The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford Update

Reported by Jay Cochran - 03:45 PM 2007.09.06

Jesse James (BRAD PITT) was one of the country's first bona fide celebrities.

There have been countless books written and tales told about America's most famous outlaw--all of them colorful and fascinating, all focused on his larger-than-life public persona and daring exploits, and most of them bearing only incidental reference to the truth.

To those he robbed and terrorized, and to the families of those he admittedly killed, he may have been just a criminal, but in the sensational newspaper articles and dime novels chronicling the James Gang throughout the 1870s, Jesse was the object of awe and admiration. He was a Robin Hood, they suggested, targeting railroad owners and banks that exploited poor farmers. He was a man with a tragic cause, a wronged and wounded Confederate soldier striking back against the Union that had ruined his life. Most importantly, to an increasingly buttoned-down and citified population leading ordinary lives, he was the last frontiersman--a symbol of freedom and the American spirit, a charismatic rebel who flouted the law and lived by his own rules...by all accounts, a legend.

Foremost among his admirers was Robert Ford (CASEY AFFLECK), an idealistic and ambitious young man who had devoted his life to the hope of one day riding alongside his idol. He could never have imagined that history would ultimately mark him as the "the dirty little coward" who shot Jesse in the back.

But who was Jesse James, really--behind the folklore and the selling of newspapers? And who was Robert Ford, just nineteen and a member of Jesse's inner circle, who was able to bring down such a formidable figure when lawmen across ten states had tried and failed? How did they come to be friends and what happened between them in the days and hours leading up to the gunshot that would end one man's life and become the definition and sum total of another's?

No one will ever know the whole truth.

Based on the novel by Ron Hansen, "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" delves into the private lives of America's most notorious outlaw and his unlikely assassin to offer a new perspective on a legend and address the question of what really may have transpired in the months before that infamous shooting.

The year is 1881 and Jesse is 34 years old. As he plans his next great robbery, he continues to wage war on his enemies who are trying to collect the reward money and the glory riding on his capture. But the greatest threat to his life could come from those he would trust the most.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Virtual Studios, a Scott Free / Plan B Entertainment production: "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford," starring Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Sam Shepard, Mary-Louise Parker, Paul Schneider, Jeremy Renner, Zooey Deschanel and Sam Rockwell.

Written for the screen and directed by Andrew Dominik, based on the novel by Ron Hansen, the film is produced by Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Ridley Scott, Jules Daly and David Valdes. Brad Grey, Tony Scott, Lisa Ellzey and Benjamin Waisbren are the executive producers. The creative team includes director of photography Roger Deakins, editors Dylan Tichenor and Curtiss Clayton and costume designer Patricia Norris. Music is by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis.

"The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. Rated R for "strong violence and brief sexual references." Soundtrack Album on Mute Records Limited.

When writer/director Andrew Dominik read Ron Hansen's novel The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, he was intrigued by some of the same questions that had guided Hansen's years of research into previously unexplored corners of Jesse James' life, and by the insights it offered into the private man behind the public image.

"I didn't know any more about Jesse James or Robert Ford than the average person, but I was drawn into it as a story of people and emotions that were vivid and realistic," he says. "Who are they? How do they feel? How do they interact with each other? The fact that they happened to be two legendary figures of American history added a level of drama but was really a secondary issue.

"This was a portrait of Robert Ford I had never seen before," the director reveals. "It gives you a sense of what that event might actually have been like for him--to shoot a man in his own house with Jesse's wife and children nearby and then to wait around for days with a brother who was completely unnerved, and try to deal with the enormity of public reaction. You see his anxiety, his neediness and his ambition and you think, 'That's probably what it was like.' That's what moved me about the book and what I wanted to capture on screen."

Brad Pitt, who, in addition to taking on the leading role, is a producer on the film, found it equally compelling to address "the dissection of these myths, of Jesse James as a hero and Robert Ford as a coward."

"The film offers an intimate portrait of these two men and the world around them that humanizes the legendary outlaw and exposes his vulnerability," says producer Jules Daly. "Few people even know Robert Ford's real story. For him, it was about a young man's desperation to become everything he wasn't and everything he worshipped."

Though based upon comprehensive research into the principals, their history and the times in which they lived, the relationship between Jesse James and Robert Ford in the film is speculative and meant more to stir the imagination than impose a point of view.

Says producer Ridley Scott, "The universe of Robert Ford can only be imagined, as can Jesse James' dilemma towards the end of his life, his private thoughts and possible regrets. The film raises questions best answered by each individual in the audience. Andrew poses the possibilities."

Producer Dede Gardner adds, "The story is authentic in its examination of human behavior, adoration, ego and resentment. What happened between these two men could be applied to countless stories throughout time. The relationship between Jesse James and Robert Ford is about consequences and wishes fulfilled. It's about how someone's adoration for another has to be examined within the context of both their lives and individual needs. Hero worship cannot exist in purity. There are outside influences at work long before the two people in question even meet."

"It's more a psychological drama than a Western," says Pitt. "It deals with the anatomy of an assassination and its consequences." It's this character-driven perspective that makes "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" unlike many dramatizations about the notorious outlaw and his little-known killer. Although the action opens with a nighttime ambush and train robbery typical of the James Gang in their heyday, the real drama unfolds in the robbery's aftermath--in Jesse's personal demons, his intense dedication to covering his tracks and his increasingly cryptic interactions with the restless members of his gang who must sit idly by until he gives them word of their next job.

Following the robbery, Jesse breaks with his brother Frank, who feels the time has come to abandon the outlaw life for a safer existence elsewhere. Meanwhile, the price on Jesse's head has grown to more than any of his gang could hope to make in multiple heists. What would prevent them from turning him in or putting a bullet into his head in exchange for their own safety and a hefty reward? Loyalty? Fear? More likely a little of both.

