The True Story of Jesse James (1957) Movie Script
- It's a holdup! It's a holdup!
They're robbing the bank!
Tell them they'll be there in Douglas
before he knows it.
Tell them to round up every man
with a gun and head them off.
Tell them there's six. There was nine.
Two we killed, one got away.
- Not so fast!
- They killed a Swede horse trader, wasn't even armed.
- Just shot him down.
- They killed Mr. Burnside too.
- He wouldn't open the vault.
- Tell them they killed the bank cashier too.
- Did you recognize any of'em?
- No.
- But one of them was called Jesse, and-
- Jesse? Are you sure?
- Tell them it was theJames boys.
- Hey, it was JesseJames!
Send that same message to Red Wing, Mancapo, Padilla...
And every sheriff between here
and the Missouri line.
Tell them he's 400 miles
from his own stomping ground!
Tell them it's a chance of a lifetime
to getJesseJames! Let's go!
It's the only way.
We'll try to pick up Tucker
on the other side.
If you please, Mr. Wiley,
I'll have the obituary now.
Mr. Wiley, sir, theJesseJames obituary,
if you don't mind.
Has the word come?
Have they caught up with him?
No, though they say they're closer
than they've been this whole week.
Well,just touch up one
of these old obituaries...
you wrote the times he was
reported killed before.
What's the key to him, Peter?
This one, about the war setting him
on the path of violence.
- Write this one again.
- You and I were in the war too.
This one about his being like Robin Hood.
This is a good one.
I'm getting too old
for this sort of nonsense.
Well, you're not leaving.
The obituary, man! The obituary!
- They haven't killed him yet.
- They may at any moment. And what'll you say to the boss?
What I've been saying
to myself all night-
What makes him JesseJames?
They told me I'd find
Sheriff Hillstrom here.
Yeah?
- I'm Barney Remington.
- Yeah.
Oh, that's right. They brought me
your telegram this morning.
Or was it yesterday?
Boys, this is Mr. Remington.
He heads up
the Remington Detective Agency.
What's the situation?
They're trapped.
Hounds run 'em in there last night.
- TheJames boys too?
- TheJames boys too.
What are we waiting for'?
Well, when we rushed them
at daybreak...
it didn't work out so good.
I got a couple of men on their way
up now with blasting powder.
When they're ready, they'll signal.
When the rain's over, we go.
Blasting powder?
Don't you care about the reward?
I won't be turning
my back on it.
You won't even be seeing it
if you blow them to bits.
You think the railroad
and banking people I work for...
intend to shell out $25,000
without positive identification?
We've lost a couple
of men already!
I couldn't identifyJesse anyway.
I never heard of any law officer getting
close enough to recognize him later.
Not a live one, that is.
- Leo, give me my rifle.
- Sheriff Yoe, take your men across the riverbed.
- Yeah.
Mr. Remington,
you wanna come with us'?
Thank you, Mrs. Toppins.
We won't forget you.
You're welcome.
Don't do it, Hillstrom.
Find some other way.
Jesse! Frank!
Toss out your guns! Give up!
You don't have a chance!
If you don't surrender,
we'll blast you out with dynamite!
Hillstrom, please!
We'll never be sure!
Ed.
Now! Now! Now!
This isn'tJesse.
His name is Sam Wells.
Where are they, Wells? Frank and Jesse
and the others, where are they?
Leo, anybody else in there?
Nobody. He was in there by himself.
A couple of you men take care of him.
Get him out of here.
- Ed, is that one of theirs?
- Yeah, there's blood here.
There's a trail for a few feet
to the other side of those reeds...
and then nothing but muddy water
as far as you can see.
That's all right. We'll get 'em for sure now.
Yoe, have your men spread out.
Hold on.
Now just hold on.
That's not just a mud puddle up ahead.
It spreads out over half of the county.
How do you figure to comb through
something like that?
- We're going in after them.
- You maybe, but not me.
Nor me.
You pull your men out now
and I swear to God-
Gentlemen, gentlemen.
We're tired, sure.
But they must be exhausted.
I should tell you my clients
have authorized me...
to raise the reward if necessary.
Looks like it's necessary.
Another 5,000.
That makes it $30,000.
All right, men,
fan out that way!
All right, you men,
spread out along that brush.
See anything up there?
He's dead.
- Did anyone see the flash?
- I think it came from over there.
Jesse! Frank!
Come out with your hands up!
Gentlemen.
The Younger brothers.
Cole. Bob.
And Jim. We have
their photographs in our file.
Are you a reporter, sir?
I've written this statement for the-
for the press.
Just tell us
where to find JesseJames!
Who's JesseJames?
- We'll hold up here until it gets dark.
- They're awful close.
There must be a thousand caves
in these hills.
It'll take 'em a week
to search every one.
Tucker, get up there and keep watch.
Bring his horse in.
We oughta keep going.
We'll wait till night.
It'll be easier to lose them.
This job never did
feel right to me.
Don't blame me.
I planned it perfectly.
Why did we have to come 400 miles
all the way into Minnesota?
The Missouri banks are waiting for us.
We never struck here.
- What went wrong?
- We did.
Not you or me, but the rest.
Cole's gotten fat and slow.
Dick was hitting the bottle.
And Stiles, the only man who could
lead us out of this state...
had to get himself killed
right off the bat.
I wonder how many of us
are still alive.
They'd all be if they
had done what I told them.
You told them
to come to Northfield.
That's it, Frank.
That's our next job- Northfield.
Are you crazy?
If we ever get out of here,
we're not coming back!
It'll be the last place
they expect us to hit.
I'm not worried about our next job.
I'm just thinking about getting home.
That's all that's eatin' me.
We'll get home.
We'll be home in time for my birthday.
Ma's expecting us.
Yeah, poor Ma.
She's probably worried sick.
Not Ma.
She stood off
the Yankee army for years.
Nothing bothers her.
Nothing bothers her.
Jesse-
They drove my son to it.
The Yankees drove him to it.
He's a good boy.
You're his wife, Zee.
You know how kind he is.
Try and sleep, Mother Samuel.
You know, once...
he brought home a bird
that had fallen from its nest.
His father was alive then.
And littleJesse wouldn't
be comforted until...
Reverend James gave
the little bird a funeral service.
Jesse always was a gentle boy.
A preacher.
Go fetch Preacher Bailey.
I want him to help me
pray for my boys.
For myJesse and my Frank.
I'll send Robby for him.
Robby? Is he here?
You remember.
He brought Zee over this morning.
I never liked that boy.
Why is he always
hanging around here?
Try to rest.
Uh, how's your wife, Dr. Samuel?
She wants to see Preacher Bailey.
Fetch him like a good boy,
will you, Robby?
You know, Zee...
Jesse was no older than that boy...
when he had to become a man.
That was early in the war.
The Yankees came riding
down on this farm.
The neighbors dragged me
out of the kitchen.
You help the soldiers.
You two search that barn-
Stop it! Stop it!
Why don't you leave us be?
- What do you want from us'?
- Where's your son, Frank?
Where he should be-
fighting for the South.
Missouri has taken sides
with the North.
Any man from this state who joins
the South is a traitor. We shoot traitors.
Well, you better shoot me then...
because if I were a man, I'd be right there
with my son, Frank.
Frank was here last night.
I saw him ride by my farm.
Where you hiding him, woman?
We've been neighbors
for 20 years, Mr. Arkew.
The shame of you spying on us!
I serve my country as I see fit.
I never did hold with slavers.
- "We never owned a slave!"
- But you're holdin' with the South.
This man has always hated real Southerners.
He's just using you
to drive us out.
For giving comfort to the enemy, I can burn
your house and shoot everybody on the farm.
You better tell us
where your son is hiding.
He only stayed a minute...
to kiss me hello
and good-bye.
By now he's back
with his own company.
She's lying, Sergeant.
- "I am not!"
- Who are they?
That's Hughie, the hired hand.
And this is Jesse.
Frank's younger brother.
Now, son,you don't
wanna see your mother hurt.
Just lead us to your brother, Frank,
and we'll go peacefully.
We won't harm Frank either.
Just take him prisoner.
He'll be out of the war and safe
in some nice prison camp.
We'll be doing him a favor.
I guess I can trust you, mister.
But I don't trust you, you-
I give you my word, we won't hurt
your brother. Now, where is he?
Seems to me you're going to a lot
of trouble to catch one soldier.
Let me at him, Sergeant.
I'll make him talk.
I'm in command here, Mr. Arkew.
We know Frank is riding
with Quantrill's Raiders.
We're after Quantrill,
not you folks.
Not even your brother.
Just wanna ask him a few questions.
If he answers right,
we might even let him go.
Frank won't give Quantrill away.
Supposing you let Frank decide that
for himself. Where can we find him?
When did he leave here?
Which way did he ride?
Maybe you had better ask him.
oh, no!
I'll beat it out of you
if it takes all night.
Whipping a boy
won't get us Quantrill.
Come on. We've wasted
enough time here already.
Let him go.
Someday-
Someday what?
Oh,Jesse, baby!
Where you going?
- I'm going to join Frank.
- You're too young!
Mama, if I'm old enough to be whipped,
I'm old enough to fight back.
Jesse was so young. It hurt to see him go.
But he had fight in him.
And he sewed
the Confederacy well.
At the war's end,
we got word from Frank...
thatJesse had been badly wounded.
And so we set out
"to bring him home"-
Reuben and me
and our little boy, Archie.
Zee,you remember the day when
we stopped by Rufus Cobb's house...
on our way home
with poorJesse.
If they think
they're staying here-
They've had such
a hard time, Rufe.
- And they are kinfolk.
- Yours, not mine.
- What happened?
- A fight with federal soldiers two weeks ago.
Two weeks ago?
But the war's been over a month!
Not for them. For the regular soldiers,
yes, but not for guerrilla outfits.
They don't recognize
them as soldiers.
We were trying to surrender
when it happened.
We had a white flag.
Jesse was carrying it.
Blam! They opened up on us.
We weren't even armed.
Come on.
Bring him into the house.
It's Jesse!
He's been badly wounded.
- I don't care. He can't stay here.
- Rufe, you can't!
Every moocher from the Confederacy
comes knocking at this door.
"Major Cobb, I served
under you at Bull Run."
- "Major Cobb, we were at Chickamauga together."
- It wouldn't be for long.
So you said when you brought your sister
here more than a year ago.
I do chores.
I don't eat much.
They're not leaving him here!
It's only 70 miles to your place.
You can look after them there.
- I'm afraid. He's grown so weak.
- I'll look after him.
