Remove your hats.
You men will repeat after me,
and raise your right hand--
"i, state your name, do solemnly swear"--
I, Jesse woodson James,
do solemnly swear--
I, Alexander Franklin James,
do solemnly swear--
"...that I have always been
"truly and loyally on the side of the United States."
That I have always been truly and loyally
on the side of the United States.
"Against all enemies thereof, foreign and domestic."
Against all enemies thereof, foreign and domestic.
"And will constantly do my best"--
and will constantly do my best--
"to prevent it from being so threatened ever again."
To prevent it from being so threatened ever again.
"I make this oath without any reservation on my part."
I make this oath without any reservation on my part.
"And I hold it to be totally binding on me."
And I hold it to be totally binding on me.
He's a mute.
"So help me, god."
So help me, god.
It was four years after the civil war,
and the south was still occupied by union troops,
who protected the carpetbaggers and railroad men
in the pursuit of their business.
For frank and Jesse, the times were hard.
They tried to forget their rebel ways
and travel the straight and narrow.
But I guess some things just aren't meant to be.
That'll get her.
We gotta dig it out some more.
I mean to tell you,
I'm just not cut out for this goddamn monkey work.
Hell, be it as it may, dingus,
we gotta get this field cleared and plowed by sundown,
or this family don't eat.
A lot of ways to feed a family, buck.
Yeah? Name one.
You want to be doing this your whole life?
Hand me the axe.
You can't tell me you don't miss the old days.
Raiding, riding.
Taking.
No, I can't say I do.
It's a hell of a lot more exciting than what we're doing now.
Take pity on the boy, lord.
He thinks he's still a reb.
The war's over, dingus,
in case nobody told you.
We lost.
Pissant.
Come here.
Is that all you got? Come on.
This be the James farm?
You heard me, boy. This be the James farm?
It be.
Did quantrill men once ride through here?
Don't lie to me, you white Southern trash.
Did quantrill's men once drop their pants
and empty their bowels on this land?
Who are you?
I am the vengeance of the lord jehovah himself,
sent by the rock central railroad
of Chicago, Illinois,
to purify this land.
Huh.
Get off our land, mister. Oh, I will.
But first, the land must be cleansed.
You get to live today, boy.
I'm all right. I'm all right.
Get to the house. Get to ma. Go on, hurry.
Hurry!
Get on back to your ma, son.
Go on, Archie.
What can I do for you, mister?
You ever heard of the rock central railroad
of Chicago, Illinois?
Yeah, I've heard something.
They're offering you a dollar an acre for your land.
What's your answer?
You get away from my house.
Wrong answer.
No, Ben! No!
Check pa, frank!
Archie's still in there!
Archie!
My son Archie was robbed of his time on this earth.
We're all being robbed of something these days--
of our pride, of our dignity.
But my son Jesse, his wife zee,
and my son frank,
will see that the name of this family
will always be honored.
Can't even bury our dead in peace.
Easy, Jess, easy. Hear 'em laughing?
Nobody's laughing. They're laughing.
I hear 'em. Nobody's laughing.
Lord, isn't it time for our suffering to end?
Amen.
You're not gonna do anybody any good going off half-cocked.
I don't care.
This isn't my first time at the dance.
Don't you see what's going on here?
This isn't one man you're taking on.
It's a den of thieves.
Railroads, soldiers, politicians.
Hell.
They're all in it together.
He needs to die, frank.
I can't argue that.
All right.
How you gonna do it?
What's your plan?
I'm gonna find me that paint horse.
I'm gonna kill the son of a bitch sitting on his backside.
That's my plan.
You ain't good enough.
Let's see you hit that bucket.
Go on. Let's see you draw and hit it.
Ah.
All right.
If it's gotta be done, I'm the one to do it.
Right time, right place.
Son of a bitch will be dead, no one will be the wiser.
Besides, you got a wife to think about.
Put that thing away.
Sorry, frank. This can't wait.
Why don't you stop right there, railroad man?
I let you live, boy. What do you want here?
I come to kill you, old man.
You better stop walking or pull iron, boy.
Well, if that be the case,
I expect it's time we put some bark on that tree.
Your time has come, boy.
The lord is calling you.
This time the lord calls you, old man.
You boys weren't planning
on detaining my little brother, were you?
Let's go, dingus. Grab a horse.
Adieu, gentlemen. Thanks for the use of the ponies.
Hyah! Hyah!
Halt! Halt! Stop!
Seen an old cree man do this once.
Maybe it just works on old crees.
I'm cold, frank.
Yeah? Bet you're hungry, too.
Yeah, I'm real hungry.
Where'd you get that?
Now you see what I mean about planning?
Hey, boy.
Don't you ever hit me in the head like that again.
Sorry.
Forget it.
Boy, we're in it now.
They ain't never gonna stop.
Not anymore.
Killed us a railroad agent today.
That makes us rebs again.
Yep. Yeah, and it means we're on the run again.
Oh, those weren't bad days. Memory plays lots of tricks, dingus.
They weren't good days, either.
They're the only days we got left.
I been thinking.
If we get out of this, lie low,
maybe the whole thing'll just blow over.
We were guerrillas. We can't even vote.
We can't own no property without their permission.
Hell, we can't even be deacons in our own churches.
We could leave. Go out to California.
This is our home.