"One of the things I particularly like is how these characters struggle more with themselves than with each other," Dominik observes. "Each is shaping reality to suit his desires and anxieties and they really do not connect with one another."

Jesse James came to prominence at a time when the concept of media image was just developing. Publishers of newspapers and dime novels were catering to a public hungry for thrilling entertainment and Jesse James was made to order. Tales of his crimes were often enhanced and, when that wasn't enough, fabricated from whole cloth with an emphasis on his daring and charisma. Such was the reading material Robert Ford grew up on, and that inspired his own grandiose dreams.

"It was fame and celebrity in the true sense of the word," offers Scott. "But at that time there was a degree of simplicity attached to that kind of attention, even when applied to Jesse James and his notorious robberies. It became a romanticized vision, more hero and rebel than killer and criminal."

Says author Ron Hansen, "In some ways he encapsulated American individualism, doing things that other people thought about but were too conventional to do. They wanted to wag a disapproving finger at him but at the same time were glad he was around to represent them. His image was partly due to the publicist he had in John Newman Edwards, a Kansas City newspaper editor. Whenever Jesse committed a crime, Edwards would tailor it to make him appear a dashing rogue or some kind of avenger striking a blow against all those interests that were supposedly impoverishing people in Missouri, when, in fact, it was Jesse James doing most of the impoverishing. Consequently, a real-life criminal became an action hero and, from that, the adulation followed."

In contrast, Ford was diminished by history and the media--his existence reduced to a single purpose, as if echoing the sentiment on Jesse's tombstone, "In loving memory of my beloved son, murdered by a traitor and coward whose name is not worthy to appear here."

The irony is that Jesse James' real personality needed no embellishment to fascinate: his unpredictable moods, his motives and complex interactions with the few people he considered confidants. Likewise, Robert Ford was a rich study, as was the relationship that developed, then deteriorated, between the two men.

"As I delved into it, I realized that no one had ever told the story of how Ford killed Jesse James in all its authentic detail, and it's such an intricate drama," says Hansen.

Following their introduction via Charley Ford and Robert's successful debut as a member of the James Gang in the Blue Cut railroad job, Jesse enlisted Robert to help move his household to a new location, which was common practice for him after a high-profile robbery. Afterwards, his duty discharged, Ford stayed on as a houseguest, no doubt basking in the presence of his idol--and likely also beginning to see what he was really like.

Clearly, Jesse also saw something in his young admirer that made Ford worth having around. "Ford may have stirred the thought processes already turning around in his mind," Scott suggests. "At the same time, Jesse must have recognized the hero worship aspect of Ford's devotion as well as the inaccuracies and ironies that go hand in hand with that idea."

"Perhaps Ford reminded Jesse of better times, or even of the ambition that he once had himself at that age," adds Gardner.

Regarding the potential danger of inviting Ford into his home, Hansen believes the answer to that can be found in Jesse's nature. "This was a man who robbed banks and trains; he liked being in situations where death was a possibility. He needed that rush. What he was doing with Robert Ford was like walking to the edge of a cliff and looking down."

"It's also possible," posits Pitt, "that he was taunting Ford. It certainly is curious that he would remove his gun belt and turn his back. That action has led to much historical debate and speculation but remains ambiguous. With all his research, even Ron Hansen would say that there are questions that remain unanswered."

As for what Ford was seeking from this man he'd spent his adolescent years admiring, the director says, "Robert is a person who seems easily hurt. He might have imagined that if he was with Jesse James--more to the point, if he was Jesse James--it would be a kind of armor that would protect him. We've all read about these cases. A person imagines himself having a special connection to someone, then discovers it's not true, or it's not enough. Adoration turns to anger. I think Ford's feelings are always running side by side between the two emotions."

"Ford's transition from hero worshipper to assassin isn't as drastic as the words may suggest, and this is one of the points of the film," states Gardner. "Bob never contemplates the role his ego has in pursuing a friendship with Jesse. What he comes to realize is that, with Jesse in his life, there is too much Jesse and not enough Bob. In a petulant moment, he soars with the idea of being the man who will bring down this famous outlaw. Once he puts it into motion, it's all he can do to keep up; it's eternally more than he bargained for or could ever fathom."

In the final analysis, there were myriad factors contributing to Robert Ford's decision to kill Jesse James, not the least of which were the very practical considerations of self-defense and the reward money. Added to the mix, Daly counts, could have been "fear, fate, envy, disappointment and the irresistible opportunity to be 'great' and to matter. In some ways, their bond was like destiny. It was as if Jesse chose Robert Ford as much as Ford chose him."

But even as he delivers the fatal shot, and long afterwards, Daly says, "Ford's position never shifts from hero worship. He never stops admiring Jesse."

"In the end, I believe it's a case of more tears being shed for answered prayers," offers Dominik. "Robert Ford gets what he wants and achieves a certain amount of fame and notoriety but finds it's not as he imagined...much like Jesse James and the life he led might not have been quite as Jesse imagined, either."

Recruiting the James Gang

Seeing Brad Pitt in character for the first time, author Ron Hansen recalls it was like having the subject of his years-long research come powerfully to life. "When I saw him on the set I didn't think 'There's Brad Pitt'; I automatically thought, 'There's Jesse James.'"

Dominik agrees. "I believe audiences will forget pretty quickly that he's Brad Pitt, which is a real testament to his performance. Brad couldn't have been more passionate about this movie and this role; he's not afraid to crack some eggs to make an omelet. He captures all the nuances and brings such authority to the part that you understand why people claimed Jesse James' mere presence could fill a room with warmth or tension.

"By all accounts, Jesse was a very isolated person," the director notes. "I'm not sure how much he really noticed the people around him. He's been called a sociopath, but that, by definition, is a person who lacks conscience and isn't very emotional, and I don't think that's entirely the case with Jesse, who ran the gamut from violent outbursts to stretches of pensive meditation. In any case, he was certainly damaged."

