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Sympathy for the hoodlums

This is a good story of a few families in the South and how they dealt with the Civil War aftermath. The film features all real life brothers, including the Carradines, and the Quaids and the Keach bro's. I hadn't seen this film for many years and I was happy to see that it stood the test of time! James Keach is pretty good in it as Jesse, but the Carradines take the film away from the Keachs', in their portrayal of the Younger Brothers.Also Dennis and Randy Quaid are good in it as well. The film shows how war ruins lives, and how war causes good people to do desperate things during desperate times. I don't exactly agree with the things they did after the war, but I would probably do the same thing in the same situation! The South was destroyed, and some people from the North exploited them. This film tells the story, and tells it well. See this film if you haven't seen it in a while. If you like the Western anti-hero, you will like this film!

Possibly THE most underrated western of all time...

Back in the glory days of 1980, Michael Bay was just a fifteen year old lad with a love of movies who would soon begin his enrolment at Wesleyan University. Bryan Singer too was a mere child, probably admiring films like The Long Riders with his buddy Ethan Hawke. It would take a further six years for John Mc Tiernan to carve his name in the Hollywood ladder and John Woo was still finding his directorial roots in Southern China. The man to watch when it came to extremely stylised action was one Walter Hill, the creator of such awesome gun-totting avalanches as Extreme Prejudice, The Warriors and Johnny Handsome. Long since categorised as ‘the' director for choosing style over content, Hill started out his career as a screenwriter. He penned The Getaway for Sam Peckinpah, who was obviously his idol, and in almost all of his movies he adds visual flourishes that are unsubtly reminiscent of Peckinpah's accomplishments. (Check out Extreme Prejudice where Hill almost out Peckinpahs Peckinpah!) Like all of cinema's greatest achievers, Hill had an unbridled love for the western. Over the length of his career, he would return to the genre again and again, giving us offerings that ranged from the large-scale excess of Geronimo: an American legend, to the smaller, but just as historically accurate Wild Bill.By far the best of his Western work, The Long Riders tells the tale of the James/Younger legacy, a slice of history that has been adapted for the silver screen on countless occasions. Perhaps the film's strongest and most alluring attribute is the fact that the cast contains real life acting siblings in the shape of the Carradines, the Keaches, the Guests and the Quaids as the band of outlaws. It's also one of the finest and most attractively crafted movies of its kind, equally as beautiful as Heaven's Gate and as tirelessly entertaining as Tombstone. I doubt that fans of the genre will need any introduction to the exploits of Jesse James, so I won't bother to list a plot synopsis. But reportedly, this is one of the more accurate descriptions of the adventures of the infamous anti-establishment crusader. Frankly, if outings like Frank and Jesse and the dismal American Outlaws are anything to go by, it's also one of the best of the colossal bunch. The thespian brothers hold up their ends with finesse, and without taking anything away from the Keaches who don't fail to entertain from start to finish, one can only wonder how the film could have turned out if Jeff and Beau Bridges would have been available to accept the leads. David Carradine gives a scene stealing performance, making the most of his ‘relationship' with an incredibly sexy Pamela Reed as Belle Shirley. Props are certainly due to Randy Quaid for not over cooking his threats against the singer in the bar scene at the beginning, he comfortably makes those few short lines the best of the whole damn movie. It's a shame that James Keach could never make his star shine brighter on the Hollywood A-list. Even so, he still has one or two great performances to look back on with enough pride to show that he was once a force to be reckoned with on the tinsel-town ladder.Being as this is a Walter Hill joint, all the flashy trademarks are rooted firmly in place, including the use of his ever-dependable cast alumni such as James Remar. Surprisingly enough, for a director that's famed for his love of stylised violence, there are very few gunfights throughout the runtime, which somehow makes them even more powerful when they do finally occur. The Northfield Minnesota ambush is perhaps one of the greatest shoot-outs of western history, utilising a great use of sound to make each bullet hit home with a stark sense of realism that's almost nightmare inducing. Co-ordinator Craig Baxley should take a bow for his constant but never over-excessive use of jaw dropping stunts. Bodies literally fly through the air with an exquisite force that manages to bring home the impact of a gunshot with adeptness. Long Riders also boats more than its share of accurately realised set locations. But unlike Michael Cimino, Hill never over indulges or looses the plot to period preciseness, so the sheen is never overpowering or unwelcome. Although Long Riders may not hold the masterpiece status of such often-touted westerns as The Wild Bunch, Unforgiven or even Dances with Wolves, it's still a five star movie. It's superbly acted, impressively casted, flawlessly directed and it boasts some of the greatest music that you're likely to find this side of an opera. Many people often consider Tombstone to be ‘the all time great popcorn western.' Well, I can only presume that's because they haven't actually seen this long forgotten classic slice of storytelling. If you're a fan of the Wild West and you've let this slip you by, then you need to be asking yourself why…