If we're gonna be hunted, let's be the hunters.
To hell with them skin butchers.
Easy, boy.
Besides, I like living with a gun in my hand.
That's how I want to die--
on my feet with lead flying,
a round of buckshot coming straight at my nose.
That's crazy talk. You're just a kid.
You got a whole life to be lived.
Then let me live it.
I seen my share of killing.
And blood.
I don't ever want to visit those days again.
Don't give me that.
I watched you in those raids.
We blew guys' brains out and laughed about it.
Don't tell me you've changed.
I don't talk about that.
There's spirits here, frank.
Hear that?
Just a possum.
Shh.
Easy, boy. Easy, now.
Beg pardon, ma'am.
My brother's been shot.
He needs seeing to.
We'll give you a dollar for food and found.
Come on in.
Hey, dingus.
I didn't think you were ever gonna wake up.
Where are we?
I found us a safe place. Don't worry.
How long have i been sleeping?
Hard to say. Two days.
Here. Sit up and drink some of this.
I'll check back on you in a while.
Much obliged to you.
Hyah! Hyah!
Whoa, whoa.
Hold on. There's too many of them.
Couple of shots, they'll break and run. What if they don't?
That woman done right by us. We can't let her come to no harm.
Sorry to say, it's that time again, Mrs. Miller.
If you don't have the money that's due,
I'm afraid you'll have to move on.
Well, I'll be hung.
Better pack your things, ma'am.
Hang on.
Who be you, son?
Tom woodson.
The good widow here is my cousin,
if you must know.
Who be you?
John a. Sheets.
Vice President of the Davies bank of gallatin county.
And who be you?
B.J. Woodson of Kansas way.
Tom here's my brother.
We both come down to this lovely garden spot
to visit our fair cousin.
Are you all right, Emma?
I guess so.
And what brings you out here all this way?
Well, it seems your cousin
owes my bank $350.
Sir, our cousin has worked this land for a long time.
Sorry, son. It ain't me.
I speak for the people who own the bank.
And who might that be?
The rock central railroad of Chicago, Illinois.
Now are you folks going to move peaceably, or not?
Now hold on there, Mr. shits.
I'd like to make good on our cousin's debt.
Where'd you get all that money, son?
Well-- answer the gentleman, b.J.
Why, tom,
I've always had it saved for just such occasions.
$350?
I agree with you, sir.
330, 340...
$350.
It's all here.
Now aren't you forgetting something?
The receipt for the good woman that says she's paid in full?
Why, don't you trust us, Mr. woodson?
No, but I'm working on the problem.
Weren't you two rebs in Kansas?
That's right, sir.
We rode with the Kansas regulars
under general Blake.
Well, I always respect a man
who is honest and fought for what he believed in,
but, uh, here in Missouri
we had some of the worst scum that god ever put a breath in.
We had cowards
who hid behind guerrilla trash
like quantrill and bloody bill Anderson.
In fact, I once led a detachment of union cavalry.
We cornered bloody bill and killed him dead.
You were there when...
Captain Anderson was killed?
Son, I ordered the attack.
And then I gave the command to have his head cut off
and placed on a stake in the middle of Liberty.
Made the little children watch the ants
come crawling out of his dead rebel mouth.
Glad you came up with the money, Mrs. Miller.
But I do believe we'll be talking again.
Gentlemen.
I know what you're thinking.
The rock central railroad's
got a mighty nice bank in gallatin county.
Maybe we ought to pay them a visit.
Maybe we should.
All right, then.
Let's get the old gang back together.
Who do you have in mind?
Clell Miller? Bob younger?
Good idea. You know Bob can keep his mouth quiet.
Yeah, we'll get his brother Cole.
He's out of prison. You know he's always itching for a fight.
And the stutterer, arch clements.
We'll get him, too.
That should do it.
We'll come riding into town in the afternoon,
about the time the bluecoats are having their supper.
One more thing.
No bloodshed.
I want your word.
You got it.
Why, good day, Mr. sheets.
Mr. woodson.
Nice to see you again.
Well, I beg your pardon,
but there seems to be a discrepancy regarding my name.
Really? What's that?
Well, my middle name is woodson,
don't you see?
But my family name is James.
Jesse James.
That's my brother frank.
Frank and Jesse James.
Didn't you boys used to ride with quantrill?
That we did.
Then you boys were guerrillas. That we were.
And for a time, I rode with captain Anderson myself.
He was like a pappy to me.
We were raiders, and we're gonna do some raiding again.
Pardon me, ma'am.
Who are you? We're bank examiners.
Fill it, and nobody gets hurt.
You'll never get away with this. What'd you say?
I said that I'll hunt you till I find you
and then I'll hang you.
And after you, I'll hang all the rest of that rebel trash
who rode with you.
That's a promise.
Hurry up, Jess.
You know something, Mr. sheets?
I do believe you'd keep that promise.
God damn it, Jess, i said no bloodshed.
You gave me your word. He was provoking me.
I don't care. You gave me your word.
Gotta get going!
Killing's a risk you run when you operate behind enemy lines.
Enemy lines? This isn't a damn raid.
Ah, hell, let's go. Get the money!
We're not moving.
Giddap! Hyah!
Hyah!
This way, Jess! Come on! Hyah!
Come on! Ha!
Hyah! Hyah! Hyah!