Pitt, who, coincidentally, grew up in Springfield, Missouri, less than 200 miles from Jesse James' birthplace and childhood home in Kearney, Missouri, based his characterization on a blend of instinct and Hansen's research. "He was unsettled," Pitt says, considering some of the issues that were driving Jesse at the time. "He felt cornered, weary of the chase and of having to live his life under an alias. Mostly, I think he was unable to deal with his own legend."

Ridley Scott, who directed Pitt's 1991 breakthrough performance in "Thelma & Louise," says of the role, "It's a true character study that, on the surface, carries none of the usual trappings of a leading man 'hero.' It really demonstrates Brad's maturity and depth as an actor."

Casey Affleck, who teamed with Pitt on all three "Oceans" films, took on the complexities of Robert Ford with similar passion, saying, "I have a lot of affection for Robert Ford. I don't think he was a coward at all."

"I can't remember seeing a better arc or a character that approaches the kind of messy complications of human life more than Robert Ford," the actor continues. "He goes from being a starstruck kid who idolizes the Jesse James from dime novels to actually meeting him, robbing a train with him and forming a friendship with him. Then that relationship becomes convoluted and, ultimately, he has to kill him. It's a rich role and I was both thrilled and intimidated by the prospect of playing it. I had seen Andrew's film, "Chopper," ten times and was a big fan. I would have played any part he offered, but luckily he asked me to play the part I wanted most."

"Ford is the person with whom we identify," says Dominik, who shares Affleck's affection for the character. "But identifying with him is uncomfortable for all his insecurity and his inability to sense boundaries. He's like the part of yourself that you wish you weren't."

Dede Gardner recounts the impression Affleck made on Dominik during his initial reading. "Andrew really responded to him, in particular the way Casey conveyed the depth of Ford's defeat and sadness. But there's a smart-aleck quality to Ford in the beginning that Casey also hits. The character is a blend of confidence and bravado with insecurity and innocence. It's not an easy balance and not an easy part to cast."

At the core of Affleck's interpretation was his effort "to think like Robert Ford. Even though there isn't a lot written about him, there is a lot written about Jesse James and what was most important to Robert Ford was Jesse James," he explains. "To get into his head, I had to learn everything I could about Jesse, all the accounts and the novels Ford grew up on that fueled his fantasy life. Once I was mindful of that level of devotion, it influenced everything Ford said and did on screen."

Additionally, Affleck relied upon a photo of Ford to "fill in some of the blanks," and says, "There's a lot you can tell from a photo. There's something in his posture and the way he holds his gaze that conveys a certain attitude. I went to that photo quite often for inspiration."

Says Jules Daly, "Casey seemed to find Robert Ford somewhere in his soul and I believe it shows in his immaculate performance."

Robert's brother, Charley Ford, played by Sam Rockwell, starts out as a traditional older brother, by turns teasing and protecting, but, as Robert grows closer to Jesse and more confident in his own abilities, their roles begin to reverse. Before long, it's Robert calling the shots and an increasingly passive and conflicted Charley struggling to keep up.

"Charley's not a tough guy," says Rockwell. "There's the alpha male and the beta, and Charley will always be the beta. He had a clubfoot, a disability that he always took great care to camouflage, and he was always a little hungry and vulnerable and just grateful, really, to be in the gang and to be a friend of Jesse's. He loved Jesse and, according to everything I've read, Jesse loved him too and trusted him. They met at a poker game and just hit it off."

Rockwell continues, "As he and Bob spend time in the James house they both become disenchanted with Jesse and fearful, but even so, Charley's not eager to help Bob betray or kill his friend. He becomes seriously conflicted between loyalty to Jesse and loyalty to his brother. He wants to do the right thing toward both of them and it can't be done. There's a line from Ron Hansen's book that really helped put me in the right frame of mind: 'Guilt was pumping like poisoned blood through the chambers of Charley's heart.' It really haunted him."

Still, as Dominik points out, "For all his simplicity and apparent lack of shrewdness, Charley wasn't stupid and Sam brings that out. The fascinating thing about all these characters, and what I so enjoyed about Ron's book, is that what they present at first glance is different from what they're actually made of when you see how they negotiate their problems."

Other members of the James Gang in Jesse's final year were his cousin Wood Hite, played by Jeremy Renner, and Dick Liddil, played by Paul Schneider. The uneasy relationship between these two, marked by romantic rivalry and years of simmering resentment, just added to the general tension in the group as they idled, awaiting word from Jesse about their next job.

Hite had the least to fear from Jesse's increasingly erratic behavior, and that security allowed him a certain arrogance. Says Renner, "Wood was a blood relative and Jesse's only surviving link to his father, and he made the most of the fact that he was family to the famous Jesse James. It gave him a sense of entitlement. Jesse was becoming more and more of a loose cannon worrying about his own gang members betraying him, so they all got to sleeping with one eye open but I don't think he ever expected Wood to betray him. Consequently, Wood never had to worry about Jesse coming after him. That one thing separated Wood from the others."

Dick Liddil's association with the James brothers began when he rode alongside them during the Civil War with Quantrill's Raiders, a Confederate guerilla fighting unit. Based on the limited material available on Liddil, including the confession he wrote for the sheriff, Schneider believes Liddil "probably wasn't all that dedicated to robbing trains and banks and killing people. He was like a lot of poor, restless young men at the time. The war gave them something to do and believe in. Afterwards, they discovered that shooting and stealing horses was something they were good at and sort of fell into these outlaw gangs. Along the way, the meaning behind what they were doing slowly diminished. Maybe they started off as soldiers for a cause, but eventually it became evident that they were just criminals."

Unlike Frank James' confession, which Schneider found "deeply revealing and almost poetic in its struggle to answer for his crimes," he notes that Dick Liddil's confession was more along the lines of, "'We robbed the train at 3:40 AM and I was wearing a brown jacket.' This was a man who didn't seem to give much deep thought to anything he ever did. I don't know if that was his facade or who he really was."

