The Assassination Of Jesse James

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is a western film. The film has both positive and negative components that make it an uneasy viewing, due to immoral behaviours and sense of unhinged characteristics. The director Andrew Dominik has great control in creating beautiful pictures throughout the film. Dominik gives the best understanding of Jesse James possible so that we, as viewers, are able to become better acquainted (more familiar) with Jesse’s character.

In the scene (Blue Cut Robbery) where Frank and Jesse James have collated a bunch of “amateur robbers and petty thieves” to commit the Blue Cut train robbery the filmmaker, Andrew Dominik, portrays the idea that being an outlaw is being a bully. This scene is significant

because it shows the character traits of Jesse James that make him an oppressive, coercing bully.
Andrew Dominik portrays Jesse’s character through many cinematographic aspects and filmic techniques, so that as viewers we get a solid understanding of Jesse James. During the lead up to the Blue Cut train robbery we see Jesse leaving all the hard, laborious work to the other members of the gang. From this we can see that Jesse and his brother Frank think that they are better than the other members. When in reality they are all equal as they are breaking the law together and displaying like immoral behaviours. This helps to portray Jesse as a bully as he is not wanting to get his hands dirty yet, he happily takes the credit at the end of the robbery for the money and jewels collected. Jesse’s character is portrayed as conceited within this scene when the train is coming towards the barricade on the track and Jesse, with no fear visible, stands on top of the barricade even though the train is approaching at full speed. When the train hits the first barricade a dolly cam is used to emphasis the trains impact and force. As viewers we feel the impact of the train hitting us and we feel forced back by the train when it is coming to a stop. This helps to explain the fearlessness that Jesse has in front of others since Jesse is standing on top of the second barricade. As the train screeches to a halt Jesse is encompassed by smoke. This visual technique tells us that even though Jesse thinks he is dominant within this setting, his importance is degraded by the encompassing smoke. This is evident as within another visual technique we see Jesse in frame and the picture is blurred and when the shot changes to Frank, the picture is clear. This depicts Franks authority over Jesse within the gang. Even though Jesse’s vulnerability is shown through these techniques he is pictured more clearly to the viewers as a bully when he hits an innocent member of the public on the train. Jesse hit the man because he did not get what he wanted from the vault. This tells us as viewers that Jesse’s character is very temperamental when it comes to getting his own way. Jesses impulsive action of hitting the man on the head killed the innocent man in front of the other gang members. The fact that Jesse killed the man in front of the other gang members portrays his need to be dominant and intimidating in front of other members to show authority. As viewers it is clear that Dominik has based Jesse's bully like character on the stereotypical bully, being self-conscious and not as dominant as he thought so he decides to victimize people “lower” than him. This scene closes with a extreme long shot of Jesse James next to the train and in front of the forest, with his head down and shoulders slouched. The colours within this shot are dark and have a blue tinge to them. The purpose of this is to show that Jesse regrets his actions and in unsure of who he is as a person. This is because Jesse feels remorse for killing the innocent man on the train but he feels that he cannot show this emotion in front of the other gang members as he needs to hold his persona of the tough guy that everyone needs to be frightened of.

In another scene (Imagining Himself) Robert Ford “slyly migrates from room to room” while Jesse and his family are heading out to the Second Presbyterian Church to attend the 10 o’clock service. Andrew Dominik portrays the idea that people idolise others while being blinded by the fame. This scene is significant within the film as it shows the character traits of Robert being peculiar and obsessive towards Jesse.
Dominik portrays Roberts character to us, as viewers, through the use of cinematographic aspects and filmic techniques. Dominik does this through actions carried out by Robert. Roberts actions include, going through Jesse’s clothing, trying on Jesse’s hat, drinking from a glass previously used by Jesse, lying on Jesse’s bed and “manufacturing” Jesse’s lost finger. Rubbing his chest, to “construe the scars where Jesse was twice shot” and smelling the “talcum and lilacs on Jesse’s pillowcase.” From Roberts behaviour we see that he is largely obsessed with becoming Jesse. A tracking shot is used while Robert sipped from the glass of water on the vanity, following Robert bringing the glass to his mouth. This camera shot helped us as viewers to understand Robert’s fixation with Jesse as it is quite a peculiar action to carry out. Throughout the film Jesse’s hat helps to show his mood swings, loss of power and his vulnerability. Dominik used something as simple as a hat to portray these vital emotional switches so that as viewers we saw the pressure Jesse felt with keeping up his persona of an outlaw. When Robert tries Jesse’s hat on it is dramatic irony. This is because as viewers since we know the rollercoaster of emotions Jesse has been through we can sense that if Robert kills Jesse, Robert will then begin the journey of self-doubt, anger and impulsive, immoral actions. When Robert lies on Jesse’s bed and manufactures the lost finger Dominik uses a close on Robert’s face as he squints and holds his hand up to the sunlight streaming through the window. This is significant as it shows that Robert is filled with hope to one day kill Jesse and take over his lifestyle. Robert wishes to do so as he believes Jesse’s lifestyle is as good as anyone could get. When Robert is rubbing his chest to “construe the scars where Jesse was twice shot” he is still lying on the bed with the sunlight streaming through the window. The sunlight through the window helps us as viewers understand how much Robert idolises Jesse. This is because while Robert is imagining himself as Jesse the sunlight through the window portrays the angelic light that Robert views Jesse in.