- We just don't have room!
- He can stay in the attic.
- I'll sleep in the kitchen.
- It's only until we get the farm in shape...
and he's strong enough
to go further.
- Don't make us stand here and beg.
- We're not begging.
It's not charity, Rufus. Frank will come
and work for you every other week.
You'll be paid for all of it.
- And if you say no, you'll get paid for that too.
- A threat?
It's a fact, like the weather.
- Rufe-
- Rufe what?
A man tries to get ahead
and save every penny-
I'll see you later.
It's just not fair.
He's- Does he even shave yet?
About once a month.
Oh, he- he seems so lost.
If someone cared, maybe-
maybe she could find him.
Me?
I'm as much of a stray as he is.
Then maybe you could
help him find you.
Don't! Your wound
hasn't healed yet!
Oh, what difference does it make?
You're thinking like a child.
I don't care much
for the way grown-ups think.
Well, that's silly.
That's silly,Jesse.
We'll soon be grown-ups ourselves.
- I'm grown-up already.
- Oh, you're younger than I am.
Friends my age are married.
Some have children.
You thinking about marriage, Zee?
Of course.
Having a home that's mine...
children.
Don't you ever think
about the future?
Mostly about the past.
Never about the way
you'd like things to be?
I just want them to be nice.
Nice?
You know, nice.
I hope you get
everything you want, Zee.
I can't think of anyone
I'd rather see happy.
Thank you,Jesse.
What's the matter?
Aren't I pretty enough to kiss?
Don't tease me.
I'm warning you.
About what?
Your hidden fires?
A little something
for you both to eat on the way.
Thank you, Rowena.
Come on,Jesse!
No need to itemize that.Just tell me how
many more days I owe forJesse's keep.
You worked all five weeks for him.
You owe me one more full week.
Say good-bye, Zerelda.
There's work to do.
Major Cobb, I'm asking
for Zee's hand in marriage.
Didn't I tell you?
- You've money put by?
- Not a cent.
- And the farm belongs to your mother?
- That's right.
I'd be pleased to see her married off,
but she's been here over a year.
I say I'm due something for that.
- "I'm not giving consent till it's paid."
- It'll be paid.
- Thought about how?
- I'm through thinking. I'm just gonna do it.
I've cleared and planted our field.
That should yield a good crop.
Done and done.
If hard work can do it, Zee, you'll have
that home of your own, I promise.
Good-bye, Rowena.
Thanks for everything.
I'll be back next week
to work out the last of it.
Let's trade. Put us up at your place
for that revival end of summer.
- We'll call it even.
- Kin are always welcome.
Being beholden always
costs more in the end.
Do you think your crop will be in?
I'll bring the girl. We'll have the wedding.
Done and done.
Bye.
Jesse came home strong again.
And he'd fallen
in love with you.
Those were happy days, Zee.
Oh, why couldn't things
stay that way?
Who is that coming?
It's Robby and the reverend.
Jesse- God's grace.
That's what the name signifies.
- It don't seem to fit, does it'?
- It did once.
There was a time when I saw the Holy Spirit
blazing in his eyes, Charlie.
I'm not Charlie. I'm Robby.
Robby? Oh, yes.
Mattie Ford's youngest boy.
Feeling any better, Mrs. Samuel?
Sorry to be troubling
you so often, Reverend.
Will you help me pray again...
for myJesse and my Frank?
My prayers are for you,
Mrs. Samuel...
and for all here to give you strength
and to ease your suffering.
As for your sons, treading the path
of the unrighteous...
breaking God's laws
as well as man's...
steeped in sin
"beyond redemption"-
That's not true!
How can you say that aboutJesse?
You who baptized him!
Yes, I baptized him.
But you know what he did
less than three hours later.
With salvation in his grasp,
let the devil enter into his heart.
- "And has lodged in there ever since."
- " No!"
- Only Satan could have prompted him.
- No.
There's no other explanation.
Wrong!
I know what happened that night.
Are you willing to change your lives for the future
in the name of the Holy Ghost?
I am.
Then I baptize you
in the name of the Father...
and of the Son...
and of the Holy Ghost.
Amen!
Amen!
Praise the Lord!
Come, sinners.
Come and meet your salvation!
Come andjoin the Lord!
That was rousing testimony,
Cousin Jesse.
How does it feel
to have all eyes upon you?
Why, my favorite cousin, Cole,
I never noticed.
Jesse had peace in
his heart then and a dream for our future.
But that night, his neighbors,
who were Northern sympathizers...
- "shattered that peace and broke our dream."
- Mama, you and Archie better not see this.
- What is it?
It's Hughie.
They've done something bad to him.
The war's over, isn't it?
But those Yankee farmers
won't stop their killing.
They came down on us last night.
They strung up poor Hughie.
Burned our crop and they-
they shot up the house!
- Let's saddle up and start burning
some Yankee farms! - Too many of'em.
Missouri's a Southern state.
We were here first.
No Yankee is pushing me
off my land.
Why'd you call us here, Frank?
Well, we've gathered here to give
Hughie a good send-off.
As you know, he worked with us
and he fought right alongside of us.
Jesse- He's got something to say
that might be interesting to you.
The war has sapped us
bone-dry.
Every bank in the state of Missouri
is owned by a Yankee man.
They hate our hide
and want us to get out.
Those banks have got a lot
of Northern money rolling in.
- "I want my share."
- I don't hold with breaking the law.
You haven't raised any crop since you've
been out of uniform. How you living?
Hustling a few horses and some livestock,
it's not exactly like robbing a bank.
I don't say we make
a career out of it.
Just one or two robberies
to get each one of us a stake...
so we can get our homes
and farms whipped into shape.
That kind of talk figures
coming from you,Jesse.
But I don't see it resting
so easy on you, Frank.
Well, when Jesse first mentioned the plan,
I didn't cotton to it too quick.
I took pause to wonder-
wonder what Pa would do.
He was a reverend.
I think some of you boys knew him.
- He was a good man, Frank.
- That he was.
He was a Southerner
and he had a lot of pride.
I still have some of that pride, and I'm not
gonna go through life being trampled on!
I hold with that, Frank.
I don't know about the rest of you,
but I need me a new barn...
some tools and some seed.
I'll ride along with you,Jesse.
But only once.
How do you say, Cole?
Well, robbing a bank's
not exactly child's play.
It's gonna take a lot of thinkin',
a lot of plannin'.
- And more, it's gonna take a leader.
- Jesse will lead us.
- You say?
- I do! It was Jesse's idea in the first place.
But before I ride behind a man,
I've gotta know how he's thinkin'.
If you were to lead us, Cole,
and you had a plan, what would you do?
Well, I'd-The nine of us
would ride into town fast...
shoot fast, grab the money
and ride out fast.
Speed and nerve,
that's all it takes.
- Where would we ride out to?
- We'd hole up in the hills until everything got quiet.
That's as sure a way
of getting hung I know of.
Army troops have got scouts
that know those trails like the Indians.
What's your thinkin'?
If we were to ride
out of here now...
we could go to Liberty and get there
by the time the bank opens in the morning.
We could ride back here
in time for supper.
The day after, we can start milking again
and mending our fences.
And while the law's searching
the hills for the robbers...
we'll just be peaceable farmers
minding our chores.
- I like that,Jesse.
- That's real smart,Jess.
Well, how do you
stand on it, Cole?
It's gonna be a real pleasure
riding behind JesseJames.
After that, they were outside the law.
And I went home again
to live with my sister.
I didn't hear from Jesse...
but I heard about him
as the time passed.
Zee?
Zee?
Zee!
Zee.
Jesse.
- Will you go with me now?
- Oh, right now.
Zee and I are going
to be married.
Do we have your consent?
You do.
Zee!
Zee!Jesse, wait.
You can't. The law's after you,Jesse.
You're hunted.
- Let them hunt.
- Well, think of Zee.
She's all I do think of.
But where will you live?
Where no one can find us.
Now, don't worry.
Everything's going to be nice.
One of the finest properties in St.Joe.
Complete privacy, but only a stone's throw
from the business section.
And a view of the city
in every direction.
If unwelcome visitors are coming,
you can see them first and hide.
Mrs. Howard, I hope
you like the furnishings.
All Mr. Howard told me
was fix it up nice.
Oh! It's- It's very nice.
Perhaps I spent more
than I should.
Not if she likes it.
And the first month's rent,
if you don't mind- $18.
Pleasure to do business
with you, Mr. Howard.
- What line did you say you were in'?
- Railroads and banking.
- "In a small way."
- "Hmm. Good solid enterprises, both of them."
- No risks, no worries. Am I right?
- That's right.
- You can put those down there, will you, please?
- "Sure."
- And will you wait outside for me?
- Anything else I can do?
Yes.
I don't hold to this sort of thing.
It's indecent.
"Venus and Mars" by Rubens.
Oh, it's pretty.
Couldn't we pretend it's Adam and Eve?
Mrs. Howard will find something of her own
to put up there. Something uplifting.
Mr. Grundy,
we're very grateful to you.
Sure. A nice genteel couple
like yourselves...
helps keep property values high.
Good day. Sir.
Good day.
Oh,Jesse!
We have a home
of our very own!
Do you like it?
Seven rooms, Zee...
and a garden.
Zee, if things go well,
I'm gonna build a summer house out there.
Where we'll sit
and I'll serve tea to the ladies.
And I'm gonna buy a gig-
Nope, a surrey.
And we'll go for drives
and we'll nod to our neighbors.
- Good afternoon, ma'am.
- Good afternoon, sir.
And we'll have lots of children. And on Sundays
we'll all walk to church together.
And on Christmas Eve,
I'll play Santa Claus in a long white beard.
And Fourth of July, we'll run up a flag
and shoot off firecrackers.
And on evenings, we'll all sit here
and sing hymns and read Mr. Dickens.
- And I'll put out the cat.
- And we'll go to bed.
Zee, I have to go now.
- Oh,Jesse-
- Now, Zee, remember your promises.
Never any questions.
No questions.
You're Mrs. Thomas Howard.
I'm Mr. Howard.
I'm a businessman
whose affairs require him to travel.
Now, while I'm gone, you busy yourself
with our house and miss me.
And when I'm back,
life will be good... for both of us.
All right?
Good-bye, Zee.
There's no devil in Jesse's heart.
He's just a man who loves his family
and his home.
Whatever he's done,
he's done for no other reason.
I'm going home.
Good-bye, Mother Samuel.
Good-bye, dear.
- Try to bear up.
- I will.
Thanks for coming, Zee.
