in touch with life itself and even capable of having fun. However, I don't believe that it is necessarily a directional choice as opposed to Keach's role in The Long Riders see's him playing Jesse much later on in his life and much further into his outlaw career. Yet it is pleasing to get other perspectives in Jesse's life and to see the youthful Jesse being less impassive and stoic, this is a very nice touch.

When I purchased this film many years ago it was inevitable that I would buy it but I was very curious to see Rob Lowe in the lead role as Jesse. I had mixed emotion being dubious as to whether he could do it with conviction. Everything else seemed right about the film Bill Paxton, Randy Travis but Rob Lowe simply niggled me. So putting my concerns aside I watched and tried to keep my predetermined judgements at bay. Here is what I discovered. I have watched many Rob Lowe films and I can honestly say that this was his finest performance I have seen him put in, and I personally feel that this was in large due to him being in his most comfortable/preferable role. Perhaps he was enthused by playing such a legend, but he grabs it with both hands and puts in a grand performance. Bill Paxton is an actor I have always had an affection for enjoying his roles in films such as Weird Science, Aliens, and Twister. Having seen many accounts of the Jesse James story the on screen performance between Paxton and Lowe as the brothers is the best I have seen in terms of their interaction and on screen chemistry, and Paxton's powerful performance as Frank seems to inspire a grander performance from Lowe. You also get a stronger feeling in this film of Frank being the level headed one and the fundamental tool in keeping any semblance of control on Jesse. Randy Travis I will come to talk about shortly.

In this film the Younger's take more of a back seat. The Long Riders title gives you the impression it incorporates the gang in its entirety and it does. However in this instance the Frank and Jesse title isn't a dupe, the focus really is very much on the brothers. The explicit look into the Younger's that is in The Long Riders, is not in this film and the younger's are more like extras. Now, with that being said the film has legendary Country & Western singer Randy Travis cast has Cole Younger. There is enough development of the character to give him a strong role in the film but in large to emphasise the storyline about Frank and Jesse. For example the film explores the angst between Cole and Jesse and makes the contempt for each other most evident. Although Randy's acting is good enough, it doesn't scratch the surface of David Carradine's role in The Long Riders, but one wonders if there had been more character building for Cole, how Randy would have developed him. In this film the role of Alan Pinkerton isn't played as well and to a degree I found the character annoying. The other advantage I surmise to having a country singer as an actor is that you can pay one wage for two functions and this was apparent to the director. Therefore much of the soundtrack is performed by Randy Travis and yahoo, its good.

Historical Accuracy is for the most part a factor in this film but the glitz of movie making seldom leaves every director untainted and the urge to play around with some of the facts is a common occurrence, with Frank and Jesse no exception. It is for the most part a minor trivial affair that folk not experienced in the true story will not even be aware off. One flippant mistake for me though that I was a bit irked about, was that in Jesse's first bank hold-up he was wounded and got tended to by his cousin Zee. This was the woman he fell in love with and married. Yet in this film it doesn't quite go this way. Clearly some of the film takes the romanticised aspects and gives them some pure silver screen flamboyancy. Now with that being said the costumes etc are very good and in lines with the period, but where the film messes up is that the guys dress like Wild West gunslingers. In The Long Riders they dress in accordance with the culture and lifestyle that they were raised in and the only things that set them apart when in the outlaw role is the presence of firearms and duster coats. Therefore it begs the question is the director trying to tell the Frank and Jesse story or make a western and this plot will suffice?

The action for me in this film is in adequate quantities and certainly entertains but is in no way a violent account like The Long Riders which puts gritty realism into the on screen action. When people are shot it occurs that it is not pleasant and death is clearly a thing of immense impact. In Frank and Jesse the action takes the course of a plethora of western films before, with the Hollywood flair action scenes that all the death and carnage is just as natural as tying your shoe laces. Millions of films do it people die and it's simply entertaining, you never really think about what it really means but The Long Riders similarly to films like Saving Private Ryan makes you address the loss of life in a slightly different way. I hope I have given clarity on what it is that I am trying to say.

Ok to sum it all up Frank and Jesse is a great wee film I make no claims on the contrary. There are solid acting performances and lots of little wondrous things that sets this apart from many other westerns. I would actually say this is a better film than films such as Young Guns. It is a 15 and I found nothing particularly distressing about it but some of the issues may be beyond the comprehension of a person much younger. There are one or two slightly graphic scenes such as a bullet hole in a person's forehead but it certainly has no geysers of blood gushing out. I feel with The Long Riders it is a film that can entice enjoyment from a person that isn't particularly a western fan, but I do believe that Frank and Jesse is more one for those that quite enjoy the occasional western.

Thanks to all those that take the time to read/rate this review, Addy

© May 2008 

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