Coming through!
Whoo!
Whoo-hoo!
I tell you.
Oh.
Boys, they stood tall.
Captain Anderson would have been proud.
Think he'd be singing your praises today, little brother?
That man, he needed killing.
He got it.
"Murder most foul, as in the best it is.
"But this one is most foul,
strange and unnatural."
"Haste me to know
"that I, with wings as swift as meditation
"or the thoughts of love,
"may sweep me to my revenge."
Read me a bit of the bard myself.
I thought you youngers w-w-was-- dead.
Hell, no. We're too smart to get killed.
That old trick?
Archie, give me that money. Clell, stand guard.
I'll count it fair.
Who died and made you ramrod?
That man at the bank.
You figure different?
I'm not afraid of you, if that's what you're thinking.
I shoot faster and cleaner any day.
Always did.
Then why don't you get at it?
Chew on something else, Bob.
This is between them.
What's it gonna be, Cole?
I know I can kill you.
I'm just not convinced you'd stay dead.
Well, then.
Bob, you got anything to say about that?
I didn't think so.
The youngers are in. What about you, arch?
Always have be-- be-- been.
Clell.
Yeah.
Frank?
Answer a question, dingus.
What's the most important weapon you've got?
No, it's not that Navy Colt.
It's the people.
When we were guerrillas, the people saved us more times
than any pistol ever did.
And they'll protect us now,
if we go after the ones that do them harm.
We can't go around killing like a bunch of wild dogs.
We lose the people,
we lose everything.
Here's your cut, frank.
What's so funny?
Come on, what is it?
The look on that banker's face when I popped him.
"I'll hang you out--"
oh, god. Jesus, Jess. You got a stone-cold heart.
Oh, and you're Saint Francis of assisi.
That's right.
Ah, I'm just settling old scores.
Yeah, well, maybe we ought to stop
before you try to settle them all.
Hey, you better watch yourself.
You can't see it, but I can.
Hell, is it my fault
the only thing I'm good at is robbing banks?
You seen the reports, Mr. pinkerton?
They robbed nine stagecoaches with our payroll.
Nine.
And 14 express offices owned and operated by the railroad.
It's a personal war against us,
and I want it stopped.
Mr. Buchanan, the James-younger gang
has also robbed banks
in Kansas, Arkansas,
even as far south as Tennessee.
You know what I have to say about Tennessee?
Fuck Tennessee.
My only concern is rock central railroad
of Chicago, Illinois.
The James-younger gang
has become an itch i can't scratch.
I want to see 'em killed.
I want you to take personal charge.
The New York times runs stories on them,
and look at this.
A dime novel making heroes of them,
calling them "the Robin hoods of the frontier."
I've seen that book. It's very stupid.
It may be stupid, but people pay attention to it.
The James brothers are getting sympathy.
Especially after some soldier
blew off their mother's arm.
That was a mistake.
That was a very costly mistake.
Just bring them in, Mr. pinkerton,
face-down across the saddle.
Look, Mr. Buchanan,
I am a field man,
and my men are the best in the world.
But this isn't easy.
Half the people in their part of the world
are their friends now.
The other half are their relatives.
No one will talk about them.
No one will say they've even seen them.
I don't care, Mr. pinkerton.
Just bring them in
before they bring us down.
You're our first Harvard man, John.
Oh, I certainly hope to do well, uncle.
John, you're my favorite sister's son,
but when you're on duty, you address me as Mr. pinkerton.
Oh. Yes, sir.
Now I was looking for a little adventure after college,
and I felt Boston wasn't the place to find it.
I think on this trip,
you're going to find all the adventure you can handle.
See you on board. Hyah.
Hyah!
Aah!
Gainesburg. How much?
How much?
Well, speak up.
The lady asked you how much a ticket to gainesburg is.
We haven't got all day. How much is the ticket?
Huh? I can't hear you.
What's wrong, boy?
Cat got your tongue?
What is this, three fingers?
That's just plain rude.
You don't know your arithmetic?
Three dollars.
$3, ma'am.
Gotta learn yourself some manners.
Speak up when a lady's talking to you next time.
It's time.
Stop the train.
Why? I'm robbing it.
No one's ever robbed a moving train.
And now I know why.
Pull it.
Stay calm, good people, and nobody gets hurt.
I can't believe my eyes.
"The spirit I've seen may be the devil.
"And the devil hath power to assume a pleasing shape,
"that my weakness and melancholy, it accuses to damn me.
Now it turns to rob me, sir."
Oh, you're wonderful.
Thank you, ma'am.
Your appreciation of the classics will enable you
to keep your personal treasure.
All right, ladies and gentlemen.
Kindly put your money in the sack
as I pass amongst you.
Oh, my lord.
Give generously, friends. Clell, get the horses.
Uh-huh.
Watch the door.
Show me your hands.
We don't take money from the working man.
Bless you, son.
Don't be scared, miss.
Your...Contribution, brothers.
Sorry, friend, but I can't oblige.
Hey-- hey, boss,
you better get a look at this.
You sure I can't oblige you to oblige?
What are you, some kind of sheriff?
No, Jesse, I'm a pinkerton man.
Actually, I am the pinkerton man.
My name is Allan pinkerton.
Who's this Jesse you speak of?
Oh, now, Jesse, please. Don't be so modest.