Oscar nominee and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Sam Shepard takes on the powerful but understated role of Jesse's elder brother, Frank James. Early in "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" and mere months prior to Jesse's death, Frank gives up the outlaw life for a respectable and safer existence as a landowner and advises Jesse to do the same.

Says Affleck, "Robert approaches Frank first and tries to charm him, tries to pass himself off as someone completely guileless and yet worthy of riding with the James Gang, and Frank just dismisses him. Unlike his brother, Frank is not susceptible to flattery and has no use for Robert Ford. That look Sam gives me, as Frank, that mixture of boredom and contempt and just plain weariness, would be enough to discourage anyone--but not Ford."

Jesse's wife, Zee, played by Mary-Louise Parker, likewise has no use for Ford but tolerates him for Jesse's sake. Aside from the fact that Zee James was a cousin of Jesse's who nursed him back to health following his Civil War injuries, and that theirs was a lengthy courtship, not much is known about Zee, so Parker based her portrayal on what she imagined would be the kind of woman willing and able to live such a difficult life. "I don't believe she was entirely subservient," Parker says. "Considering how she helped him regain his strength after the war, she must have had some power in the relationship. Plus, she was entrusted with keeping his secrets."

Addressing speculation about whether or not Zee was fully aware of her husband's occupation, as he was known to pass himself off under various false identities, Parker believes there is no doubt. "There is absolutely no way she couldn't have known. They assumed different names, they moved constantly. Of course she knew, and I believe she must have loved him to have remained with him through all of that. As for how a woman could be so devoted to someone we would consider morally reprehensible, that's something we will never know. I believe there are levels of denial, and perhaps she was simply able to maintain a kind of insouciance: compartmentalize that part of his life as apart from their family life and therefore having nothing to do with her."

Rounding out the main cast, Zooey Deschanel stars as Dorothy, a rootless saloon singer who encounters an older and perhaps wiser Robert Ford years after his big moment in the public spotlight, still coping with his polarizing notoriety as the man who killed Jesse James. Dorothy, who likely has a number of regrets about her own past, is able to offer a non-judgmental ear, at long last, for Ford's candid recollection of the event that would forever define his life.

Garret Dillahunt also stars as Ed Miller, once a trusted comrade and James Gang regular who fears becoming a target of Jesse's mounting paranoia.

Capturing Both the Exterior and Interior Landscape

To suit the story and its historic, often majestic locales, the filmmakers sought to create a look "both austere and sumptuous," says Pitt.

They enlisted renowned cinematographer and five-time Oscar nominee Roger Deakins, who says, "This is one of the most atmospheric films I've ever worked on. It's based on a book of poetic lyricism with moments of deep melancholy, and we worked to bring this feeling to the movie. It's visually different from the Westerns one is used to seeing. The country was changing during this period and we wanted to reflect that."

"It was more Victorian and post-Civil War than frontier," Dominik explains, citing that the creative team avoided iconic images of Western movies that would have been inauthentic. "There were no cowboy hats. The gun Jesse gives Robert has a bakelite handle, which looks quite modern. The truth is, it's not the Old West, it's not the frontier; they live in Kansas City and St. Joseph, Missouri, both of which were hubs at the time. It's the 1880s. The telephone had just been invented."

Deakins' camerawork on "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" occasionally offers glimpses of life seen through the flawed and rippled glass that was typical of the time. In one scene, Robert Ford, while a guest at the James household, intently and surreptitiously studies Jesse at his leisure in the yard through a back window. Says Deakins, "It's in some ways a story about the transitory nature of reality. It's a movie about surfaces. What we see and what we react to in life are surfaces only."

In another scene, during a nighttime train robbery, Jesse suddenly and dramatically appears from a billow of white steam, as if "emerging from another world, perhaps from hell," Deakins remarks. "It's as if Jesse is a ghost already. Things like glass and steam make things seem as if they're not quite solid and convey the feeling that everything is a reflection." Later, the cinematographer's wide angle captures the outlaw standing alone in a field--a small figure in a vast landscape, the opposite of his larger-than-life image--indicating, "how humans are just a small part of nature, despite our feelings of importance."

The filmmakers found the open spaces they needed in the prairies and McKinnon Flats region of Southern Alberta, as well as various other locations in Canada, where seemingly uninhabited expanses retain much of their original character and made them an excellent choice to double for territories like Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Colorado, circa 1881.

Fort Edmonton and Calgary's Heritage Park are tourist parks built from authentic period architecture collected from small towns across the country, providing a perfect location for the Jesse James story. Says producer David Valdes, "Andrew loved it. This assemblage of historic buildings were exactly what we were looking for and eliminated the need for us to construct an entire town."

Filming at Fort Edmonton offered the bonus of a working railroad line and vintage train for the film's dramatic Blue Cut robbery sequence. Valdes, whose production credits include "Pale Rider," "Unforgiven" and "Open Range," admits, "Any time you have a scene with a period train, you have massive logistical problems because there are very few private lines with antique trains. You can find old steam engines and train cars from collectors or museums, but transporting them on a flatbed to a track in an appropriate setting is an ordeal. If it's a live track you're restricted on time and availability. The beauty of Fort Edmonton is that they have a vintage train plus sufficient length of track devoted to it, and it passes through a varying terrain."

In a friendly exchange, filming left the tourist attraction's train "in more authentic period shape than when we arrived," Valdes says. "We re-painted it, installed sleepers and added a baggage car, all to historical accuracy."

The crew then recreated snowbound Creede, Colorado, in Calgary at Goat Creek, in the Kananaskis Provincial Park, where the weather was brisk--to put it lightly. Casey Affleck, born in Boston and no stranger to single-digit temperatures, had to admit this was a new level of cold, joking that the northern locale was "like an Arctic blast, every morning and night. Good thing that long johns were part of the period wardrobe. I could have layered 15 pairs."