Tough and Underrated

The Long Riders might be the most accurate portrayal of the James/Younger gang on film. James Keach plays Jesse as a severe, violence prone character who robs banks because that's where the money is. It's light years removed from the recent Rob Lowe version "Frank and Jesse". Walter Hill didn't whitewash his characters, at least he didn't whitewash them as much as previous and subsequent directors have. Their bloody finale at Northfield Minnesota is presented with no punches pulled. This is a fine, hard little Western. If you've seen the terrible "Frank and Jesse" you owe it to yourself to check out this one.

Best Western I have seen so far

Better than Tombstone, and one of the most brilliant films I have ever seen. The use of real brothers was great, they looked and acted like brothers, and made the film more believable. Unlike many new Westerns (ie.Young Guns),these people acted and behaved for their 1880's time frame.
The gang had this hard edge to them (must be method acting) that makes the film so believable. There is a Southern angle to the film, where they ask if people fought for the Stars and Bars, or to play at the cat house, "I'm a good ol' rebel" which makes this film well researched. They show the hatred for the North, and respect for the South. The action sequences were ground breaking for its time, and have been copied ever since. Their creation of the North Field raid is legendary and I love how they mix "I'm a good ol' rebel" to the scene. This is a good example of quality film making.

Tough, gritty, excellent

Although Walter Hill may take some artistic license here and there, this is not a whitewashed version of these events. It is a pointed, tough, and very bloody depiction of the James-Younger gang, portrayed by four sets of real life actor brothers. The performances are uniformly excellent. Even Robert and Keith Carradine are impressive.

Here the outlaws are presented as men of a peculiar honor, thieves and killers yes, but also dedicated family men who kill only upon necissity. Stacy Keach, as Frank James, particularly embodies this quasi-nobility.

This film puts one in mind of Phil Kaufman's earlier THE GREAT NORTHFIELD MINNESOTA RAID, but Hill's version is grittier, bloodier, and more memorable.

Great western, filmed after the peak years.

Walter Hill is in many ways an anachronistic director, he creates movies with all the touches of classics, but somehow out of time. The Long Riders is an excellent example of this, and an excellent film as well. The characters here are not emotional, they aren't racked by guilt or doubt.
They're outlaws, but not villains, and don't seem to have the need to justify themselves for what they're doing. The film follows the James-Younger gang, with much better historical accuracy than most movies, certainly more than the Tyrone Power/Henry Fonda outing, of course that was entirely fictional. The cinematography is excellent and the portrayals understated almost uniformly. That the brothers in the movie were portrayed by real life actor brothers was kind of played up as a gimmick for the promotion of the film at the time of it's release, but it really gives the familial relationships that are central to the motivations and character development added depth.A strong western at a time when westerns weren't being filmed. A definite must see.