You can hide behind a mask or a herd of elephants here.
I'd still recognize the world-famous Jesse James.
It's Jesse James?
And that's Cole younger.
And this young man here with the speech problem,
that's arch clements.
And the fellow with the big grin in the back there,
that's Charley Ford, and the tall gentleman there,
the tall gentleman,
that's your brother frank.
Hello, frank.
I don't believe you know the rest of the family.
Meet the twins.
Do it, Jess.
Give him lead poisoning.
No.
He's got his job to do. We got ours.
The hell with him, frank.
He'll keep after us until he catches us or he kills us.
Is that true? He's right, Jesse.
You like hunting people down, don't you?
I consider it a noble profession.
Especially when i meet people like you.
He's got brass, this one. Let me get him.
No. We had an agreement. No unnecessary bloodshed.
Hell, at least we know what we're dealing with here.
You're dealing with a relentless pursuit of justice.
"He that leadeth into captivity
shall be led to captivity."
My associate in the mail car just blew the safe.
We'll be going now.
I know our little visit cost you all some money,
but you'll be able to tell your grandkids
you was robbed by Jesse James.
And Cole younger.
Don't forget you was robbed by Cole younger, too.
And Charley Ford.
Don't forget y'all was robbed by Charley Ford. That's f-o-r--
relax, ladies and gentlemen.
I have just caught a member of the James gang.
"I could see the excitement in his eyes
"when he finally found me.
"He was a nice and kindly man--"
did you speak? He who smelt it, dealt it.
He who denied it, supplied it.
"But I do not think hunting desperadoes like me
is his game." They printed that whole letter?
Every word. Here, listen to the rest.
"Mr. pinkerton was most helpful.
"He did nothing when I announced myself on the train.
And he quickly handed over $40 in paper and gold."
He did? No, but I thought it sounded good.
"You must realize that my cause is just.
"He may work for the railroad,
"but it's hard to defend a bunch of land-grabbing carpetbaggers--"
whoo-hoo!
"...especially when you have to do it with your life.
Signed, Jesse James."
You signed my name? That I did.
Damn, frank, you're making me famous.
Hell, people are gonna remember me.
Huh. Yeah, as long as they keep writing those letters
to support us, too.
You've done it. You've become crazier than me.
Me, crazy?
Hell, "of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most."
What the hell? Bugs. I hate bugs.
I hate bugs, too.
Who the hell's shooting in here? Who are you?
I'm the owner, that's who.
Now you listen to me.
I rent these tubs out to gentlemen,
and wranglers coming in off the trail.
I do not provide a shooting gallery for pistoleros and gunmen.
We're not pistoleros, ma'am.
We're just trying to help you with the vermin problem.
We hate vermin.
I don't trust you,
so I would like you to vacate the premises,
or I'll call the sheriff.
No. No need to call the sheriff.
We'll be glad to leave
just as soon as we get dressed.
Hang on.
Don't you have any shame?
Ma'am, looks like I'm gonna get shot
long before I die of any embarrassment or shame.
Hmm.
I'm ready to leave now.
I thought you were getting dressed.
Ma'am, when an outlaw's wearing his hat and his gun,
he is dressed.
Oh, you're an outlaw.
Yes, ma'am, but I'm not a common pistolero.
We take pride in our work. We rob banks.
Banks.
And trains.
Trains.
Even a stagecoach or two.
You wouldn't want to forget that express office there, frank.
Right you are, Jesse.
Y'all the James boys?
Yes, ma'am.
Perhaps you've read of us?
Yeah, I've read all about you.
They say you're pretty good with that thing.
Well, ma'am, i don't like to brag.
So why don't we let you be the judge of that?
I'll be leaving now.
You're leaving him all alone here with me?
Ma'am,
I don't intend to stand here and watch him showing off.
I've seen what he can do with that thing, frankly,
and I'm not impressed.
Buck, I'll see you in a few months.
See you, dingus.
I thought you were getting dressed.
Would you consider getting undressed
and helping me pass the pleasant time of day?
I'm not partial to vermin myself.
Yes, ma'am, i see your point.
Well, you better hurry on up, or you just might lose yours.
Ha. Yes, ma'am.
"And god made two great lights,
"the greatest to rule the day, the lesser to rule the night.
"And he made the stars, also.
"And god placed them in the firmament of heaven,
to cast a holy light upon the earth."
But the greatest light of all
he placed in my zee's eyes.
Thank you, reverend.
If you'll open your hymnals,
we'll all sing.
It's pretty tonight, Jess.
Mm-hmm.
You know, i really think
I've grown to like it here in Farmington.
Well, any town looks good without gunsmoke in the air.
This one is special.
Hmm.
Well, don't like it too much.
We can't stay.
I'm scared, Jess.
I never heard that out of your mouth before.
Things are different now. How?
I've never known you
to be scared of anything in your whole life.
Well, it ain't you or me that I'm concerned about.
We're having a child.
Heading out.
Come on aboard, friend.
Evening, folks.
That was quite a sermon there tonight, Mr. Howard.
Well, thank you.
Or should I say, Mr. James?
There seems to be...
Some mistake.
No mistake. I just caught the great Jesse James.
I'm gonna be famous.
Easy, miss.
If I were he, would i walk around unarmed?
He would if he was living a double life.
If I am this Jesse James you speak of,
well, they say I'm a wily one.