Following that location shoot, the production recycled their materials via local projects, mostly in the nearby town of Canmore. Tents were given to a local outfitter who provides fishing tours to the Rockies, and the owner of the Crazy Weed Cafe incorporated pieces of trestle into his new restaurant, prompting Valdes to observe, "Creede lives on in Canmore."

Horse Wrangling and Gun Slinging

For the James Gang, riding was as natural as walking but that was not entirely the case for the film's cast, who received two weeks of on-the-job training in the fine art of horsemanship. Avowed "city boy" and first-time rider Sam Rockwell explains with a laugh, "You just can't look like a jerk on a horse. You have to look like you've been riding all your life. I wasn't sure what to expect but I finally figured it out: mostly it's trying to keep your butt on the saddle and not bouncing around too much."

With Rockwell representing one extreme and seasoned rider Jeremy Renner representing the other, the cast brought their various degrees of expertise and trained together, generating a lot of humor. Says Renner, "I hear Rockwell has a horse ring tone on his phone now."

Head Wrangler John Scott, who taught Brad Pitt to ride for his Golden Globe-nominated role in 1994's "Legends of the Fall," notes that the actor "picked it up again quickly, although he hasn't ridden a horse since that production wrapped. I believe motorcycles are more his speed."

A third-generation horse trainer and former rodeo rider, Scott supervised the acquisition and care of 80 animals on set, which he classifies as "saddle horses, buggy horses, carriage horses or cast horses, chosen primarily for temperament. The James Gang would have ridden thoroughbreds for the most part because they're fast and these guys were always on the fly."

Additionally, Scott acquired vintage buggies and carriages, some of which are genuine models dating as far back as 1875, plus replicas and some hybrids made of modern seats reconstructed atop original steel foundations.

The cast received firearms training courtesy of renowned Hollywood gun coach Thell Reed ("Mr. & Mrs. Smith," "Deadwood"), to get comfortable with the weight and trigger action of their period six shooters and rifles. The exception was Schneider, who jokes, "My character, Dick Liddil, isn't supposed to be particularly good at weapons. I figured he would be grabbing for his comb a lot quicker than his gun, so I didn't pay a lot of attention during the weapons training. I tried hard not to listen."

It's in the Details

In cases where mythology conflicted with history, firearms were selected in line with the preponderance of evidence. The gun Robert Ford used to shoot Jesse James, for example, has been alternately reported as a Smith & Wesson Model 3 American or a .36 caliber, and the filmmakers opted for the Model 3, a nickel-plated pistol that fired .44 rounds. It took some effort to track down the rare collectors' item, as well as a similar Schofield Model 3 used by Jesse James. Only a few were located, and in poor condition, but they were subsequently rebuilt by Smith & Wesson and, in the case of the gun carried on screen by Pitt, marked with the actual serial number of the one once owned by Jesse James.

As both actor and producer, Brad Pitt gave a tremendous amount of attention to the authenticity of props, in particular those pertaining to Jesse, to the extent of having Jesse's mark inscribed inside the silver pinky ring the outlaw wore to show allegiance to his former Civil War guerilla brigade, Quantrill's Raiders. A gold ring reportedly found on Jesse's body was inscribed with his full name, and that was likewise reproduced for the actor to wear, even though the audience will never see it.

Says property master Dean Goodine, "He had a lot of influence and input. Whether the audience is aware of something or not, was not as important as it was to Brad, himself, that it's genuine. We worked very hard at being realistic; we really went deep on this one."

As Jesse James was known for keeping abreast of current events and always read the local papers, even going so far as to write the editors to correct errors in their reporting of his crimes or to amplify and dramatize his role, all newsprint pages seen on screen are faithful reproductions. Dime novels chronicling the largely fabricated exploits of the famous outlaw were recreated for Robert Ford's shoebox collection of memorabilia about his idol, as were certificates for the Chicago Alton Railway, plus period currency.

For the various photographs featured in the film, most notably shots of Jesse's body that were later circulated as $2.00 prints or seen in stereoscopic viewers at drugstores across the country, production eschewed computerized techniques and instead hired experts in historic glass plate and tin plate photography to apply the genuine process.

Such commitment to detail, in Dominik's view, "is so appropriate, considering that our goal was to tell this story and present these characters in as authentic a way as possible. There are elements in the film that aren't critical to the story but add to the overall sense that what we're doing is complete. It's the difference between building a set or creating a world."

The Cast

BRAD PITT (Jesse James / Producer), one of the film industry's most prominent stars, is an award-winning actor and has also gained great success as a producer under his Plan B banner.

Pitt most recently earned a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's acclaimed drama "Babel," opposite Cate Blanchett. He also shared in a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Motion Picture Cast.

Pitt next plays the title role in the romantic fantasy "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," which reunites him with Cate Blanchett and marks his third collaboration with director David Fincher. The film is due out in May 2008. Later this year, he will begin filming the Coen brothers' dark comedy "Burn After Reading," in which he stars with George Clooney and Frances McDormand.

For Plan B, Pitt recently served as a producer on Martin Scorsese's Oscar-winning Best Picture "The Departed," Ryan Murphy's "Running with Scissors," starring Annette Bening, Gwyneth Paltrow and Alec Baldwin; and the real-life drama "A Mighty Heart," starring Angelina Jolie. Plan B's upcoming projects include "Shantaram," starring Johnny Depp under the direction of Mira Nair, and "The Time Traveler's Wife," starring Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana. Plan B previously produced Tim Burton's fantasy hit "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," starring Johnny Depp, and Wolfgang Petersen's historical epic "Troy," in which Pitt also starred.

Born in Oklahoma, Pitt began his acting career with smaller roles in films and on television. In 1991, he first gained the attention of critics and audiences with his breakthrough performance as the seductive hitchhiker in Ridley Scott's controversial hit "Thelma & Louise." He went on to star in Robert Redford's "A River Runs Through It," Dominic Sena's "Kalifornia" and Neil Jordan's "Interview with the Vampire."