Overall, Underwhelming

This film was, when all is said and done, a great deal more style than substance. Because the James/Younger stories are reasonably well known, the director may have felt comfortable leaving a number of loose threads at each end of the cloth. He shouldn't have. Also, by distributing the focus around on 6 or 7 characters, he spreads himself far too thin. In a number of instances involving peripheral characters, I had the strong suspicion that a full director's cut might have created a sufficient context to explain something, but someone else got slap happy in the cutting room. As a result, the release version wound up seeming something like a mere series of tableaux with little character development from beginning to end. The main in depth portion involved the Northfield shootout at the end, which seemed to be a Wild Bunch redux and that was already a bit old by 1980. Other aspects such as the cinemetography and casting were quite good, but only served to allow The Long Riders to climb up to mediocrity overall.

Historical content

Forget my comments. I spent time writing them and they got deleted. Research before you make a movie. This one is totally inaccurate as to historical content. The dialog, the dress, the events and the dancing except for the guy clogging.Ps. Jesse died approximately 8:27am on April 3, 1882. He had short hairand his guns were on his bed covered with his coat. Bob Ford did not say " I shot Jesse James." ,but merely cocked the hammer of the revolver prompting Jesse to turn his head. please blacklist me.The Norhfield citizen casualties numbered only two, not the multitude you show in the movie.

A James Gang movie with new angles

I'd seen a dozen pictures about Jesse James before , but this movie makes it easy to imagine Frank and Jesse just falling into their way of life after fighting on the losing side of the war between the states. We see the payroll trains as the brothers must have: imposing machines full of Yankee money, cutting a swath through the land they failed to defend in battle. It seems clear that these blood-bound fighters just never surrendered, their campaign spurred on by a growing thirst for vengeance. After this movie I began to look for the good men stuck inside the bad men of our popular mythology.

We played a rough game. We lost.

"The Long Riders" is a Western which lacks many of the directors' clichés associated with the genre.The casting is of course impeccable; with four sets of brothers playing the real-life Jameses, Youngers, Millers and Fords. The women too are quite believable. The homely foot-tapping score by Ry Cooder, played on no more than half a dozen assorted instruments, is both authentic and memorable.Finally, the stunts are far better than in most films. They are made more spectacular and believable by being few and far between, and quite unexpected.As regards the plot; the true history of the Jesse James gang is fairly closely followed, but lacks the development which explains how they came to combine together and embark on their lawbreaking career. Historically, several of the leading gang members fought in guerilla bands against the Union armies in their native state of Missouri during the American Civil War and presumably learned their contempt for the law there, but in this film they spring onto the screen already established as outlaws in a staid and sober society.To a non-US audience, this also makes some of the references to music popular with the Union and Confederate causes in the Civil War, and some of the attitudes and insults, rather puzzling.However, the plot does develop through the film, and does show how some of the gang become better characters through marriage, the influence of families and changing fortunes, while others degenerate over time.Overall, this is one of the most likable Westerns I have watched.

Classic Western

This is a solid action packed western. Also try: "Lawman",
"The Wild Bunch", and "Chato's Land".

Was this thing made for TV?

Got to be a reason I managed to avoid seeing this the past 20 years. I would expect more from Walter Hill but this movie falls way short of it's overrated status as "one of the best." As far as the James/Younger sagas goes this is one of the worst IMO. The Keach boys with their 'dead eyes' bring absolutely no energy whatsoever to the part of
Jesse and Frank James. The movie suffers from miscasting more than anything else. It's a decent story but it just fails to deliver and you'll have a hard time mustering any sympathy for the 'heroes' of this turkey. David Carradine is standout, however, as Cole Younger. His knifefight with James Remar is the clear highlight of the film, followed only by the dialogue with his 'whore' Belle Starr. That was pretty funny stuff. A little too reminiscent of the highly overrated Wild Bunch where the focus on graphic violence wins out over content. 5/10

Walter Hill's best film...