Yeah, that's true.
So I guess it'll be easier for me
to just bring you in dead.
Now I want you to think about this...
Real careful...
Before someone gets hurt.
The only one that's gonna get hurt...
Is you.
Shh.
It's all right.
We'll be leaving Farmington now.
Is this your nephew, Mr. pinkerton?
Yes, it is.
You sure you didn't see anyone?
Yes, I'm sure.
The detective was last seen coming down to your ferry.
I didn't see him. I didn't see nothing.
Who killed that boy?
Was it Jesse James? I didn't see nothing.
Was it?
I didn't see nothing.
Was it? Easy.
Don't ever tell me what to do.
Mount up.
Even if I did, i wouldn't say nothing..
Not to a man Jesse already made a fool of.
The man called me a liar,
so I called him out.
Mr. dry goods had a pretty loose tongue.
But when I drew on him,
getting out of it wasn't going to be so smart and easy.
I'm ready.
You gotta talk to Jesse for me.
Dress front, boys.
I'll clear this path.
Take it easy, kid. They might just be travelers.
Ain't no travelers.
Who be you people, and what do you want?
Who are you, son? John younger.
I don't think i know you.
You know my brothers.
One day I'll be just as famous.
We are the youngers, sheriff.
I reckon we're the ones you're looking for.
I'm Cole.
The ugly one here is my brother Bob.
The one with the big mouth, though,
he ain't got nothing to do with us.
Hell, he's only 15 years old.
He don't ride with us, and he don't rob with us.
He rode with you today, didn't he?
It don't have to be this way, boys.
Oh, hell.
Aah!
You'll burn in hell for this, pinkerton man.
Hyah! Hyah!
Hyah!
Holy Mary, mother of god.
The boy is dead.
A 15-year-old boy.
Two of my men are dead.
And sheriff baylor is dead.
But that little bastard wasn't old enough
to be weaned from his mother's tit.
That boy was a butcher.
That may be, but so far,
the only thing you've succeeded in doing
is to create more sympathy for Jesse James
than I ever thought possible.
I will get him.
On that I stake my reputation.
All right, pull it right in there.
Thank you for the contribution.
Sorry about the unscheduled stop, good people.
We believe this coach is uncommonly burdened.
We're here to relieve you of the rock central payroll.
You could be wrong, sir. If it's payroll you're after,
they switched it to another stage at the last minute.
Who did?
Mr. pinkerton. It's-- it's his new policy
to protect against robberies. Here, I'll show you.
God damn it, Jesse!
I wasn't going after nothing.
I just wanted to show you the only box we're carrying.
Yeah, well, you moved too fast.
There's a way these things are done.
Ain't anybody taught you?
No, sir, I'm sorry.
I'll be more careful next time.
I was only trying to do my job.
You did it too damn good. See how he is.
Seen worse.
You better pull yourself together, Jess,
and you better do it fast.
All right, but don't you ever grab me like that again.
Let's go.
Nothing.
The hell with this.
I'm heading home, and that's it.
Fine. You do what you have to do.
So will I.
These James and younger boys
are called outlaws by some,
but to many more they are heroes--
two victims of the recent unpleasantness between the states.
Now that our wounds are supposed to be healed,
I propose that a full and complete amnesty
be granted to these... Casualties of Mr. Lincoln's war.
It's time for them to go scot-free.
Let those who have pursued them cease and desist.
And let this damn war be finally over.
So that we may have peace and justice once again...
...in Missouri.
Excuse me, Mr. pinkerton, do you have a comment?
If this legislature votes an amnesty for Jesse James,
it will be a great injustice.
Well, they do seem to have the votes, don't they?
Who are you?
Zachary Murphy, Chicago tribune.
Well, things would be different, Mr. Murphy,
if you people would print the truth.
So you think the press created Jesse James?
You have created the myth,
and in that, you share the responsibility.
Mr. pinkerton, what about your responsibility?
My responsibility
is to catch a killer and a thief.
You know why he robs trains, Mr. Murphy?
Because people hate the railroads.
Jesse knows when people hear a train's been robbed,
they don't form a posse, they make a parade.
And you blame the press for that?
I blame the press for not telling the people the truth.
And the railroads are the only thing
that's gonna pull the south out of the hole it's in.
You people,
you're fighting the war all over again for the south.
Well, now, Mr. pinkerton,
maybe that's because you people with the badges
keep trying to re-win it for the north.
Is that what you're angry about, pinkerton?
Or is it because Jesse James has turned your agency into a public joke?
I wouldn't worry about that, Mr. Murphy.
I think the last laugh in this little drama will be mine.
Where in the hell is he? Tired of waiting.
You shut your gob. Have another.
Good poker playing.
Whoo!
Gentlemen, so I'm late,
but I got a bit waylaid.
Dingus.
Where the hell have you been?
You ever heard of a honeymoon?
Well, congratulations, frank.
Thank you, Cole.
Come on over and--
h-have a toast.
You got married?
Congratulations.
Can you prove it?
What?
You go away for a week at a time.
I don't know where you are. Maybe you made a deal with John law.
That's right.
They're on their way over here this very minute.
If they was to come after you, frank,
how far would you go, hmm?
Would you turn me in?
I'm not gonna stand here and listen to this.
Fine.
I won't play that game.