Pitt received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama for his performance in 1994's "Legends of the Fall," in which he starred with Anthony Hopkins. Two years later, he was honored with an Academy Award nomination and won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Terry Gilliam's "Twelve Monkeys."

Pitt subsequently earned praise for his work in the David Fincher films "Se7en" and "Fight Club"; Jean-Jacques Annaud's "Seven Years in Tibet"; and Guy Ritchie's "Snatch." He also joined an all-star ensemble cast, including George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle and Bernie Mac, in Steven Soderbergh's hit remake of "Ocean's Eleven." Pitt also starred in the sequel "Ocean's Twelve," which reunited the cast and director Soderbergh, and earlier this year in the series' third installment, "Ocean's Thirteen"; and the smash hit action comedy "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," opposite Angelina Jolie.

Pitt's additional film credits include: Tony Scott's "Spy Game," with Robert Redford; Gore Verbinski's "The Mexican," with Julia Roberts and James Gandolfini; the title role in Martin Brest's "Meet Joe Black"; Alan J. Pakula's "The Devil's Own"; Barry Levinson's "Sleepers"; Tony Scott's "True Romance"; Ralph Bakshi's "Cool World"; and "Johnny Suede," which was named Best Picture at the 1991 Locarno International Film Festival. Pitt has also made cameo appearances in Soderbergh's "Full Frontal" and George Clooney's "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," and lent his voice to the title character in the animated feature "Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas."

CASEY AFFLECK (Robert Ford) will soon star in "Gone, Baby, Gone," based on Dennis Lehane's novel of the same title. Marking the directorial debut of Ben Affleck, who also received screenplay credit, the film tells the story of two Boston detectives in search of a four-year-old girl who has been kidnapped. Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman and Michelle Monaghan also star in the film, which opens in October 2007.

An accomplished screenwriter, Affleck recently penned the original screenplay for "Aardvark Art's Ark," an animated family film that he will also executive produce. The film tells the story of a family of animals who set sail on Noah's Ark and find wild adventures when the waters get dangerous.

Previously, Affleck co-wrote, with Matt Damon, Gus Van Sant's independent road movie "Gerry," also starring alongside Damon in the film. He has also appeared in Van Sant's "Good Will Hunting" and "To Die For"; "Hamlet," with Ethan Hawke and Julia Stiles; Steven Soderbergh's "Ocean's Eleven" and "Ocean's Twelve"; and Tony Goldwyn's "The Last Kiss," with Zach Braff, Blythe Danner, Tom Wilkinson and Jacinda Barrett. He most recently starred in the latest installment of the popular "Ocean's" series, "Ocean's Thirteen," which reunited the starring ensemble cast and director Steven Soderbergh.

Affleck's additional film credits include "Lonesome Jim," "Soul Survivors," "American Pie 2," "Attention Shoppers," "Committed," "Drowning Mona," "Floating," "American Pie," "200 Cigarettes," "Desert Blue" and "Race the Sun."

On stage, Affleck appeared in the West End debut of Kenneth Lonergan's award-winning play "This is Our Youth," in the role of Warren, alongside Matt Damon and Summer Phoenix.

On television, Affleck was seen in the ABC miniseries "The Kennedys of Massachusetts" and the PBS telefilm "Lemon Sky," based on Lanford Wilson's play and starring Kevin Bacon.

SAM SHEPARD (Frank James) is an Oscar-nominated actor as well as a screenwriter, director and a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright for his 1979 three-act play, "Buried Child." Shepard's numerous other plays include "Angel City," "Curse of the Starving Class," "Killer's Head," "Action," "The Mad Dog Blues" "Cowboy Mouth," "The Rock Garden," "True West," "The God of Hell" and "Fool for Love."

He was one of the writers on Michelangelo Antonioni's "Zabriski Point" in 1970, and later won critical acclaim and a BAFTA nomination for his original screenplay of Wim Wenders' "Paris, Texas."

As an actor, Shepard made his 1978 film debut in Bob Dylan's "Renaldo and Clara" and went on to impress critics that same year in a starring role, alongside Richard Gere, in Terrence Malick's "Days of Heaven." A number of strong performances followed, including roles in "Resurrection"; "Raggedy Man"; "Frances," opposite Jessica Lange; and, particularly, as test pilot Chuck Yeager in Philip Kaufman's "The Right Stuff," which brought him an Academy Award nomination. He re-teamed with Lange in "Country" and "Crimes of the Heart," and played the lead in Robert Altman's adaptation of his play "Fool for Love." Subsequent film credits include "Baby Boom," "Steel Magnolias," "Defenseless," "Thunderheart," "Bright Angel," "Voyager," "The Pelican Brief," "Snow Falling on Cedars," "Hamlet," "All The Pretty Horses," "The Pledge," "Swordfish," "Black Hawk Down," "The Notebook," "Stealth," "Bandidas," "Don't Come Knocking" and last year's "Walker Payne" and "The Return."

He also wrote and directed the features "Far North" and "Silent Tongue."

Shepard's notable television films and miniseries have included "Larry McMurtry's Streets of Laredo," "Lily Dale," "Purgatory," "Dash and Lilly" (which earned both Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for his performance as Dashiell Hammett), "One Kill," "Wild Geese" and the recently aired biodrama "Ruffian."

Among his upcoming projects are the romantic comedy "The Accidental Husband," for director Griffin Dunne, set for a 2008 release.

MARY-LOUISE PARKER (Zee James), a two-time Golden Globe, Emmy and Tony Award winner and three-time Tony, four-time Emmy and SAG nominee, can currently be seen in the third season of Showtime's critically acclaimed hit comedy "Weeds."

On the big screen, Parker was most recently in the August release "Romance and Cigarettes," written and directed by John Turturro and produced by the Coen brothers, which screened at the Venice and Toronto Film Festivals. She will next be seen in Mark Waters' "The Spiderwick Chronicles," set for a February 2008 release.

