THE LONG RIDERS
(Directed by Walter Hill)
Copyright 1987 Billy Green
Another western (and I don't generally like westerns). Like GREASER'S PALACE, though, I don't really consider this one to be so much of a western. The focus of this film is the characters, not their guns.
This is the western with the best gimmick of the decade--the James brothers are played by James and Stacy Keach; the Younger brothers are played by David, Keith and Robert Carradine; the Miller brothers are played by Dennis and Randy Quaid; and Bob and Charlie Ford are played by Nicholas and Christopher Guest--four sets of brothers played by four sets of brothers. But, unlike most gimmicks, this gimmick doesn't detract from your enjoyment of the movie.
The story is primarily that of the James-Younger gang. This version seems to be based more on fact than on speculation, though. On this level, the movie succeeds very well.
Underneath the historical facts we get a glimpse of the bandits as people (this is where the speculation comes in). To this end, the film resembles BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID, except that the characters aren't so loveable. The major resemblance between the two films is that the bandits are tripped up by time and progress--both of which have quietly passed them by. There is a wonderful scene (although brief) in THE LONG RIDERS where the James and Younger brothers (plus Clell Miller and two hired men) are riding into a town to rob the bank. As they ride their horses down the street, a strange noise grows louder and louder. A steam-engined vehicle (a steamroller, I think) comes rumbling up the street. The bandits stop dead in their tracks as this strange machine forces its way past them. Shortly after this, their attempt at robbing a bank is foiled by a new time lock on a safe.
THE LONG RIDERS features good acting, a nice script, and great music by Ry Cooder.
+2.5 on the -4 to +4 scale.
Billy Green
Carrboro, NC
[home] (919)-967-2225
[e-mail] {decvax,philabs,akgua,seismo}!mcnc!briarpatch!billy
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