Come on, big brother. Let's see who's fastest.
You scared?
Yeah.
Scared of what's become of you.
Don't be.
You, captain Anderson, you taught me everything I know.
What you see before you, gentlemen,
is a happy man.
Let's ride.
Frank, what is it?
It's my fault.
It's all my fault.
What is? What's your fault?
I seen his eyes in Lawrence,
and I didn't do anything.
He shouldn't have been there.
He was my little brother.
I'm supposed to take care of him.
He was 14.
Frank, it was war.
You were taking orders.
Some orders should never be followed.
No.
We rode into that town bold as brass,
killing every man we saw.
We started to march in towards the town.
We'd only gotten about 200 feet.
Then we were ordered to shoot.
The men fell in piles.
I saw a young woman throw herself
over a man who was not yet dead.
She begged us to have mercy on her husband.
They lifted up her arm,
and shot him through the head.
There was gunfire all around me.
Jesse was standing nearby.
I remember my ears were ringing.
I started to vomit.
I dropped my gun.
Jesse picked it up and kept on firing.
I saw his eyes.
His eyes were like black coals.
Doll-like.
And he was smiling.
Look, I got one.
Something came over him that day.
And I allowed it.
He shouldn't have been there.
None of us should have been there.
You've got to leave him, frank.
You've got to leave him.
Frank tried to stay away,
but in the fall, when Jesse's son was born,
things seemed to change.
Jesse's general outlook improved,
and so frank came home.
Charley Ford was still in prison,
but we all got together like any other family,
hoping that we could finally enjoy the fruits of our labors.
I'll catch you!
How do you like your new house?
Daddy calls it the peace ranch.
Why--why--why d-don't you g-go
be with the party for a while?
G-g-go on, Bob.
G-g-give me the gun.
Come on, g-g-give.
Hey. Chicken. You haven't eaten yet.
Oh, hello.
There you go, little Ben.
It's nice of you to bring me
a housewarming present there, clell.
Who is he?
He's a reporter.
He's been going all over Liberty,
offering $1,000 just to jaw with you.
What's your name?
My name's Zachary Murphy. I'm a reporter for the Chicago tribune.
Well, for $1,000,
you can talk to my brother frank here.
It'll cost you $2,000 just to pass the time of day with me.
All right. All right.
You're Jesse James. You got a deal.
Damn, Jess, that's the first time we've robbed a newspaper.
Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
How do I know you're Jesse James?
That's an impertinent question.
You ask another one, and I'll send you to hell directly.
Well, I guess if you aren't Jesse James,
you'll do till a better one shows up.
Have a drink.
You're a most obstreperous young man.
Come on. Meet the rest of the gang.
You know, you've been at this work for quite some time now.
How do you explain it?
Well, that's a good question.
It's kind of like holding a wolf by the ears.
You don't like it, but you don't want to let go.
Well, that's the second time I've seen Jesse smile in a whole year.
And when was the first time?
When his baby was born.
Jesse is an outlaw and a bandit,
and yet he still captures
the imagination of the country.
It's-- I admit, it baffles me. It baffles me, too.
You mean you're surprised that America isn't ashamed of him.
Yes, ma'am. Exactly.
Well, maybe it's because he's bold and lawless
like everybody wants to be, just for a little while.
You'll have to forgive my wife.
She's educated.
That she is.
Times are hard, Mr. Murphy.
The south didn't get to keep much after the war.
Not even their dignity.
Mr. Lee is dead, and the whole struggle seems like a bad dream.
All we got now is frank and Jesse and the younger boys
poking their finger in the north's eye.
It isn't much, but it'll do
till something better comes along.
Like what?
Like a real peace.
Some honor.
Now I know why i married this woman.
She makes bank robbery almost sound noble.
Would you end it all if you could?
There's only one way it can end.
You're wrong, frank.
The state legislature is ready to vote on a general amnesty,
if you give them your promise there'll be no more trouble.
Is that the truth? That's the god's truth, Mr. James.
You just let me go back and print your promise.
Bob.
Yes, sir?
Go get Jesse and tell him i need to see him.
Have another drink.
Thank you.
Bob here told me the news.
What do you think?
They took everything we ever had.
I wouldn't trust any of 'em unless they were dead.
Maybe it's worth the risk.
I mean, hell, boys,
what have we got to lose?
If we hang up our guns, they'll know where we are,
and they know who we are.
And they'll take us one by one.
Maybe we ought to put a vote to it, Cole.
You know my vote.
You speaking for Bob, too?
What about you, arch?
You're the ramrod, Jess.
What about it, Jesse?
What about what?
That dance you promised me.
Huh.
Go ahead.
C-c-can you say, "arch?"
Do you know what you've done?
My job, Mr. pinkerton. That's all.
If that bill passes because of that article,
I'll shoot you.
I swear on the grave of the great Abe Lincoln himself,
I'll shoot you,
for the lying son of a bitch toad you are.
But you may get lucky.
And what does that mean?
You may get to live.
It means I have a witness.
Within 24 hours, i intend to indict Jesse James for murder.
And when I do, no amnesty will do him any good.
That's enough.
He's done now.
Gentlemen, I have a prepared statement.
"One Harry mcguff was prepared to testify against Jesse James.
"But he was brutally murdered before appearing in court.