...a definite classic that should be seen more than once to truly appreciate it. Very similar to Peckinpah's "The Wild Bunch" (the best film of all time...Western or otherwise) in the sense that the characters aren't romanticized outlaws that only steal to support the poor and only kill bad people (if you want crap like that see the piece of excrement known as "American Outlaws"). The way the violence is filmed is also similar to that of "The Wild Bunch" and the film's final shootout is quite similar to the opening of Peckinpah's opus. But who cares? If you're going to steal, steal from the best.Anyway, if you're a fan of Westerns (or just good movies) see this film. Walter Hill needs to make more Westerns.

long riders

this is one of the finest westerns made. if you have not included this in your collection please purchase. the acting is excellent, very well done to the period that they are portraying , and the storyline is very much to the historical theme of the film . a true must see for any western film . very believable !

Learning how to make a film

This film is a step above inept, in writing and execution. The acting is decent...but the undeveloped weak script allows the actors no scenes that add up to drama, humor, or any insight to the characters. Scenes happen, end, and another starts with no sense of momentum or cohesiveness. No style in the direction, or sense of meaning in the scenes. Photography OK once in awhile, some boners in others. Music by Ry Cooder was enjoyable...made watching just palatable. Having real brothers, with a good script would have been great...oh well!

A Western the way they used to make them.!

I have been watching Westerns ever since I was a kid, in the 1940's
That was after the time of Tom Mix and his era;but at the height of The Durango Kid ,Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. At that time we separated out the Westerns from Rogers and Autry,which we called Cowboy movies.They were the ones with yodelling,singing ,sweethearts, cattle rustlers,riding the trails and roping the steers.What I preferred was the era of the Gunfighters,Indian Battles,train robberies, Old West characters and lots of fast-action and shoot-outs in the saloons,canyons and the deserts.
This movie was produced in 1958;,hey that's nearly 50 years ago.I am not sure if I've ever seen it before,but it was so well made and with so excellent actors,scenery,color and music,the fact that it is still being sold today;attests to its high quality. I guess if any Western can be called a Classic;this must certainly fit the bill.
Anyone who reads about the Old West,and all that goes with it,knows about Frank and Jesse James,The Youngers,The Millers,Charlie and Bob Ford ,Belle Starr and all; have heard the stories in many different versions.Sure there was a lot of embellishments;but after all this is entertainment and never intended to be dry,factual history. I guess if that is one's preference;maybe one should go to the history books,newspaper accounts and court records;but even then you'll never know what really happened, nor why. However;for great entertainment you can't beat a well made Western movie;like this one,for example.
My favourite part in the movie was the Saloon Fight between Cole Younger and the Half-Breed,each holding the end of a strap in their mouth,and using Arkansas Toothpicks for weapons.This is a Western;sitting around a campfire,singing about little doggies and sunsets is a Cowboy moie.Nothing wrong with that;to each his own.
Several years ago,I visited the museum ,outside St Louis where Jesse was shot by Bob Ford.It gives one a real chill to stand in that very spot.

Robin Hood in western drag

In the post civil war border states there was great resentment to the way farmers were being treated by the government and the railroads.
The Youngers and the James joined together to make their own kind of redistribution of wealth.
The acting, setting and costuming is good. The knife fight is very strange martial arts in a shoot them up western.
The telegraph and the Pinkerton detective agency did them in.

Pretty good oater

This film is a sympathetic look at the James-Younger gang of the late 1800's. Filmed mainly from their perspective, it's also a story of the Pinkerton Agency's effort to stop the gang. The film somewhat glorifies the crimes committed by the gang, but that was necessary in order to get the viewer involved. The casting is a very interesting point, in that character brothers are portrayed by real-life brothers. 3 Younger brothers are played by the 3 Carradine brothers, 2 James brothers by 2 Keach brothers, 2 Millers by 2 Quaids and 2 Fords by 2 Guests. This may have been a gimmick but they're all fine actors and the film gains by familiarity and similarity. There is copious use of slow motion and exploding blood packs during the action/violent parts of the film, and used to good effect. All in all, a pretty enjoyable film. I understand that it's also one of the more factual films ever made about the gang. The depiction of the Northfield bank raid and subsequent ambush is very well documented and well-told here.