And don't give up hoping.
I never have.
I figured we'd be back in Missouri
by now eatin' fried chicken.
Some of those boys
will never taste beans again.
Yeah, we sure had rotten luck.
I don't count on luck.
If every man had done what he'd been
told to, we wouldn't be stuck here.
I cut those telegraph wires clean through,
just like you told me to, Jesse.
- What time did you cut them?
- What difference does it make now?
I'm asking you
a question, Tucker.
2:30, like you said I should.
Show me your watch.
We have the same time.
But if you'd have cut
the lines at exactly 2:30...
they wouldn't have been able to wire out
to the other towns to make up the posses.
- But they did.
- I don't know how.
- What's this, Tucker?
- I don't know. I don't know how it got there.
Think! Try to remember!
Oh, yeah.
Now I remember.
I bought it on the trip up here.
- A present to give to a gal I was going with.
- A single garter?
- There must be another one around-
You're a liar.
You got this from that fat farm girl
you had your eye on back there.
She's why you were late
cutting the wires!
Keep the horses steady.
No,Jesse, no!
- Killing's not gonna help us.
- It'll help me.
I'm not gonna have it,
Jesse!
- All right, Tucker, get up there!
- Yeah, yeah.
That posse's still out there
and it's a long time till dark.
So just take it slow.
It's the first time
you crossed me, Frank.
Are you out of your mind,Jesse?
There were ten of us who started out
for Northfield, and there are only three left.
You're in no spot
to push anybody around.
- What's to stop me'?
- $25,000.
He wouldn't have the nerve.
No'? Well, he might
if you turned your back on him.
Remington doesn't care
who he pays that reward to.
So don't start
pushing Tucker around.
You should have
let me kill him.
You really like killing, don't you?
It comes easy in our business.
Is that why you chose the business,
so you could go on killing?
You've done your share.
I'm not proud of it.
Well, I am.
JesseJames.
That name means something.
And when those
Yankee bankers hear it, they start shaking.
You weren't satisfied with the banks.
You had to start on the railroads!
We did a good business
with the railroads.
Yeah, if you're talking
about the money we took.
But that's when our luck
started to turn bad.
You!
What do you think
you're doing up there, mister?
- Stop the train. It's a holdup.
- A holdup?
- How much did we get?
- Oh, we made expenses.
- Where now?
- Food and sleep.
- Where?
- It's all been arranged. Bill did it.
I hope they've got big beds, Ryan!
Sam.
As fine a breakfast, ma'am,
as I ever ate.
It's a pleasure
to serve gentlemen of taste.
Cole, that must be a special book
to make you forget your belly.
It is. Very special.
And very fine.
It says here thatJesseJames really isn't
a criminal, that he's just misunderstood.
Why does he rob?
Why does he plunder?
He gives it all to the poor.
Yes, sir, he robs the rich
to help the needy.
- Oh, it's all I can do to keep the tears back.
- Let me see that, Cole.
Well, I wish he'd rob a train
with a rich load of people...
and give all the money to me.
What do you need money for, ma'am,
with this fine home and farm?
Mortgaged to the hilt.
- You've a mortgage, madam?
- As big as your arm.
Six hundred dollars
is what I owe...
and I ain't got
six cents to my name.
- How you gonna pay it, ma'am?
- Well, I guess I can't.
Man comes around most every morning
now looking for his money.
Guess I'll have to go live
with my kinfolk in Davis County.
I bet I can makeJesse pay this mortgage.
How?
How much do I owe you, madam?
Oh, say 10 cents.
How much is a train ticket
to Davis County?
About eight dollars. Why?
Well... here's 20.
For your hospitality, of course.
Next time you hear people
talk about Cole Younger...
you tell him he's not as bad
as he's painted.
Let's get going-
Are you Cole Younger?
Well, bless you, son. Bless you.
Mrs. Keabby. How much did you say
the mortgage was?
Six hundred dollars,
Mr. French...
and it might just as well
be six million.
Well, here's the $600.
Compliments ofJesseJames.
- JesseJames!
That's right. You be sure
and get a receipt for it.
- I said it, didn't I?
Did it hurt?
Oh, she'll talk about you,
all right...
and what a noble man
you are- praise be!
You can trust that bell clapper
of a tongue of hers.
But it cost you $600.
Did it?
Learn a lesson,Jesse.
You can't eat your cake and have it too.
Maybe so, Cole, but bread cast upon
the water comes back before many days.
Go on!
Better split up now
and follow Jesse's plan.
- Keep in touch, Cole.
- Save your money.
Jesse said keep out of towns.
- Ryan, you go home till you're sent for.
- Yeah, Cole.
But first I'm going to Nashville.
What's your name?
- Take him, George.
- Get goin'.
Defendant will rise
and face the jury.
What is the verdict?
Speak up,John.
On the charge of committing
armed robbery...
of the St. Louis-Midland Railway...
we find the defendant...
guilty.
The court is aware of efforts...
by friends and sympathizers
of theJames brothers and their followers...
to intimidate.
It therefore commends the jury...
for the courage shown
in fulfilling its duty.
The court also congratulates
the prosecutor.
This is the first time...
that a member of theJames gang
has ever been convicted.
If you agree
to help this state...
locate and arrest
theJames brothers...
I'll consider it
in passing sentence.
Why not do it, Ryan?
I sentence you to 25 years
in the state penitentiary.
- "Jury is dismissed."
- Never thought we'd get a conviction.
- Neither did I.
Mr. Howard!
- Nice job.
- Thank you.
- This is Mr. Woodson.
- How do you do?
- How do you do?
- Mr. Walker is a neighbor of mine.
- Interesting trial, wasn't it'?
- We were interested.
- Weren't we?
- Very. It's the first time I've been to a court trial.
It's the beginning of the end for theJameses,
you know. Wonder if they'll recognize it.
- It's certainly something for them to think about.
- Yes, isn't it.
If you found this trial interesting...
try to be there when I prosecute
Frank and Jesse.
Well, it's good seeing you.
Let's go.
We couldn't miss it, could we?
I don't see how.
"N" [singing]
Mr. Remington?
I'm Walker, state's attorney.
- You have the warrants for theJames brothers?
- Here they are.
Thank you for drawing them up
on such short notice.
Hello, Anne, Frank, Zee.
Hello there.
Evening.
Mrs. Howard. Mr. and Mrs. Woodson.
Going on a trip?
- Visiting relatives downstate.
- Oh.
- Mr. Howard, I'd like you to meet Mr.-
- Remington.
- Barney Remington.
- Of the Remington Detective Agency.
- How you doing, sir?
- It's no secret.
I want everyone to know.
I have come to Missouri to put
an end to Frank and JesseJames...
and every other thief.
You want folks to know?
I want theJames boys to know
that the price on their heads...
will be big enough to corrupt their friends-
even members of their own gang-
and that my men
will be amongst them...
so that no criminal can ever be sure
who is a friend or who is an enemy.
Some folks don't consider
theJames boys to be so bad.
They murdered four
of my best men this past year.
Murdered?
Could have been self-defense.
Self-defense? The schoolboy
they shot while robbing the Liberty Bank'?
The unarmed cashiers
whose brains they'd blown out-
Uh, gentlemen, please.
The ladies.
My apologies.
All aboard!
You may not be
aware of it, sir...
but many of the crimes attributed
to theJames brothers...
were actually
committed by others.
It's a fact well known
here in Missouri.
Uh, if you'll excuse us, please.
Mr. Remington.
So that's what I'm up against
around here.
Yes. Public opinion.
Or better yet, public need.
JesseJames
is the shooting spokesman...
for everyone whose life
is quietly desperate.
To you, he's a thief.
To these people,
he's already becoming a legend...
one that kindles
a fire in their hearts.
- They want him to go on.
- Are you trying to tell me that nothing can be done?
Mr. Remington, you can't
change public opinion when it suits you.
When the public no longer needs
JesseJames, that'll be the end of him.
Conductor, why have we stopped?
Special business, ma'am.
We'll only be here a minute.
Well, we should be
about a mile from Mama's.
If it were daytime, we might
be able to see the house.
What is it?
What's wrong?
I think the girls better
take the next train back to St.Joe.
Come on.
That was Remington and Walker.
I didn't see them get on the train.
They must be heading for Ma's place.
- Someone tipped them off we'd be there.
- We've gotta beat them.
- They won't do anything to Ma if we're not there.
- I'm not waiting to see.
Jesse! Frank!
We know you're there! Come on out!
Come on out,
or we'll blow you out!
Thanks for your help,
Mr. Arkew.
We were sitting up
waiting for ya.
Men came and yelled
for you to surrender.
We told 'em you weren't here,
but they wouldn't believe us.
We were afraid they'd shoot, so we put out
the lights. See what they did to Archie?
Frank!
Found this outside.
The Remington Detective Agency."
It's a shame
and an outrage, Frank.
I never been a supporter
of yours orJesse's...
but I don't hold with
persecutin' a man or his family.
I want you to know
we're gonna do somethin'about it.
Thank you.
Some of us are going up to the state capitol
tomorrow morning.
Gonna tell our congressmen
just what we think.
Whoa, boy. Amnesty.
The governor's being
asked to grant amnesty to you both.
"Invite them to return to the peaceful
pursuits from which they were driven."
- Can't wait to have your mother see this.
What's the matter,Jesse?
Put it out of mind, boys.
You got too much at stake.
We're not gonna do anything.
We're staying out of trouble.
Everyone knows he spied
for the Remingtons.
He won't find the living easy
down here from now on.
- You gotta be satisfied with that!
- Jesse!
Jesse!
Thank you, Robby.
When you shot Arkew...
you said you were revenging little Archie's
death and Mama's arm being blown to bits.
But your shots made certain we could
never turn back from this kind of life.
They kept us
on the same dirty road...
the road which finally led us
to Northfield and disaster.
Well, what's it gonna be all about
this time, boys? Anybody know?
The bank in Northfield.
Northfield?
What part of Missouri is that?
It's not in Missouri.
It's Minnesota.
Minnesota?
That's right.
Right here.
- Hello, Bob.
- Cousin Jesse.
- Jim.
- Jesse.
- That's over 400 miles from here.
- Four hundred and 20.
Four hundred and 20 miles?
How am I gonna get there?
Your horse.
- Why Northfield?
- Tell him, Bill.
Well, it's a dinky little town...
but they've got a bank
up there that's never been touched.
Jesse sent me
to look it over last month.
The cash on hand-
$75,000 to $100,000.
Satisfied?
No. We've never gone
that far on a job before.