"Mr. mcguff was prepared to testify
"that he witnessed Jesse James
"committing the murder of detective John whitcher,
a special agent in my employ."
Mr. pinkerton, do you think mcguff's murder
will have any influence on the amnesty vote today?
I can only hope wisdom will prevail. Thank you, gentlemen, very much.
Charley.
Must've been quite a while since the train, Charley.
How you doing in here?
You heard me, Charley Ford.
What do you think, pinkerton?
- Come on. - Hey!
Charley,
for a long time now,
I have said that the people who killed Lincoln--
people like you--
would never be able to shatter this union again.
No John wilkes booth
is going to take a little pistol
and shout "sic semper tyrannis" again.
Not on my watch.
Hey!
What are you doing?
What do you want from me?
I want you to be my booth, Charley.
I want you to tell me about Jesse James.
I want to know his plans,
his dreams, everything.
Charley,
I am the only hope you have in this world.
Frank,
how'd Charley Ford get out of jail?
Good behavior, I guess.
Just goes to show you,
you keep your nose clean, you can get ahead in this life,
even in prison.
You w-w-want me to keep an eye on him?
Why don't you let me and Jesse worry about that?
We should bring him in slow.
I tell you what,
why don't you tell him to go out and fetch us a paper?
S-sure.
So he says to the squaw,
"i ain't got no money to pay you, but I'd gladly pay you in corn."
She said, "no, no, no. That be the money hole.
This be the corn hole." Oh!
The corn hole.
Here's your paper, frank.
Thanks, Charley.
Go on. Get yourself some supper. Thank you.
Hey, Charley.
Get that bartender out of here. Oh, right.
Yo, Tommy. What do you want?
Yes, sir.
It's two weeks old.
The amnesty bill is dead.
Says who?
Chicago tribune.
We gave them our word.
I reckon our word ain't good enough for them.
There's more.
You're to be indicted for murder.
It says you killed a witness--
somebody who was going to testify against us.
That's a lie.
People believe what they read.
Hammer's going to fall now. They'll hunt us for sure.
Should've killed that pinkerton
wh-wh-when we had the chance.
"All liars shall have their place in the lake of fire."
Things gone bad. Maybe we should quit.
He might be right, boys.
It might be time to pull up stakes and disappear.
With what? Not much left in my poke.
We need to find something substantial.
Something unexpected.
I see it.
I've seen the rain falling on its roof.
I've seen the square-heads.
They're putting their money in it.
Hundreds and thousands of dollars...
Waiting.
I've seen the faces of the tellers
at their windows,
and I know we can take it.
Where is this place?
Northfield, Minnesota.
No. Uh-uh.
I've heard about that one.
It's too dangerous. That one can't be taken.
Two weeks' ride.
Don't know no hideaways. Don't know no peoples.
And they don't know us.
Maybe...Our luck has run out on us.
I make my own damn luck.
Yeah, but do we have to die to prove that?
It's not our fate to die on the trail, Cole.
But if none of you men wants to come with me, that's fine.
I'll get a thousand others that will.
I made you rich.
I'll make you rich again.
I've seen my destiny.
And if you need to find me, I've headed north.
I didn't know Jesse'd been to Minnesota.
He hasn't.
Good morning, sir.
Can you change this $20 gold piece?
I-- I can't, sir.
Then back up against that safe, and I'll change it myself.
Don't shoot me, Mr. James.
How do you know his name? I know you, too, Mr. James.
I mean, Jesse. Shut up.
Come on.
Open it.
I can't. It's a time lock. Time lock?
It's set to open at 3:00. We knew you were coming.
Who told you we were coming? Pinkerton.
Cole, how bad is it?
I don't know yet.
What do you see?
Shooters on the roof. Let's go, frank.
Leave him! We gotta go now!
Get over here.
Please, I have a family.
So do I. Don't shoot!
Go! Go on!
Don't shoot!
He's going to the icehouse!
He's in here!
This way!
There he is! Get him! Get him!
Come on!
Hell, the whole damn town was shooting at us.
They weren't even lawmen. They were just people.
I thought they was behind us.
We lost them. We lost them a long time ago.
Hold it, boys.
Gotta keep moving, Cole.
Bob can't go any further.
He's dying, damn it.
Bob,
you know I can't leave you here like this.
You want to lose what little bit of brains you got left?
Cruel decisions have to be made.
He's your brother. You do it.
I gotta stay with my brother, Cole.
Get out of here.
Damn, I didn't want to die in Minnesota.
I reckon we should've stayed home.
I reckon so.
"I play not marches
"for accepted Victors only.
"I play marches for conquered
"and slain persons.
"Have you heard that
"it is good to gain today?
"I also say
"it's good to fall.
"Battles are lost...
"...in the same way
...in which they are won."
We'll start again, frank.
A new gang.
Hell, there's banks we ain't ever even thought of.
I'm tired, Jess.
I feel like the tiredest man that ever lived.
I'm getting out.
Annie's meeting me in St. Louis.
We're going to head down to Texas and start anew.
That's good. You deserve a family, frank.
So do you. I got one.
Time to stop running.
Take your family and go somewhere safe.
Give up this life.
I can't.
I don't know how to stop.
You hear that?
Yeah.
Good-bye, Jess.
Charley, you were right about northfield.
You got us the youngers,
you got us clell Miller,
you got us arch clements.