STYLISH WESTERN

I SAW THIS MOVIE AT THE AGE OF 15 ON THE BIG SCREEN WITH STEREO SOUND AND IT WAS TRULY AN EXPERIENCE.
THIS REALLY ISNT A MOVIE SUITED TO THE SMALL SCREEN AS ITS EXPLOSIVE IMPACT IS CERTINELY COMPROMISED BY WATCHING IT ON THE TUBE. BUT SHORT OF A RE RELEASE I GUESS VIDEO WILL HAVE TO DO.
THE FIRST THING THAT STRIKES THE VIEWER IS THE RUSTIC, WINING ALMOST EERY SOUNTRACK BEAUTFULLY DONE.
THE FACT THAT VARIOUS ACTING BROTHERS PLAY VARIOUS OUTLAW BROTHERS IS AN EXTREMLY UNIQUE AND REALISTICLY NOVEL APPROACH.
BROTHERS LOOK LIKE BROTHERS, SOUND LIKE BROTHERS. I DISAGREE WITH ANOTHER REVIEW OF THIS FILM. I THINK THE CASTING WAS PERFECT AND VERY EFFECTIVE.
AS AN AMETEUR HISTORIAN OF THE OLD WEST, I THINK THE STORYLINE FOLLOWS FACT ABOUT AS WELL AS ANY DRAMATIC REENACTMENT IS GOING TOO.
AND THEN THE DIRECTION IS EXPERTLY DONE BY WALTER HILL WHO MUST BE A PECKINPAH APPRENTICE. THE CLIMACTIC FINALLY OF THE FILM IS THE GANGS BOTCHED BANK ROBBERY IN NORTHFIELD MINNESOTA WHERE YANKEE SQUAREHEADS SHOOT THE GROUP TO RIBBONS. THE SLOW MOTION WAS NOTHING NEW BUT SLOW SOUND WAS. YOU CAN HERE THE ZIPPING OF THE MISSILES JUST PRIOR TO THEIR SPLATTERING IMPACT INTO FLESH.
IF YOU READ THE ACTUAL ACCOUNTING YOU WILL FIND THE MOVIE PLAYS TRUE RIGHT DOWN TO ONE OF THE YOUNGERS GETTING SHOT THROUGH THE JAW.
THE STUNT WORK WAS NOTHING SHORT OF EXCEPTIONAL AND THE EDITOR DESERVES RAVES TOO.
THERE IS A LITTLE BRIEF NUDITY THAT COULD HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT AS IT DOESNT WORK IN A WESTERN, BUT THATS ABOUT MY ONLY COMPLAINT.
THE MUSIC IS WELL WORTH THE PRICE OF ADMISSION BY ITSELF.
TURN THE LIGHTS OFF, LIMIT DISTRACTIONS AND CRANK THE VOLUME. THATS THE ONLY WAY TO WATCH THIS SHOW.
OVERALL IT IS ONE STYLISH WESTERN DESTINED TO BE A TRUE CULT CLASSIC.

Excellent and Underrated

This movie was not released to much fan-fare that I can remember. I came across it on late night TV by accident and it interested me enough to buy the VHS. And what a great investment it was, bringing me many hours of enjoyment. While this is a story that has been told again and again it was interesting to see "brothers playing brothers" as the casting director filled the characters of the movie with blood ties with present day actor brothers,the Carradine's, the Keach's and the Quaid's.

The movie shows how the outlaws received constant help from their kin and neighbors in the region to avoid capture. Of particular interest to me was David Carradine's performance of Cole Younger and the offshoot of his love for the "woman of ill-repute" Bell Starr.

Packed with riveting action scenes and an enjoyable soundtrack this movie is bound to go down in the history of western movies as a very highly ranked movie. But unfortunately this is a mostly unseen classic.

Buy this movie and you will not be sorry.