That means they won't expect us.
But if something goes wrong,
none of us here knows the territory.
Bill knows it.
He lived there.
I told him to scout every trail
between there and the Missouri line.
And he has.
- Well,Jesse, I'm gonna skip this one.
- I wouldn't.
What do you think, Cole?
Well, I'll tell you what "I" think.
I think I've led you
and led you well.
I think I'm giving you a chance
to make enough money to retire on.
And I also think all I have to do
is snap my fingers like this...
- and I'd get plenty of men to take your place.
When do we start,Jesse?
Right now.
Robby? Charlie?
Get the new coats
for the boys.
People will really talk
about this one, won't they,Jesse?
- They're gonna really sit up and take notice, Cole.
- Sure, they will.
We were just coming in
to say good-bye.
Jesse, I saw the look on Cole's face
and the others' as they were leaving.
They were just thinking
about the ride ahead of them.
They've gotten soft.
Now, Zee, I'm having Robby take
you and Anne to St.Joe.
When I get back
in about a month...
I'll buy you
the prettiest frocks in town.
Jesse, will this really be
the last one?
- Of course.
- No, really.
Really,Jesse?
The very last one.
When I come home, I'll have enough money
to invest in some small business.
Then I'll never have to leave
you or the children again.
Oh, if it only
would turn out that way.
I'm so sick of telling lies...
especially to the children.
Don't worry about it.
Will it be all right, Frank?
Oh, sure, Zee. You could see
how good Jesse's feeling.
Oh, yes.
Now he's excited.
Now he's on his way to something.
But to what?
I don't think we'll know
until he finds it.
I'll watch over him, Zee.
Aren't you
going to wave good-bye?
It doesn't seem right.
It just doesn't seem right.
- What doesn't?
- All of it.
- Stop worrying.
- I'm not the only one.
Tucker doesn't
seem to be worried.
Tucker's too stupid to worry.
- Dick seems happy enough.
- That's one of the reasons it doesn't seem right.
He should be sweating bullets.
Look at Cole.
Cole hasn't cracked a smile
for the last hundred miles.
He'll laugh and sing for 200
with the money on his way back.
Jesse, call it off.
Call it off?
This is one raid that can't fail.
We've got the best horses
you or anyone else has ever seen.
Bill Stiles knows this country
like the back of his hand.
I've never planned
anything so well.
I've never known you to feel
so much planning was needed.
- I'll remind you about this when we get home.
- Yes, Bill?
- Northfield's half a mile ahead.
- Any questions?
- No.Just you leave it to us,Jesse.
We'll keep the road clear
for the getaway.
Feelin' good, huh, Dick?
I never felt better.
I wonder why.
You know I don't allow
drinking on the job.
I only had a little nip.
I swear it.
We can settle it
on the way back. Get going.
- Do you want me to go over it again, Cole?
- Sure.
My mind's all in a whirl.
I've never robbed a bank before.
Come on, boys.
I hate to disturb you.
- Tell me what you're going to do.
- Me?
- I'm gonna climb the pole and cut the wires.
- At what time?
- About 2:30.
- Not "about" 2:30. "At" 2:30.
At 2:30.
Tucker, if the alarm gets out
of Northfield past you...
I'll kill you.
- It won't.
- Let me see the cutters.
And your watch.
Sam. Remember what I told you.
Gentlemen,
what can I do for you?
I'd like to open an account.
Be with you right away.
[Speaking Swedish]
- What?
Go away. No speak.
Go away.
Go away. No speak.
Thank you very much.
Would ya get out of here.
- Will ya get outta here!
- He don't understand English.
He's a horse trader.
Wants to buy your horse.
Oh, I'd like you to meet
a friend of mine.Jesse!
Mr. Harris.
Mr. Burnside.
How do you-
- Just open the vault and there
won't be any trouble. - No.
We'd admire it if you would.
No, I- I can't!
Help! Help! Robbers!
Just stand here
and keep your mouth shut.
It's a holdup!
It's a holdup!
- Holdup!
- What else could I do?
All right now.
They're robbing the bank!
Get that wagon in there!
Come on! Get it! Bring that up in here!
Get that hay rig here!
Cross the street! Come on!
Get everything in here!
Open it! Don't be a fool!
It's not your money!
- It's not your money either.
You don't scare me.
You don't scare me.
Can't hold 'em up
any longer, boys! Let's go!
Go on!
- This way,Jesse!
- Look out, Bill!
We've ridden a
mighty long way since the war,Jesse.
But Northfield was the end
of the road for all of us.
It's all Tucker's fault.
If he'd have cut the wires on time,
we wouldn't be stuck in this rotten hole.
It wasn't Tucker's fault.
That Northfield job fell apart right in town.
Everything went wrong.
Why?
Why did everything go right
for so long...
and now nothing seems to happen
the way it should.
Because in the beginning
we had a reason.
But you wouldn't remember it.
What reason?
Well, in the beginning
it was for Zee and Ma...
and protecting the farm.
- We did what we had to.
- What are we doing here, now, 400 miles from home?
Who are we fighting for?
Ma? Zee?
No,Jesse.
We're doing this for you.
For me'?
I carried you and Cole and
the rest on my back for years.
If it wasn't for me, you'd all
be sharecroppers on some miserable farm!
Oh, sure. We're a big success now.
Everybody knows our name.
Well, they ought to.
It's on every post office wall.
Well, if you don't
like my company, mister...
let's break it off right now.
Well, mister,
that suits me just fine.
Maybe you'd like to
collect the reward on the way back.
Don't waste your bullets on me,
Mr.JesseJames!
Ma'll be waitin' for ya.
Tell her how you walked out on me.
Listen. You get this straight too.
I'm not walking out on you.
We're going our separate ways.
You know something?
I used to think
I was just following you.
But now I'm not so sure
that I wasn't "pushing" you!
I never even knew
you rode behind me, Frank.
That's how important you were.
Well, maybe you didn't,Jesse.
But I was always there
looking out for you.
So why don't you take my advice
and from now on look out behind you.
Wait a minute.
Jesse? Jesse or Frank?
I don't know.
Jesse!
It's too bad one of us
couldn't have gone to getJesse's body...
instead of having to send Zee.
It's time to get started
for the depot.
You'll see that Timmy stays covered.
He always takes the covers off.
Don't worry about the children, Zee.
I'll take good care of them.
I told them
I'm visiting their grandma.
I should have stayed with him.
Don't feel that way, Frank.
It ended the way it had
to sooner or later, and-
and no one
could have prevented it.
No one is to blame.
You're gonna miss the train.
Jesse!
Jesse.
Hello,Jess.
How do you feel?
Tired.
I knew it wasn't you
they found up north.
I just knew it.
Sounded more like Tucker. You put your watch
in his pocket to throw 'em off, didn't you?
Charlie, go tell Zee to come in.
Yeah.
I'm sorry I left you.
I just had to,Jess.
You were right, Frank.
Northfield "was" the end-
for you, me.
Everyone.
What am I going to do?
What do you want to do?
I don't think
I've ever really known.
Right now I just want to
live in peace somewhere.
Jesse's just saying that he's willing
to give the whole thing up for good.
- You'd like that, wouldn't you?
- Oh, yes,Jesse!
Couldn't we get a farm someplace?
I've always wanted us
to have a farm.
- Do you remember that farm in Nebraska?
- Mm-hmm.
It's the prettiest one
I ever saw.
Do it,Jesse. I'll never ask
for anything more in my life.
We haven't any money.
What about your house?
It's rented.
Even the furniture.
You're not just talking, are you?
I swear it.
Well, Anne and I have a little money,
and Mama has some, I know.
No.
No, I can't do that.
We want you to have it.
How long will it take you
to get packed?
- No time at all.
- Oh, I'll help, and so will the boys.
- "Charlie? Robby?"
- Sure.
I can catch the late train tonight
to Mama's, be back here in the morning.
You're gonna have
that farm,Jesse.
Frank.
Thanks.
Zee, are you happy?
Oh,Jesse,
I've never been so happy.
Call the children in.
I want to get them dressed.
And would you
take that down for me?
- Where do you want this?
- Put it in the hall.
- Thanks a lot for helping me, boys.
- We're only too glad.
- "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!"
- Be right back.
You're not going out
like that, are you?
Forgot about that.
I won't be needing these anymore.
- Do you want them?
- Sure.
Thanks.
- Thanks,Jesse.
Daddy! Daddy! Help!
Help! Don't shoot me, Timmy!
- "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!"
- Timmy.
- What are you doing?
- I shot her. We're playing JesseJames.
He can shoot me dead
without stickin' me.
Hello, Mr. Howard!
Nice day!
Sure is.
There you go. Go upstairs.
Go on.
Your mother wants you.
We're gonna miss you,Jess.
Never will get a chance
to ride with you now.
- You're not missing anything.
- Why, I always thought you enjoyed it.
I did.
The excitement, being in command.
But you never
get a chance to relax.
Look at me-
34 years old, and I feel like 90.
I didn't know the lawmen
bothered you that much.
They didn't.
As the rewards go higher,
your friends grow fewer.
They're either killed off
or turn against you.
Then you worry
about the old ones...
who might be tempted
by the rewards...
or the new ones who hope they get
a reputation by putting a bullet in you.
Yeah. The reward for you
is up to $25,000 now.
Thirty thousand.
Alive or dead.
If you don't think I expect someone
to try to put a bullet in me, you're wrong.
- He'll never get a chance.
- What makes you so sure?
- "Jesse!"
Come on, Robby.
I just killed JesseJames!
Me! Robert Ford!
What?
I just killed JesseJames!
Me! Robert Ford! I just killed JesseJames!
Is it reallyJesseJames?
Please go away.
- What is it?
- Let us through, please.
- Let us through!
- Oh,Jesse!
What are all you people
doing in here? Get out!
Get out, all of you!
Jesse.
Hey, mister,
did they really getJesse?
How about Frank?
They get him too'?
No, but I expect he'll
give himself up now.
"J'JesseJames was a man "I"
"I" Who lived outside the law "I"
"I" And no one knew his face "I"
"I" He was killed one day "I"
"I" In the county of Clay "I"
"I" And he came from
a solitary race "I"
"J"'Jesse came to the end "I"
"I" With his back turned to a friend "I"
"I" A friend he thought was brave "I"
"I" And the dirty little coward "I"
"I" Who shot Mr. Howard "I"
"I" Has laid poorJesse "I"
"I" In his grave "I"
"I" Was a dirty little coward "I"
"I" Who shot Mr. Howard "I"
"I" And laid poorJesse "I"
"I" In his grave "II"
They're robbing the bank!