Now is the time to finish the job.
Well, how so?
Governor crittendon's going to make you an offer.
Well, go on.
He's going to give you $10,000 each,
plus a full pardon when you deliver to me
the bodies of frank and Jesse James.
Wait a minute.
We do murder,
and you're going to guarantee a full pardon?
That's the offer, yes.
Well-- well, i must admit, it's--
oh, it's a pleasure to do business
with the great state of Missouri.
Mr. pinkerton, you got yourself a deal.
What if we can't get Jesse?
I'll get it, honey.
Boys! What brings you?
Well, we seen frank, so we brought you word.
Well, come in.
Nice. I like the new place, Jess.
I like it myself. Zee and the baby are upstairs.
I'm just getting me some-- some supper.
Oh, Bob, sit down over here.
Can I offer you something to eat?
No. We'll-- we'll wait.
We'll...Wait.
I'm not hungry.
Well, Charley, you could eat scraps off a buzzard's beak.
You sure you don't want something to eat?
Uh, yeah.
Well, suit yourself.
So, um, where do you hear word from frank?
Oh, well, we seen him in Alabama.
Why do you lie to me, Charley?
I know for a fact frank is in Texas.
Oh.
Come on, Jesse.
Oh, my god!
Oh, god! Jesse, please!
Please let me explain! You don't understand!
He made us do it! Let me explain to you--
Jesse, what's that?
Nothing. Just some company.
Jesse Jr.'s coming down to say good night.
No, no.
I'll be up presently.
Put your arms up.
Here's your favorite pony.
You tired? You going to go to sleep now?
Daddy say good night.
He's got some company, but he'll try.
Will we have to move again?
I don't want to move no more.
Well, we may have to.
I don't want you being sad.
Your papa's trying real hard.
We're proud of him.
If we have to move, we'll do it,
'cause that's what families do.
They do what's best for each other.
Who sent you boys?
Pinkerton.
He's going to get you, Jesse. And frank, too.
We told him we couldn't find frank.
But pinkerton told us that,
well, if we brought you in dead,
that he wouldn't even look for frank no more--
that he wouldn't have to.
At least he'd show the world that--
that he got Jesse James.
He'd let frank go?
Yeah, that's what he said.
Why, hell, you're the ramrod anyway.
Why, everybody knows that.
God...
...this house needs fixing.
Come on! You said you're gonna do it. Do it.
- You gotta do this. - Do it.
All right. Do it.
Do it!
Hyah! Hyah!
Jesse!
I always told frank...
I'd go out with a round of buckshot
coming straight at me.
Do you think he'll forgive me for doing this wrong?
Of course he will.
Jesse?
Jesse James,
I love you.
Governor! Governor!
Do you have a statement?
Governor crittendon! Governor!
Governor! Governor, since you hired the fords to kill Jesse James,
don't you consider that state-sponsored murder?
Absolutely not.
We offered a reward-- dead or alive.
The fords just carried out their part of the contract.
Jesse James was shot in the back.
Will they, or will they not be charged with murder?
That matter is being considered at this time.
What about the murder of Harry mcguff?
You have no evidence linking Jesse James to that crime.
No, we don't, but we're still investigating.
Governor, does it bother you at all that the mcguff murder
ended the amnesty bill?
No, it does not.
Well, now, of course it doesn't, Mr. pinkerton.
Well, you and your employer, the rock central railroad,
you had the most to gain by that now, didn't you?
How dare you say that to me.
It's frank James! Frank James!
Pinkerton, this is arranged.
It is frank!
It's really frank! It's frank James!
Frank James is surrendering himself
to my newspaper and the state of Missouri.
Mr. Murphy.
Governor.
I haven't let another man touch my gun
since 1861.
Look this way, Mr. James.
Gentlemen.
Frank-- frank, do you have anything else you'd like to say?
No.
It isn't worth it.
Like hell it isn't.
Hey! Hey! Get him! Hey!
You son of a bitch!
Go ahead and hang me.
At least my back won't be turned.
Let's go, Mr. James.
Come on. This way.
Justice will be served, frank.
He deserved it, frank!
Right. He had it coming, frank.
Good luck.
Justice, ladies and gentlemen, has been served.
On October 10, 1882,
frank James was indicted for murder,
robbery, and conspiracy.
He was tried three times, and was acquitted
on all three occasions.
Allan pinkerton pinned his hopes
on frank's final trial.
Later on, while he clamored for a fourth trial,
Mr. pinkerton suffered a heart attack and died.
Some say Charley Ford never got over what he had done.
About two years after killing Jesse,
Charley put a gun to his head
and emptied his brains on his living room carpet.
His brother Bob didn't do much better.
A short time after Charley committed suicide,
Bob Ford opened a bar in Colorado.
On opening night, a cowpoke walked in
and shot him dead, yelling, "this is for Jesse James."
After being captured in northfield, Minnesota,
I served 25 years in prison.
When I got out, I joined up with frank,
and we traveled the rodeo circuit together.
Frank lived with his wife Annie
until his death at the age of 72,
and in all that time, he never served
one single day in prison.
Not one. In the end,
the world will remember frank and Jesse
as outlaws and legends.
But to me, they'll always be brothers--
the damnedest brothers I have ever known.
Closed-captioned by j.R. Media services, inc. Burbank, ca