Wuchak Released in 1972, Phillip Kaufman's "The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid" details the final bank heist of the James-Younger Gang in 1876, which was an epic failure for the infamous gang.The tone of the film is equal parts raw realism and parody; you could almost call it a Western black comedy. For a fuller and more austere detailing of the story -- not to mention all-around better movie -- check out 1980's "The Long Riders." Jesse James is played by the great Robert Duvall, who was only 40 at the time (but looked about ten years older). Actually Jesse takes a backseat to Cole Younger here, played by Cliff Robertson. These actors and the other principles do a fine job. The film is expertly made, the story is moderately engrossing and there are some genuinely amusing moments.Despite this, the tone the filmmakers decided to go with ruins the film for me -- it de-glamorizes the wild West, making it ugly, idiotic, silly and almost profane. By Contrast, "American Outlaws" (2001) details the James-Younger Gang's first year in action and makes the Old West fun, heroic and larger-than-life and 2007's "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" is a serious Western drama. "The Long Riders" remains the best of the lot.The film was shot in Jacksonville, Oregon -- a far cry from Missouri and Minnesota -- and runs 91 minutes.GRADE: C+

RoughneckPaycheck First the bad: sudden, jarring changes in tone. It veers abruptly from grim, bitter drama to clever caper movie to unfunny comedy. These shifts are badly exacerbated by the messy, eclectic, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink score, which all too often comments on scenes in ways I found ill-fitting and inappropriate. A couple of examples: an early scene in which Jesse riles up the boys by going into a feverish Southern preacher mode, to get them fired up for the titular bank job, is turned from creepy and compelling into light-hearted comedy by the wacky music behind it; similarly, late in the film, a citizen posse chasing the gang commits an atrocity on four innocent men, and the music again makes light of it, with an ironic silly 'wah wah wah'. Just awful. What were they thinking? Also bad, an interminable scene of a raucous baseball game comes out of nowhere and drags on and on with utterly unfunny slapstick. The subplot with the Pinkertons adds next to nothing. The cinematography is too often flat and TV-like.Now the good, and the reasons I gave this a 7 anyway: excellent performances from Robertson and Duvall and the supporting cast, and a very strong screenplay, well-paced, with believable characters whose individual traits are clearly delineated. Cole Younger is a crafty pragmatist, keenly interested in modernity as represented by machinery, ready to leave criminality behind and change with the times; Jesse James is shown as his opposite, an embittered true believer in the Confederate cause, who uses that belief as justification for continued criminal violence. In this theme of men unable to change with the times, the film is akin to some of Peckinpah's work.Also good are fundamentals like art direction, locations, costuming, and set design. This is all handled with grubby veracity, in the same vein as other films from around the same time like "McCabe and Mrs. Miller". It really excels here.On the whole, the character-driven, group-dynamic elements of the story are so fully realized that they make the movie compelling and worth watching in spite of its tonal flaws.

merklekranz Honor among thieves is carried to the extreme in "The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid". Showing compassion for victims of corrupt banks, with swift retribution, the gang is still fighting the Civil War in Minnesota. Gradually being overwhelmed by progress, these outlaws look quite out of place. The story is told in a linear fashion, with no annoying flashbacks. Robertson and Duvall are surrounded by a believable supporting cast, that looks the part. My only objection is a couple scenes go on entirely too long, and the film would actually be better off without the interminable baseball scene. Worth seeing for the performances and authentic feel of the movie. - MERK

eubillent This is a terrific film with an amazing performance by Robert Duvall.The cast is excellent and the direction by Philip Kaufman (THE RIGHT STUFF) is visceral and exciting. This film captures the energy of the real Old West. The film takes place in 1876 when the U.S. was just taking shape as a nation. Wonderful new contraptions are coming into being which fascinate the outlaws. Duvall plays the famous, often psychopathic outlaw Jesse James. Duvall is like a demon possessed and dangerous as a coiled snake. This film shows off what a wonderful actor he is. There is a rollicking energy to this often humorous and alternately tragic film that captivates the viewer. I cannot recommend this film enough. IT IS A