Tell them they'll be there in Douglas
before he knows it.
Tell them to round up every man
with a gun and head them off.
Tell them there's six. There was nine.
Two we killed, one got away.
- Not so fast!
- They killed a Swede horse trader, wasn't even armed.
- Just shot him down.
- They killed Mr. Burnside too.
- He wouldn't open the vault.
- Tell them they killed the bank cashier too.
- Did you recognize any of'em?
- No.
- But one of them was called Jesse, and-
- Jesse? Are you sure?
- Tell them it was theJames boys.
- Hey, it was JesseJames!
Send that same message to Red Wing, Mancapo, Padilla...
And every sheriff between here
and the Missouri line.
Tell them he's 400 miles
from his own stomping ground!
Tell them it's a chance of a lifetime
to getJesseJames! Let's go!
It's the only way.
We'll try to pick up Tucker
on the other side.
If you please, Mr. Wiley,
I'll have the obituary now.
Mr. Wiley, sir, theJesseJames obituary,
if you don't mind.
Has the word come?
Have they caught up with him?
No, though they say they're closer
than they've been this whole week.
Well,just touch up one
of these old obituaries...
you wrote the times he was
reported killed before.
What's the key to him, Peter?
This one, about the war setting him
on the path of violence.
- Write this one again.
- You and I were in the war too.
This one about his being like Robin Hood.
This is a good one.
I'm getting too old
for this sort of nonsense.
Well, you're not leaving.
The obituary, man! The obituary!
- They haven't killed him yet.
- They may at any moment. And what'll you say to the boss?
What I've been saying
to myself all night-
What makes him JesseJames?
They told me I'd find
Sheriff Hillstrom here.
Yeah?
- I'm Barney Remington.
- Yeah.
Oh, that's right. They brought me
your telegram this morning.
Or was it yesterday?
Boys, this is Mr. Remington.
He heads up
the Remington Detective Agency.
What's the situation?
They're trapped.
Hounds run 'em in there last night.
- TheJames boys too?
- TheJames boys too.
What are we waiting for'?
Well, when we rushed them
at daybreak...
it didn't work out so good.
I got a couple of men on their way
up now with blasting powder.
When they're ready, they'll signal.
When the rain's over, we go.
Blasting powder?
Don't you care about the reward?
I won't be turning
my back on it.
You won't even be seeing it
if you blow them to bits.
You think the railroad
and banking people I work for...
intend to shell out $25,000
without positive identification?
We've lost a couple
of men already!
I couldn't identifyJesse anyway.
I never heard of any law officer getting
close enough to recognize him later.
Not a live one, that is.
- Leo, give me my rifle.
- Sheriff Yoe, take your men across the riverbed.
- Yeah.
Mr. Remington,
you wanna come with us'?
Thank you, Mrs. Toppins.
We won't forget you.
You're welcome.
Don't do it, Hillstrom.
Find some other way.
Jesse! Frank!
Toss out your guns! Give up!
You don't have a chance!
If you don't surrender,
we'll blast you out with dynamite!
Hillstrom, please!
We'll never be sure!
Ed.
Now! Now! Now!
This isn'tJesse.
His name is Sam Wells.
Where are they, Wells? Frank and Jesse
and the others, where are they?
Leo, anybody else in there?
Nobody. He was in there by himself.
A couple of you men take care of him.
Get him out of here.
- Ed, is that one of theirs?
- Yeah, there's blood here.
There's a trail for a few feet
to the other side of those reeds...
and then nothing but muddy water
as far as you can see.
That's all right. We'll get 'em for sure now.
Yoe, have your men spread out.
Hold on.
Now just hold on.
That's not just a mud puddle up ahead.
It spreads out over half of the county.
How do you figure to comb through
something like that?
- We're going in after them.
- You maybe, but not me.
Nor me.
You pull your men out now
and I swear to God-
Gentlemen, gentlemen.
We're tired, sure.
But they must be exhausted.
I should tell you my clients
have authorized me...
to raise the reward if necessary.
Looks like it's necessary.
Another 5,000.
That makes it $30,000.
All right, men,
fan out that way!
All right, you men,
spread out along that brush.
See anything up there?
He's dead.
- Did anyone see the flash?
- I think it came from over there.
Jesse! Frank!
Come out with your hands up!
Gentlemen.
The Younger brothers.
Cole. Bob.
And Jim. We have
their photographs in our file.
Are you a reporter, sir?
I've written this statement for the-
for the press.
Just tell us
where to find JesseJames!
Who's JesseJames?
- We'll hold up here until it gets dark.
- They're awful close.
There must be a thousand caves
in these hills.
It'll take 'em a week
to search every one.
Tucker, get up there and keep watch.
Bring his horse in.
We oughta keep going.
We'll wait till night.
It'll be easier to lose them.
This job never did
feel right to me.
Don't blame me.
I planned it perfectly.
Why did we have to come 400 miles
all the way into Minnesota?
The Missouri banks are waiting for us.
We never struck here.
- What went wrong?
- We did.
Not you or me, but the rest.
Cole's gotten fat and slow.
Dick was hitting the bottle.
And Stiles, the only man who could
lead us out of this state...
had to get himself killed
right off the bat.
I wonder how many of us
are still alive.
They'd all be if they
had done what I told them.
You told them
to come to Northfield.
That's it, Frank.
That's our next job- Northfield.
Are you crazy?
If we ever get out of here,
we're not coming back!
It'll be the last place
they expect us to hit.
I'm not worried about our next job.
I'm just thinking about getting home.
That's all that's eatin' me.
We'll get home.
We'll be home in time for my birthday.
Ma's expecting us.
Yeah, poor Ma.
She's probably worried sick.
Not Ma.
She stood off
the Yankee army for years.
Nothing bothers her.
Nothing bothers her.
Jesse-
They drove my son to it.
The Yankees drove him to it.
He's a good boy.
You're his wife, Zee.
You know how kind he is.
Try and sleep, Mother Samuel.
You know, once...
he brought home a bird
that had fallen from its nest.
His father was alive then.
And littleJesse wouldn't
be comforted until...
Reverend James gave
the little bird a funeral service.
Jesse always was a gentle boy.
A preacher.
Go fetch Preacher Bailey.
I want him to help me
pray for my boys.
For myJesse and my Frank.
I'll send Robby for him.
Robby? Is he here?
You remember.
He brought Zee over this morning.
I never liked that boy.
Why is he always
hanging around here?
Try to rest.
Uh, how's your wife, Dr. Samuel?
She wants to see Preacher Bailey.
Fetch him like a good boy,
will you, Robby?
You know, Zee...
Jesse was no older than that boy...
when he had to become a man.
That was early in the war.
The Yankees came riding
down on this farm.
The neighbors dragged me
out of the kitchen.
You help the soldiers.
You two search that barn-
Stop it! Stop it!
Why don't you leave us be?
- What do you want from us'?
- Where's your son, Frank?
Where he should be-
fighting for the South.
Missouri has taken sides
with the North.
Any man from this state who joins
the South is a traitor. We shoot traitors.
Well, you better shoot me then...
because if I were a man, I'd be right there
with my son, Frank.
Frank was here last night.
I saw him ride by my farm.
Where you hiding him, woman?
We've been neighbors
for 20 years, Mr. Arkew.
The shame of you spying on us!
I serve my country as I see fit.
I never did hold with slavers.
- "We never owned a slave!"
- But you're holdin' with the South.
This man has always hated real Southerners.
He's just using you
to drive us out.
For giving comfort to the enemy, I can burn
your house and shoot everybody on the farm.
You better tell us
where your son is hiding.
He only stayed a minute...
to kiss me hello
and good-bye.
By now he's back
with his own company.
She's lying, Sergeant.
- "I am not!"
- Who are they?
That's Hughie, the hired hand.
And this is Jesse.
Frank's younger brother.
Now, son,you don't
wanna see your mother hurt.
Just lead us to your brother, Frank,
and we'll go peacefully.
We won't harm Frank either.
Just take him prisoner.
He'll be out of the war and safe
in some nice prison camp.
We'll be doing him a favor.
I guess I can trust you, mister.
But I don't trust you, you-
I give you my word, we won't hurt
your brother. Now, where is he?
Seems to me you're going to a lot
of trouble to catch one soldier.
Let me at him, Sergeant.
I'll make him talk.
I'm in command here, Mr. Arkew.
We know Frank is riding
with Quantrill's Raiders.
We're after Quantrill,
not you folks.
Not even your brother.
Just wanna ask him a few questions.
If he answers right,
we might even let him go.
Frank won't give Quantrill away.
Supposing you let Frank decide that
for himself. Where can we find him?
When did he leave here?
Which way did he ride?
Maybe you had better ask him.
oh, no!
I'll beat it out of you
if it takes all night.
Whipping a boy
won't get us Quantrill.
Come on. We've wasted
enough time here already.
Let him go.
Someday-
Someday what?
Oh,Jesse, baby!
Where you going?
- I'm going to join Frank.
- You're too young!
Mama, if I'm old enough to be whipped,
I'm old enough to fight back.
Jesse was so young. It hurt to see him go.
But he had fight in him.
And he sewed
the Confederacy well.
At the war's end,
we got word from Frank...
thatJesse had been badly wounded.
And so we set out
"to bring him home"-
Reuben and me
and our little boy, Archie.
Zee,you remember the day when
we stopped by Rufus Cobb's house...
on our way home
with poorJesse.
If they think
they're staying here-
They've had such
a hard time, Rufe.
- And they are kinfolk.
- Yours, not mine.
- What happened?
- A fight with federal soldiers two weeks ago.
Two weeks ago?
But the war's been over a month!
Not for them. For the regular soldiers,
yes, but not for guerrilla outfits.
They don't recognize
them as soldiers.
We were trying to surrender
when it happened.
We had a white flag.
Jesse was carrying it.
Blam! They opened up on us.
We weren't even armed.
Come on.
Bring him into the house.
It's Jesse!
He's been badly wounded.
- I don't care. He can't stay here.
- Rufe, you can't!
Every moocher from the Confederacy
comes knocking at this door.
"Major Cobb, I served
under you at Bull Run."
- "Major Cobb, we were at Chickamauga together."
- It wouldn't be for long.
So you said when you brought your sister
here more than a year ago.
I do chores.
I don't eat much.
They're not leaving him here!
It's only 70 miles to your place.
You can look after them there.
- I'm afraid. He's grown so weak.
- I'll look after him.
- We just don't have room!