Parker began her film career with starring roles in "Fried Green Tomatoes" and Lawrence Kasdan's "Grand Canyon." Among her film credits are starring roles in "Reckless," "Boys on the Side," "The Client," "Naked in New York," "Bullets Over Broadway," "The Best Thief in the World," Norman Rene's acclaimed "Longtime Companion," "Pipe Dream," "Red Dragon" and Brian Dannelly's dark comedy "Saved!" She also starred in "The Five Senses," for which she earned a Genie Award nomination for Best Actress.

Parker most recently starred on stage at The Biltmore Theater in the Broadway revival of Craig Lucas' bittersweet comedy "Reckless," co-produced by Second Stage and The Manhattan Theater Club and directed by Mark Brokaw. Parker earned a 2005 Tony nomination and a 2005 Drama League Performer of the Year nomination for her performance. The show was also nominated for Best Revival of a Play by The Drama League. Among her other recent theatrical credits is the Broadway production of "Proof," for which she received the 2001 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play, as well as The Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Drama League, Lucille Lortel, Obie and New York Magazine Awards. She also earned the 2001 T. Schreiber Award for Outstanding Achievement in Theatre. For her role as Rita in the Craig Lucas/Norman Rene Broadway production of "Prelude to a Kiss," Parker received a Tony nomination for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play, Theatre World Award, The Clarence Derwent Award and a Drama Desk nomination. She originated the role of L'il Bit in the critically lauded "How I Learned to Drive," alongside David Morse, receiving an Obie Award, a Lucille Lortel Award for Best Actress and a Best Actress nomination from the Outer Critics Circle, and followed with the American premiere of Alan Ayckbourn's play "Communicating Doors." Previously, she appeared on Broadway as Cherie in the Broadway revival of "Bus Stop," and originated the role of Brenda in the Manhattan Theatre Club's productions of "Four Dogs and a Bone" and "The Art of Success."

Her extensive work in the theater includes classics and new contemporary works in such productions as "Throwing Your Voice," at the Ensemble Studio Theatre, "Babylon Gardens," at Circle Repertory Company (of which she was a member), "The Importance of Being Earnest," at the Hartford Stage, "Up in Saratoga," at the Old Globe, "The Miser," at the Syracuse Stage, and "Hayfever," at the Studio Arena. She was a co-founder of the Edge Theater with Joe Mantello and Peter Hedges, where she performed in "The Age of Pie" and "The Girl in Pink," among other productions.

For television, Parker starred in Mike Nichols' production of the acclaimed "Angels In America" for HBO, receiving a 2003 Golden Globe Award, Screen Actors Guild nomination and Emmy Award. She was also recently in the Oxygen Channel film of the Margaret Atwood book "Robber Bride," for which she earned an Emmy nomination; the Lifetime Original Movie "Miracle Run"; and the CBS telepic "Vinegar Hill," based on the Oprah's Book Club selection.

Parker received an Emmy nomination for her role as Amy Gardner on "The West Wing." She also starred for HBO in John Smith's "Sugartime" and in the Hallmark Hall of Fame telefilms "A Place for Annie," "Saint Maybe" and "Cupid and Cate," as well as "The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn," opposite Sidney Poitier.

She recently won the Robert Brustein Award for Excellence in Theater and the Philadelphia Film Festival Award for Career Achievement. She is a contributing writer to Esquire magazine. Her personal and professional belongings, along with career memorabilia, are archived at the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center at Boston University, where she was recently the youngest person inducted.

PAUL SCHNEIDER (Dick Liddil) will also be on screen this fall in "Lars and the Real Girl," opposite Ryan Gosling and Emily Mortimer.

Schneider garnered critical notice for his work in Cameron Crowe's "Elizabethtown" and "The Family Stone," with Diane Keaton and Rachel McAdams. He also starred in and co-wrote the critically acclaimed indie film "All The Real Girls," directed by David Gordon Green. The film was awarded the Special Jury Prize at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival and Schneider was nominated for a Gotham Award for his performance.

He was most recently seen in the romantic comedy "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" and in the satirical comedy "Crude." His other film credits include "George Washington," written and directed by David Gordon Green, "Security, Colorado" and "The Rough South of Larry Brown."

Schneider will make his feature film directing debut with the comedy "Pretty Bird," to star Paul Giamatti and Billy Crudup, currently in production.

JEREMY RENNER (Wood Hite) will next be seen starring alongside Ralph Fiennes and Guy Pearce in the independent film "The Hurt Locker," set for a 2008 release.

Earlier this year Renner appeared on screen in the sci-fi thriller "28 Weeks Later," and co-starred opposite Minnie Driver in the independent film "Take."

His recent film credits include the acclaimed independent film "12 and Holding," nominated for the Independent Spirit Awards' John Cassavetes Award; the drama "North Country," with Charlize Theron; and "Neo Ned," co-starring Gabrielle Union, which screened at the 2005 Tribeca Film Festival and swept the feature category at the 11th Annual Palm Beach International Film Festival in 2006. "Neo Ned" was named Best Feature Film and Best Director with Best Actor honors going to Renner. Additionally, it won the Outstanding Achievement in Filmmaking Best Feature Film Award at the Newport Beach Film Festival in April 2006 as well as the Audience Awards at the Slamdance, Sarasota and Ashland Film Festivals.

Previously, Renner starred in the 2003 summer hit "S.W.A.T.," opposite Colin Farrell and Samuel L. Jackson; "A Little Trip to Heaven," opposite Julia Stiles; "The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things," directed by Asia Argento and adapted from the critically acclaimed novel by J.T. Leroy; "Lords of Dogtown," for director Catherine Hardwicke; and the independent film "Love Comes to the Executioner," written and directed by Kyle Bergersen. The film role that put him on the map and earned Renner an Independent Spirit Award nomination was that of Jeffrey Dahmer in the indie hit "Dahmer."