The purpose of these two scenes within the film “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford” is to portray to the viewers the idea that people should not idolize celebrities simply because they are famous.

This is clear because Robert idolises Jesse and has done since he was a young boy but for all the wrong reasons. This film clearly indicates that as humans we are easily sucked into the lives of others if we believe they are better off than ourselves. This message is shown through Robert unhealthily obsessing over Jesse, which is clearly seen within the scene “Imagining Himself.” The Blue cut robbery scene demonstrates Jesse’s bully like, yet insecure, characteristics. The scene helps us as viewers to understand Jesse’s character, we see that Jesse is not a nice person. Due to the fact that Jesse is aware that what he does is wrong, yet he still continues to carry out similar actions. Killing people for no reason, because he wants something or simply because he feels threatened by them is purely selfish. Due to Jesse’s selfish actions as viewers we dislike his character. Although he does show remorse for the actions he has carried out. The internal battle that Jesse has about his actions show the beginning of his emotional breakdown. Throughout the film as we observe Jesse’s breakdown, as viewers we begin to feel sorry for him but not enough to see him any differently than being a bad person. The style that Dominik used within the blue cut robbery scene had dull, dark and gloomy connotations. This was a large contrast with the other scene as the colours were a lot brighter and the overall scene had a sepia tone. The difference helped to establish that blue cut robbery was a scene full of bad deeds whereas when Robert is imagining himself as Jesse the scene portrays Roberts innocence to the real life of Jesse James. Within imagining himself when Robert fabricates Jesse as viewers we know that Jesse is a bad person and does not deserve to be

idolised but Robert is blind to this purely because Jesse is famous. Within both scenes background music begins to play while the main characters within the scene are in deep thought. This technique that Dominik has wisely used is useful to viewers as it helps set the feeling of anticipation of what the outcome will be. Background music begins to play when Jesse places his head on the train track to listen to how far away it is. The music is built up as it starts with us hearing the rhythm of the train which then incorporates Jesse’s heart beat and then the music begins to play. The anticipation of when the train is going to arrive makes us viewers nervous as we wonder how intense Jesse’s actions are going to be throughout the robbery. Within imagining himself the music starts as soon as we see Robert come into frame. He walks through a doorway within Jesse’s house and his posture and body movements intensify the fact that he is slyly migrating from room to room and contemplating doing something to Jesse. The title “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford” means that there is always the underlying dramatic irony of when the assassination will occur. When we see Robert acting in this obsessive behaviour we realise that it must be going to occur soon. Dominik uses voice over techniques throughout the film to fill the viewers in on important aspects of information or to help explain what is going through a character's head. Within the blue cut robbery scene voiceover is used to inform the viewers of the previous James gang crimes and members whereas in imagining himself, voiceover is used to explain what Robert is thinking while he is wondering around Jesse’s house.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford has elements of Film Noir this is clear because very often a “film noir story is developed around a cynical, hard-hearted, disillusioned male character” (e.g. Jesse James). Within The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford we see many through the glass shots, this type of shot is a typical film noir aspect known as disorienting visual schemes. The “primary moods of classic film noir are melancholy, alienation, bleakness, disillusionment, disenchantment, pessimism, ambiguity, moral corruption, evil, guilt, desperation and paranoia”. All of these moods are visible within the film The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Disenchantment is a feeling of disappointment about someone or something you previously respected or admired. This mood is clear within the film as Robert who once admired Jesse James kills Jesse due to his detachment of interest. Film noir films create an “oppressive atmosphere of anxiety and suspicion that anything can go wrong”. This is clear within The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford as Jesse becomes paranoid and unable to trust any of his friends and family members. The colours used within film noir films are “typically dull, shadowy and low key lighting”. It is clear that Dominik used some aspects of film noir in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford as the colour palette used throughout the film is dull, shadowy and low key lighting, and more often than not has a sepia tone. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is often mistaken for a western film when in reality it only shows minimal characteristics for this genre. Usually western films carry plots such as good vs bad, virtue vs evil and/or villains vs heroes. Within The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford we do not see a clear good or evil character. Aspects of The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford that do show aspects of western film genre is that Jesse loves his horse and often within “western films the cowboy has a favoured horse”. Often “the hero of a western meets his opposite “double” a mirror of his own evil side that he has to destroy”. Within The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford we see this as Robert wants to be Jesse, yet he destroys (kills) Jesse because Jesse is a bad person. Another aspect that is similar within The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and western genres is the fact that westerns are often set on the “american frontier” during the last part of the 19th century (1865-1900). The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford was set in 1882.

It is a common misconception that because people are famous they should be idolised. Similar to how Robert idolises Jesse, in today's society we idolise celebrities such as the Kardashians for the wrong reasons. Simply because we believe that they have a better lifestyle than us. Robert idolises Jesse because he is famous for being an outlaw, which is wrong because Jesse is not a nice person and he has done nothing to benefit others yet Robert is still in awe. Girls in today's society idolise celebrity figures such as the Kardashians for being rich and pretty. It is an issue for today’s society to be idolising such characters because we are becoming numb to what a good person is and does. A person that should truly gain the idolization of society gains hardly any recognition. It is as if we are brainwashed into thinking that fame is happiness and being a good role model to society. When in reality, it is not.