- He can stay in the attic.
- I'll sleep in the kitchen.
- It's only until we get the farm in shape...
and he's strong enough
to go further.
- Don't make us stand here and beg.
- We're not begging.
It's not charity, Rufus. Frank will come
and work for you every other week.
You'll be paid for all of it.
- And if you say no, you'll get paid for that too.
- A threat?
It's a fact, like the weather.
- Rufe-
- Rufe what?
A man tries to get ahead
and save every penny-
I'll see you later.
It's just not fair.
He's- Does he even shave yet?
About once a month.
Oh, he- he seems so lost.
If someone cared, maybe-
maybe she could find him.
Me?
I'm as much of a stray as he is.
Then maybe you could
help him find you.
Don't! Your wound
hasn't healed yet!
Oh, what difference does it make?
You're thinking like a child.
I don't care much
for the way grown-ups think.
Well, that's silly.
That's silly,Jesse.
We'll soon be grown-ups ourselves.
- I'm grown-up already.
- Oh, you're younger than I am.
Friends my age are married.
Some have children.
You thinking about marriage, Zee?
Of course.
Having a home that's mine...
children.
Don't you ever think
about the future?
Mostly about the past.
Never about the way
you'd like things to be?
I just want them to be nice.
Nice?
You know, nice.
I hope you get
everything you want, Zee.
I can't think of anyone
I'd rather see happy.
Thank you,Jesse.
What's the matter?
Aren't I pretty enough to kiss?
Don't tease me.
I'm warning you.
About what?
Your hidden fires?
A little something
for you both to eat on the way.
Thank you, Rowena.
Come on,Jesse!
No need to itemize that.Just tell me how
many more days I owe forJesse's keep.
You worked all five weeks for him.
You owe me one more full week.
Say good-bye, Zerelda.
There's work to do.
Major Cobb, I'm asking
for Zee's hand in marriage.
Didn't I tell you?
- You've money put by?
- Not a cent.
- And the farm belongs to your mother?
- That's right.
I'd be pleased to see her married off,
but she's been here over a year.
I say I'm due something for that.
- "I'm not giving consent till it's paid."
- It'll be paid.
- Thought about how?
- I'm through thinking. I'm just gonna do it.
I've cleared and planted our field.
That should yield a good crop.
Done and done.
If hard work can do it, Zee, you'll have
that home of your own, I promise.
Good-bye, Rowena.
Thanks for everything.
I'll be back next week
to work out the last of it.
Let's trade. Put us up at your place
for that revival end of summer.
- We'll call it even.
- Kin are always welcome.
Being beholden always
costs more in the end.
Do you think your crop will be in?
I'll bring the girl. We'll have the wedding.
Done and done.
Bye.
Jesse came home strong again.
And he'd fallen
in love with you.
Those were happy days, Zee.
Oh, why couldn't things
stay that way?
Who is that coming?
It's Robby and the reverend.
Jesse- God's grace.
That's what the name signifies.
- It don't seem to fit, does it'?
- It did once.
There was a time when I saw the Holy Spirit
blazing in his eyes, Charlie.
I'm not Charlie. I'm Robby.
Robby? Oh, yes.
Mattie Ford's youngest boy.
Feeling any better, Mrs. Samuel?
Sorry to be troubling
you so often, Reverend.
Will you help me pray again...
for myJesse and my Frank?
My prayers are for you,
Mrs. Samuel...
and for all here to give you strength
and to ease your suffering.
As for your sons, treading the path
of the unrighteous...
breaking God's laws
as well as man's...
steeped in sin
"beyond redemption"-
That's not true!
How can you say that aboutJesse?
You who baptized him!
Yes, I baptized him.
But you know what he did
less than three hours later.
With salvation in his grasp,
let the devil enter into his heart.
- "And has lodged in there ever since."
- " No!"
- Only Satan could have prompted him.
- No.
There's no other explanation.
Wrong!
I know what happened that night.
Are you willing to change your lives for the future
in the name of the Holy Ghost?
I am.
Then I baptize you
in the name of the Father...
and of the Son...
and of the Holy Ghost.
Amen!
Amen!
Praise the Lord!
Come, sinners.
Come and meet your salvation!
Come andjoin the Lord!
That was rousing testimony,
Cousin Jesse.
How does it feel
to have all eyes upon you?
Why, my favorite cousin, Cole,
I never noticed.
Jesse had peace in
his heart then and a dream for our future.
But that night, his neighbors,
who were Northern sympathizers...
- "shattered that peace and broke our dream."
- Mama, you and Archie better not see this.
- What is it?
It's Hughie.
They've done something bad to him.
The war's over, isn't it?
But those Yankee farmers
won't stop their killing.
They came down on us last night.
They strung up poor Hughie.
Burned our crop and they-
they shot up the house!
- Let's saddle up and start burning
some Yankee farms! - Too many of'em.
Missouri's a Southern state.
We were here first.
No Yankee is pushing me
off my land.
Why'd you call us here, Frank?
Well, we've gathered here to give
Hughie a good send-off.
As you know, he worked with us
and he fought right alongside of us.
Jesse- He's got something to say
that might be interesting to you.
The war has sapped us
bone-dry.
Every bank in the state of Missouri
is owned by a Yankee man.
They hate our hide
and want us to get out.
Those banks have got a lot
of Northern money rolling in.
- "I want my share."
- I don't hold with breaking the law.
You haven't raised any crop since you've
been out of uniform. How you living?
Hustling a few horses and some livestock,
it's not exactly like robbing a bank.
I don't say we make
a career out of it.
Just one or two robberies
to get each one of us a stake...
so we can get our homes
and farms whipped into shape.
That kind of talk figures
coming from you,Jesse.
But I don't see it resting
so easy on you, Frank.
Well, when Jesse first mentioned the plan,
I didn't cotton to it too quick.
I took pause to wonder-
wonder what Pa would do.
He was a reverend.
I think some of you boys knew him.
- He was a good man, Frank.
- That he was.
He was a Southerner
and he had a lot of pride.
I still have some of that pride, and I'm not
gonna go through life being trampled on!
I hold with that, Frank.
I don't know about the rest of you,
but I need me a new barn...
some tools and some seed.
I'll ride along with you,Jesse.
But only once.
How do you say, Cole?
Well, robbing a bank's
not exactly child's play.
It's gonna take a lot of thinkin',
a lot of plannin'.
- And more, it's gonna take a leader.
- Jesse will lead us.
- You say?
- I do! It was Jesse's idea in the first place.
But before I ride behind a man,
I've gotta know how he's thinkin'.
If you were to lead us, Cole,
and you had a plan, what would you do?
Well, I'd-The nine of us
would ride into town fast...
shoot fast, grab the money
and ride out fast.
Speed and nerve,
that's all it takes.
- Where would we ride out to?
- We'd hole up in the hills until everything got quiet.
That's as sure a way
of getting hung I know of.
Army troops have got scouts
that know those trails like the Indians.
What's your thinkin'?
If we were to ride
out of here now...
we could go to Liberty and get there
by the time the bank opens in the morning.
We could ride back here
in time for supper.
The day after, we can start milking again
and mending our fences.
And while the law's searching
the hills for the robbers...
we'll just be peaceable farmers
minding our chores.
- I like that,Jesse.
- That's real smart,Jess.
Well, how do you
stand on it, Cole?
It's gonna be a real pleasure
riding behind JesseJames.
After that, they were outside the law.
And I went home again
to live with my sister.
I didn't hear from Jesse...
but I heard about him
as the time passed.
Zee?
Zee?
Zee!
Zee.
Jesse.
- Will you go with me now?
- Oh, right now.
Zee and I are going
to be married.
Do we have your consent?
You do.
Zee!
Zee!Jesse, wait.
You can't. The law's after you,Jesse.
You're hunted.
- Let them hunt.
- Well, think of Zee.
She's all I do think of.
But where will you live?
Where no one can find us.
Now, don't worry.
Everything's going to be nice.
One of the finest properties in St.Joe.
Complete privacy, but only a stone's throw
from the business section.
And a view of the city
in every direction.
If unwelcome visitors are coming,
you can see them first and hide.
Mrs. Howard, I hope
you like the furnishings.
All Mr. Howard told me
was fix it up nice.
Oh! It's- It's very nice.
Perhaps I spent more
than I should.
Not if she likes it.
And the first month's rent,
if you don't mind- $18.
Pleasure to do business
with you, Mr. Howard.
- What line did you say you were in'?
- Railroads and banking.
- "In a small way."
- "Hmm. Good solid enterprises, both of them."
- No risks, no worries. Am I right?
- That's right.
- You can put those down there, will you, please?
- "Sure."
- And will you wait outside for me?
- Anything else I can do?
Yes.
I don't hold to this sort of thing.
It's indecent.
"Venus and Mars" by Rubens.
Oh, it's pretty.
Couldn't we pretend it's Adam and Eve?
Mrs. Howard will find something of her own
to put up there. Something uplifting.
Mr. Grundy,
we're very grateful to you.
Sure. A nice genteel couple
like yourselves...
helps keep property values high.
Good day. Sir.
Good day.
Oh,Jesse!
We have a home
of our very own!
Do you like it?
Seven rooms, Zee...
and a garden.
Zee, if things go well,
I'm gonna build a summer house out there.
Where we'll sit
and I'll serve tea to the ladies.
And I'm gonna buy a gig-
Nope, a surrey.
And we'll go for drives
and we'll nod to our neighbors.
- Good afternoon, ma'am.
- Good afternoon, sir.
And we'll have lots of children. And on Sundays
we'll all walk to church together.
And on Christmas Eve,
I'll play Santa Claus in a long white beard.
And Fourth of July, we'll run up a flag
and shoot off firecrackers.
And on evenings, we'll all sit here
and sing hymns and read Mr. Dickens.
- And I'll put out the cat.
- And we'll go to bed.
Zee, I have to go now.
- Oh,Jesse-
- Now, Zee, remember your promises.
Never any questions.
No questions.
You're Mrs. Thomas Howard.
I'm Mr. Howard.
I'm a businessman
whose affairs require him to travel.
Now, while I'm gone, you busy yourself
with our house and miss me.
And when I'm back,
life will be good... for both of us.
All right?
Good-bye, Zee.
There's no devil in Jesse's heart.
He's just a man who loves his family
and his home.
Whatever he's done,
he's done for no other reason.
I'm going home.
Good-bye, Mother Samuel.
Good-bye, dear.
- Try to bear up.
- I will.
Thanks for coming, Zee.
And don't give up hoping.
I never have.