Renner keeps in touch with his theatrical background by performing in plays throughout the Los Angeles area. His most memorable was "Search and Destroy," produced by Barry Levinson, for which he not only starred but also co-directed to stellar reviews.

Additionally, Renner writes, records and performs his own brand of contemporary rock and has written songs for Warner Chapel Publishing and Universal Publishing.

ZOOEY DESCHANEL (Dorothy) was recently seen in "Bridge to Terabithia," based on the Newberry Award-winning children's novel, and provided the voice of a surfing penguin, alongside Shia LaBeouf and Jeff Bridges, for this summer's animated hit movie "Surf's Up." She also starred in the independent film "Live Free or Die," with Aaron Stanford; "Flakes," also with Stanford, for director Michael Lehmann; "The Go-Getter," with Lou Taylor Pucci; and "The Good Life," for writer-director Stephen Berra. Both "The Go-Getter" and "The Good Life" premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2007.

Most recently, she completed a starring role in the Sci Fi Channel miniseries "Tin Men," and is currently in production opposite Mark Wahlberg in "The Happening," for director M. Night Shyamalan.

Previously, Deschanel starred in "Winter Passing," opposite Ed Harris and Will Ferrell and in "Failure to Launch," with Matthew McConaughey and Sarah Jessica Parker. Her other feature film credits include starring roles in the box office hit "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," with Sam Rockwell, Mos Def and John Malkovich, and opposite Will Ferrell in "Elf," for director Jon Favreau, for which she received critical acclaim for her engaging performance and singing voice. She also starred in "All the Real Girls," for which she received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Lead Actress, "Abandon," for director Stephen Gaghan, "Big Trouble," for director Barry Sonnenfeld, "The Good Girl," with Jennifer Aniston, and "Eulogy," alongside Debra Winger and Ray Romano.

Deschanel made her feature film debut in 1999, in Lawrence Kasdan's ensemble drama "Mumford." She then co-starred with Billy Crudup, Kate Hudson and Frances McDormand in Cameron Crowe's "Almost Famous."

Named Zooey for the male character in J. D. Salinger's novel Franny and Zooey, she spent much of her childhood on location with her actress mother Mary Jo, and her father Caleb, an Academy Award-nominated cinematographer.

SAM ROCKWELL (Charley Ford), known for his dynamic leading performances in the independent film world, began 2007 with a starring role in the ensemble drama "Snow Angels," which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival. Among his more recent projects are the cult-classic adaptation of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" and Ridley Scott's "Matchstick Men," a crime thriller with comic shading, co-starring Nicolas Cage.

Previously, Rockwell earned critical praise and won the Berlin Film Festival's Best Actor Award as well as Movieline's Breakthrough Performance of the Year for his portrayal of Chuck Barris in George Clooney's "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind." He has created memorable characters in numerous films, such as the Russo brothers' comedy "Welcome to Collinwood," opposite George Clooney, Patricia Clarkson, Jennifer Esposito and William H. Macy; David Mamet's "Heist," opposite Gene Hackman, Rebecca Pidgeon and Danny DeVito; the blockbuster "Charlie's Angels," with Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu; Frank Darabont's Oscar-nominated drama "The Green Mile," with Tom Hanks; and the box office hit "Galaxy Quest."

Earlier in his career, Rockwell gained considerable notice in three independent films: John Duigan's "Lawn Dogs," for which he won Best Actor Awards at both the Montreal and Barcelona Film Festivals; John Hamburg's "Safemen"; and Saul Rubinek's dark comedy "Jerry and Tom," in which he starred as a used-car salesman who moonlights as a part-time hit man.

His additional screen credits include Woody Allen's "Celebrity," Michael Hoffman's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," with Kevin Kline and Michelle Pfeiffer; Tom DiCillo's "Box of Moonlight"; Peter Cohen's "Drunks," with Richard Lewis, Parker Posey and Faye Dunaway; Paul Schrader's "Light Sleeper"; Uli Edel's "Last Exit to Brooklyn"; and his feature debut in Roman Coppola's "Clownhouse," while he was still a student at the High School of the Performing Arts.

On stage, Rockwell most recently starred in the Public Theater production of "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot," directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman. He has also performed at Williamstown Theater Festival in "The Dumb Waiter" and "Hot L Baltimore," both directed by Joe Mantello.

Rockwell's upcoming projects include the comedy drama "Choke," with Anjelica Huston, and Ron Howard's drama "Frost/Nixon," both scheduled for a 2008 release.

GARRET DILLAHUNT (Ed Miller) is best known for his work on the critically acclaimed HBO series "Deadwood," portraying two different characters--the assassin Jack McCall and the complex and deadly Francis Wolcott. Recognizing Dillahunt's talent in his first incarnation, executive producer-writer David Milch created a second character for him.

Dillahunt continued his collaboration with Milch in the HBO series "John From Cincinnati," on which he starred. On the big screen, he is currently co-starring in the Coen brothers' crime drama "No Country for Old Men," with Tommy Lee Jones, based on the Cormac McCarthy novel.

Dillahunt portrayed a very accessible Jesus Christ in the controversial NBC series "The Book of Daniel" last year and, most recently, had recurring roles on "ER" and USA Network's "The 4400." Previously, he garnered attention for his roles in the controversial, Sundance Grand Jury prize-winning "The Believer" and the Oscar-nominated short "By Courier."

His theatrical resume includes performances both on and off-Broadway, and at such respected theater companies as Steppenwolf, ACT (San Francisco), Seattle Rep, Huntington Stage, Williamstown and the Berkshire Theatre Festival.

Additionally, Dillahunt has guest-starred in such television series as "Numb3rs," "Law & Order" and "C.S.I."

He studied Journalism at the University of Washington and went on to earn his MFA at New York University's renowned graduate acting program.

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