I figured we'd be back in Missouri
by now eatin' fried chicken.
Some of those boys
will never taste beans again.
Yeah, we sure had rotten luck.
I don't count on luck.
If every man had done what he'd been
told to, we wouldn't be stuck here.
I cut those telegraph wires clean through,
just like you told me to, Jesse.
- What time did you cut them?
- What difference does it make now?
I'm asking you
a question, Tucker.
2:30, like you said I should.
Show me your watch.
We have the same time.
But if you'd have cut
the lines at exactly 2:30...
they wouldn't have been able to wire out
to the other towns to make up the posses.
- But they did.
- I don't know how.
- What's this, Tucker?
- I don't know. I don't know how it got there.
Think! Try to remember!
Oh, yeah.
Now I remember.
I bought it on the trip up here.
- A present to give to a gal I was going with.
- A single garter?
- There must be another one around-
You're a liar.
You got this from that fat farm girl
you had your eye on back there.
She's why you were late
cutting the wires!
Keep the horses steady.
No,Jesse, no!
- Killing's not gonna help us.
- It'll help me.
I'm not gonna have it,
Jesse!
- All right, Tucker, get up there!
- Yeah, yeah.
That posse's still out there
and it's a long time till dark.
So just take it slow.
It's the first time
you crossed me, Frank.
Are you out of your mind,Jesse?
There were ten of us who started out
for Northfield, and there are only three left.
You're in no spot
to push anybody around.
- What's to stop me'?
- $25,000.
He wouldn't have the nerve.
No'? Well, he might
if you turned your back on him.
Remington doesn't care
who he pays that reward to.
So don't start
pushing Tucker around.
You should have
let me kill him.
You really like killing, don't you?
It comes easy in our business.
Is that why you chose the business,
so you could go on killing?
You've done your share.
I'm not proud of it.
Well, I am.
JesseJames.
That name means something.
And when those
Yankee bankers hear it, they start shaking.
You weren't satisfied with the banks.
You had to start on the railroads!
We did a good business
with the railroads.
Yeah, if you're talking
about the money we took.
But that's when our luck
started to turn bad.
You!
What do you think
you're doing up there, mister?
- Stop the train. It's a holdup.
- A holdup?
- How much did we get?
- Oh, we made expenses.
- Where now?
- Food and sleep.
- Where?
- It's all been arranged. Bill did it.
I hope they've got big beds, Ryan!
Sam.
As fine a breakfast, ma'am,
as I ever ate.
It's a pleasure
to serve gentlemen of taste.
Cole, that must be a special book
to make you forget your belly.
It is. Very special.
And very fine.
It says here thatJesseJames really isn't
a criminal, that he's just misunderstood.
Why does he rob?
Why does he plunder?
He gives it all to the poor.
Yes, sir, he robs the rich
to help the needy.
- Oh, it's all I can do to keep the tears back.
- Let me see that, Cole.
Well, I wish he'd rob a train
with a rich load of people...
and give all the money to me.
What do you need money for, ma'am,
with this fine home and farm?
Mortgaged to the hilt.
- You've a mortgage, madam?
- As big as your arm.
Six hundred dollars
is what I owe...
and I ain't got
six cents to my name.
- How you gonna pay it, ma'am?
- Well, I guess I can't.
Man comes around most every morning
now looking for his money.
Guess I'll have to go live
with my kinfolk in Davis County.
I bet I can makeJesse pay this mortgage.
How?
How much do I owe you, madam?
Oh, say 10 cents.
How much is a train ticket
to Davis County?
About eight dollars. Why?
Well... here's 20.
For your hospitality, of course.
Next time you hear people
talk about Cole Younger...
you tell him he's not as bad
as he's painted.
Let's get going-
Are you Cole Younger?
Well, bless you, son. Bless you.
Mrs. Keabby. How much did you say
the mortgage was?
Six hundred dollars,
Mr. French...
and it might just as well
be six million.
Well, here's the $600.
Compliments ofJesseJames.
- JesseJames!
That's right. You be sure
and get a receipt for it.
- I said it, didn't I?
Did it hurt?
Oh, she'll talk about you,
all right...
and what a noble man
you are- praise be!
You can trust that bell clapper
of a tongue of hers.
But it cost you $600.
Did it?
Learn a lesson,Jesse.
You can't eat your cake and have it too.
Maybe so, Cole, but bread cast upon
the water comes back before many days.
Go on!
Better split up now
and follow Jesse's plan.
- Keep in touch, Cole.
- Save your money.
Jesse said keep out of towns.
- Ryan, you go home till you're sent for.
- Yeah, Cole.
But first I'm going to Nashville.
What's your name?
- Take him, George.
- Get goin'.
Defendant will rise
and face the jury.
What is the verdict?
Speak up,John.
On the charge of committing
armed robbery...
of the St. Louis-Midland Railway...
we find the defendant...
guilty.
The court is aware of efforts...
by friends and sympathizers
of theJames brothers and their followers...
to intimidate.
It therefore commends the jury...
for the courage shown
in fulfilling its duty.
The court also congratulates
the prosecutor.
This is the first time...
that a member of theJames gang
has ever been convicted.
If you agree
to help this state...
locate and arrest
theJames brothers...
I'll consider it
in passing sentence.
Why not do it, Ryan?
I sentence you to 25 years
in the state penitentiary.
- "Jury is dismissed."
- Never thought we'd get a conviction.
- Neither did I.
Mr. Howard!
- Nice job.
- Thank you.
- This is Mr. Woodson.
- How do you do?
- How do you do?
- Mr. Walker is a neighbor of mine.
- Interesting trial, wasn't it'?
- We were interested.
- Weren't we?
- Very. It's the first time I've been to a court trial.
It's the beginning of the end for theJameses,
you know. Wonder if they'll recognize it.
- It's certainly something for them to think about.
- Yes, isn't it.
If you found this trial interesting...
try to be there when I prosecute
Frank and Jesse.
Well, it's good seeing you.
Let's go.
We couldn't miss it, could we?
I don't see how.
"N" [singing]
Mr. Remington?
I'm Walker, state's attorney.
- You have the warrants for theJames brothers?
- Here they are.
Thank you for drawing them up
on such short notice.
Hello, Anne, Frank, Zee.
Hello there.
Evening.
Mrs. Howard. Mr. and Mrs. Woodson.
Going on a trip?
- Visiting relatives downstate.
- Oh.
- Mr. Howard, I'd like you to meet Mr.-
- Remington.
- Barney Remington.
- Of the Remington Detective Agency.
- How you doing, sir?
- It's no secret.
I want everyone to know.
I have come to Missouri to put
an end to Frank and JesseJames...
and every other thief.
You want folks to know?
I want theJames boys to know
that the price on their heads...
will be big enough to corrupt their friends-
even members of their own gang-
and that my men
will be amongst them...
so that no criminal can ever be sure
who is a friend or who is an enemy.
Some folks don't consider
theJames boys to be so bad.
They murdered four
of my best men this past year.
Murdered?
Could have been self-defense.
Self-defense? The schoolboy
they shot while robbing the Liberty Bank'?
The unarmed cashiers
whose brains they'd blown out-
Uh, gentlemen, please.
The ladies.
My apologies.
All aboard!
You may not be
aware of it, sir...
but many of the crimes attributed
to theJames brothers...
were actually
committed by others.
It's a fact well known
here in Missouri.
Uh, if you'll excuse us, please.
Mr. Remington.
So that's what I'm up against
around here.
Yes. Public opinion.
Or better yet, public need.
JesseJames
is the shooting spokesman...
for everyone whose life
is quietly desperate.
To you, he's a thief.
To these people,
he's already becoming a legend...
one that kindles
a fire in their hearts.
- They want him to go on.
- Are you trying to tell me that nothing can be done?
Mr. Remington, you can't
change public opinion when it suits you.
When the public no longer needs
JesseJames, that'll be the end of him.
Conductor, why have we stopped?
Special business, ma'am.
We'll only be here a minute.
Well, we should be
about a mile from Mama's.
If it were daytime, we might
be able to see the house.
What is it?
What's wrong?
I think the girls better
take the next train back to St.Joe.
Come on.
That was Remington and Walker.
I didn't see them get on the train.
They must be heading for Ma's place.
- Someone tipped them off we'd be there.
- We've gotta beat them.
- They won't do anything to Ma if we're not there.
- I'm not waiting to see.
Jesse! Frank!
We know you're there! Come on out!
Come on out,
or we'll blow you out!
Thanks for your help,
Mr. Arkew.
We were sitting up
waiting for ya.
Men came and yelled
for you to surrender.
We told 'em you weren't here,
but they wouldn't believe us.
We were afraid they'd shoot, so we put out
the lights. See what they did to Archie?
Frank!
Found this outside.
The Remington Detective Agency."
It's a shame
and an outrage, Frank.
I never been a supporter
of yours orJesse's...
but I don't hold with
persecutin' a man or his family.
I want you to know
we're gonna do somethin'about it.
Thank you.
Some of us are going up to the state capitol
tomorrow morning.
Gonna tell our congressmen
just what we think.
Whoa, boy. Amnesty.
The governor's being
asked to grant amnesty to you both.
"Invite them to return to the peaceful
pursuits from which they were driven."
- Can't wait to have your mother see this.
What's the matter,Jesse?
Put it out of mind, boys.
You got too much at stake.
We're not gonna do anything.
We're staying out of trouble.
Everyone knows he spied
for the Remingtons.
He won't find the living easy
down here from now on.
- You gotta be satisfied with that!
- Jesse!
Jesse!
Thank you, Robby.
When you shot Arkew...
you said you were revenging little Archie's
death and Mama's arm being blown to bits.
But your shots made certain we could
never turn back from this kind of life.
They kept us
on the same dirty road...
the road which finally led us
to Northfield and disaster.
Well, what's it gonna be all about
this time, boys? Anybody know?
The bank in Northfield.
Northfield?
What part of Missouri is that?
It's not in Missouri.
It's Minnesota.
Minnesota?
That's right.
Right here.
- Hello, Bob.
- Cousin Jesse.
- Jim.
- Jesse.
- That's over 400 miles from here.
- Four hundred and 20.
Four hundred and 20 miles?
How am I gonna get there?
Your horse.
- Why Northfield?
- Tell him, Bill.
Well, it's a dinky little town...
but they've got a bank
up there that's never been touched.
Jesse sent me
to look it over last month.
The cash on hand-
$75,000 to $100,000.
Satisfied?
No. We've never gone
that far on a job before.
That means they won't expect us.
But if something goes wrong,
none of us here knows the territory.
Bill knows it.
He lived there.
I told him to scout every trail
between there and the Missouri line.
And he has.
- Well,Jesse, I'm gonna skip this one.
- I wouldn't.
What do you think, Cole?
Well, I'll tell you what "I" think.
I think I've led you
and led you well.
I think I'm giving you a chance
to make enough money to retire on.
And I also think all I have to do
is snap my fingers like this...
- and I'd get plenty of men to take your place.
When do we start,Jesse?
Right now.
Robby? Charlie?
Get the new coats
for the boys.
People will really talk
about this one, won't they,Jesse?
- They're gonna really sit up and take notice, Cole.
- Sure, they will.
We were just coming in
to say good-bye.
Jesse, I saw the look on Cole's face
and the others' as they were leaving.
They were just thinking
about the ride ahead of them.
They've gotten soft.
Now, Zee, I'm having Robby take
you and Anne to St.Joe.
When I get back
in about a month...
I'll buy you
the prettiest frocks in town.
Jesse, will this really be
the last one?
- Of course.
- No, really.
Really,Jesse?
The very last one.
When I come home, I'll have enough money
to invest in some small business.
Then I'll never have to leave
you or the children again.
Oh, if it only
would turn out that way.
I'm so sick of telling lies...
especially to the children.
Don't worry about it.
Will it be all right, Frank?
Oh, sure, Zee. You could see
how good Jesse's feeling.
Oh, yes.
Now he's excited.
Now he's on his way to something.
But to what?
I don't think we'll know
until he finds it.
I'll watch over him, Zee.
Aren't you
going to wave good-bye?
It doesn't seem right.
It just doesn't seem right.
- What doesn't?
- All of it.
- Stop worrying.
- I'm not the only one.
Tucker doesn't
seem to be worried.
Tucker's too stupid to worry.
- Dick seems happy enough.
- That's one of the reasons it doesn't seem right.
He should be sweating bullets.
Look at Cole.
Cole hasn't cracked a smile
for the last hundred miles.
He'll laugh and sing for 200
with the money on his way back.
Jesse, call it off.
Call it off?
This is one raid that can't fail.
We've got the best horses
you or anyone else has ever seen.
Bill Stiles knows this country
like the back of his hand.
I've never planned
anything so well.
I've never known you to feel
so much planning was needed.
- I'll remind you about this when we get home.
- Yes, Bill?
- Northfield's half a mile ahead.
- Any questions?
- No.Just you leave it to us,Jesse.
We'll keep the road clear
for the getaway.
Feelin' good, huh, Dick?
I never felt better.
I wonder why.
You know I don't allow
drinking on the job.
I only had a little nip.
I swear it.
We can settle it
on the way back. Get going.
- Do you want me to go over it again, Cole?
- Sure.
My mind's all in a whirl.
I've never robbed a bank before.
Come on, boys.
I hate to disturb you.
- Tell me what you're going to do.
- Me?
- I'm gonna climb the pole and cut the wires.
- At what time?
- About 2:30.
- Not "about" 2:30. "At" 2:30.
At 2:30.
Tucker, if the alarm gets out
of Northfield past you...
I'll kill you.
- It won't.
- Let me see the cutters.
And your watch.
Sam. Remember what I told you.
Gentlemen,
what can I do for you?
I'd like to open an account.
Be with you right away.
[Speaking Swedish]
- What?
Go away. No speak.
Go away.
Go away. No speak.
Thank you very much.
Would ya get out of here.
- Will ya get outta here!
- He don't understand English.
He's a horse trader.
Wants to buy your horse.
Oh, I'd like you to meet
a friend of mine.Jesse!
Mr. Harris.
Mr. Burnside.
How do you-
- Just open the vault and there
won't be any trouble. - No.
We'd admire it if you would.
No, I- I can't!
Help! Help! Robbers!
Just stand here
and keep your mouth shut.
It's a holdup!
It's a holdup!
- Holdup!
- What else could I do?
All right now.
They're robbing the bank!
Get that wagon in there!
Come on! Get it! Bring that up in here!
Get that hay rig here!
Cross the street! Come on!
Get everything in here!
Open it! Don't be a fool!
It's not your money!
- It's not your money either.
You don't scare me.
You don't scare me.
Can't hold 'em up
any longer, boys! Let's go!
Go on!
- This way,Jesse!
- Look out, Bill!
We've ridden a
mighty long way since the war,Jesse.
But Northfield was the end
of the road for all of us.
It's all Tucker's fault.
If he'd have cut the wires on time,
we wouldn't be stuck in this rotten hole.
It wasn't Tucker's fault.
That Northfield job fell apart right in town.
Everything went wrong.
Why?
Why did everything go right
for so long...
and now nothing seems to happen
the way it should.
Because in the beginning
we had a reason.
But you wouldn't remember it.
What reason?
Well, in the beginning
it was for Zee and Ma...
and protecting the farm.
- We did what we had to.
- What are we doing here, now, 400 miles from home?
Who are we fighting for?
Ma? Zee?
No,Jesse.
We're doing this for you.
For me'?
I carried you and Cole and
the rest on my back for years.
If it wasn't for me, you'd all
be sharecroppers on some miserable farm!
Oh, sure. We're a big success now.
Everybody knows our name.
Well, they ought to.
It's on every post office wall.
Well, if you don't
like my company, mister...
let's break it off right now.
Well, mister,
that suits me just fine.
Maybe you'd like to
collect the reward on the way back.
Don't waste your bullets on me,
Mr.JesseJames!
Ma'll be waitin' for ya.
Tell her how you walked out on me.
Listen. You get this straight too.
I'm not walking out on you.
We're going our separate ways.
You know something?
I used to think
I was just following you.
But now I'm not so sure
that I wasn't "pushing" you!
I never even knew
you rode behind me, Frank.
That's how important you were.
Well, maybe you didn't,Jesse.
But I was always there
looking out for you.
So why don't you take my advice
and from now on look out behind you.
Wait a minute.
Jesse? Jesse or Frank?
I don't know.
Jesse!
It's too bad one of us
couldn't have gone to getJesse's body...
instead of having to send Zee.
It's time to get started
for the depot.
You'll see that Timmy stays covered.
He always takes the covers off.
Don't worry about the children, Zee.
I'll take good care of them.
I told them
I'm visiting their grandma.
I should have stayed with him.
Don't feel that way, Frank.
It ended the way it had
to sooner or later, and-
and no one
could have prevented it.
No one is to blame.
You're gonna miss the train.
Jesse!
Jesse.
Hello,Jess.
How do you feel?
Tired.
I knew it wasn't you
they found up north.
I just knew it.
Sounded more like Tucker. You put your watch
in his pocket to throw 'em off, didn't you?
Charlie, go tell Zee to come in.
Yeah.
I'm sorry I left you.
I just had to,Jess.
You were right, Frank.
Northfield "was" the end-
for you, me.
Everyone.
What am I going to do?
What do you want to do?
I don't think
I've ever really known.
Right now I just want to
live in peace somewhere.
Jesse's just saying that he's willing
to give the whole thing up for good.
- You'd like that, wouldn't you?
- Oh, yes,Jesse!
Couldn't we get a farm someplace?
I've always wanted us
to have a farm.
- Do you remember that farm in Nebraska?
- Mm-hmm.
It's the prettiest one
I ever saw.
Do it,Jesse. I'll never ask
for anything more in my life.
We haven't any money.
What about your house?
It's rented.
Even the furniture.
You're not just talking, are you?
I swear it.
Well, Anne and I have a little money,
and Mama has some, I know.
No.
No, I can't do that.
We want you to have it.
How long will it take you
to get packed?
- No time at all.
- Oh, I'll help, and so will the boys.
- "Charlie? Robby?"
- Sure.
I can catch the late train tonight
to Mama's, be back here in the morning.
You're gonna have
that farm,Jesse.
Frank.
Thanks.
Zee, are you happy?
Oh,Jesse,
I've never been so happy.
Call the children in.
I want to get them dressed.
And would you
take that down for me?
- Where do you want this?
- Put it in the hall.
- Thanks a lot for helping me, boys.
- We're only too glad.
- "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!"
- Be right back.
You're not going out
like that, are you?
Forgot about that.
I won't be needing these anymore.
- Do you want them?
- Sure.
Thanks.
- Thanks,Jesse.
Daddy! Daddy! Help!
Help! Don't shoot me, Timmy!
- "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!"
- Timmy.
- What are you doing?
- I shot her. We're playing JesseJames.
He can shoot me dead
without stickin' me.
Hello, Mr. Howard!
Nice day!
Sure is.
There you go. Go upstairs.
Go on.
Your mother wants you.
We're gonna miss you,Jess.
Never will get a chance
to ride with you now.
- You're not missing anything.
- Why, I always thought you enjoyed it.
I did.
The excitement, being in command.
But you never
get a chance to relax.
Look at me-
34 years old, and I feel like 90.
I didn't know the lawmen
bothered you that much.
They didn't.
As the rewards go higher,
your friends grow fewer.
They're either killed off
or turn against you.
Then you worry
about the old ones...
who might be tempted
by the rewards...
or the new ones who hope they get
a reputation by putting a bullet in you.
Yeah. The reward for you
is up to $25,000 now.
Thirty thousand.
Alive or dead.
If you don't think I expect someone
to try to put a bullet in me, you're wrong.
- He'll never get a chance.
- What makes you so sure?
- "Jesse!"
Come on, Robby.
I just killed JesseJames!
Me! Robert Ford!
What?
I just killed JesseJames!
Me! Robert Ford! I just killed JesseJames!
Is it reallyJesseJames?
Please go away.
- What is it?
- Let us through, please.
- Let us through!
- Oh,Jesse!
What are all you people
doing in here? Get out!
Get out, all of you!
Jesse.
Hey, mister,
did they really getJesse?
How about Frank?
They get him too'?
No, but I expect he'll
give himself up now.
"J'JesseJames was a man "I"
"I" Who lived outside the law "I"
"I" And no one knew his face "I"
"I" He was killed one day "I"
"I" In the county of Clay "I"
"I" And he came from
a solitary race "I"
"J"'Jesse came to the end "I"
"I" With his back turned to a friend "I"
"I" A friend he thought was brave "I"
"I" And the dirty little coward "I"
"I" Who shot Mr. Howard "I"
"I" Has laid poorJesse "I"
"I" In his grave "I"
"I" Was a dirty little coward "I"
"I" Who shot Mr. Howard "I"
"I" And laid poorJesse "I"
"I" In his grave "II"