Les derniers jours de Frank et Jessie James

This is the most authentic Jesse James movie ever made. The narrator, Ed Bruce, was excellent as the famous Missouri newspaper editor, John Newman Edwards,who made Jesse James famous in his own time by writing newspaper articles about him and lionizing him in his 1877 book Noted Guerrillas. Whenever, I give a talk about General Jo Shelby's famous Confederate Iron Brigade, I tell the audience this is the only time General Shelby has ever been portrayed in a movie and use the movie's DVD case as a prop. Willie Nelson did a great job playing ex-Confederate Joseph O. Shelby. The care shown in this movie for historical accuracy deserves recognition and I encourage anyone with an interest in the James brothers to watch it.

When you cast Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson as Frank & Jesse James, you've done pretty well towards making an interesting movie. Then you add June Carter Cash as their mother, and ask Willie Nelson to make a small, but important appearance. You've got a western that all western lovers should view. Based on the actual "last days" of the James brothers, I thought it needed a bit of explanation in a few areas, but it did tell the tale about as well as other, more costly films. Locations, costumes and sets were realistic. And, yes, we get to hear Johnny sing. Recommended.

Simply as the script isn't up to much and it has nothing new other than Johnny Cash singing. Even when we in the UK are in "lockdown" find something better to do than what this!

Once you get past the fact that both Kristofferson and Cash were more than ten years to old to play the parts of the James Brothers and June Carter playing their mother when she was about the same age and husband Johnny you will enjoy this film.

I have seen so many films about the notorious brothers, some good, some bad but I enjoyed this one. I believe it was fairly accurate. Sure as another reviewer said neither actors are Oscar winners but they played the parts to the best of their abilities and to say Kristofferson is the worst actor in the world is a bit harsh.

It comes on TV fairly regularly so give it a chance when it does.

Before seeing this made-for-TV movie on a cheap double DVD purchased recently, I had never heard of "The Last Day of Frank and Jesse James". To be honest, I bought the set for the first movie, "Young Guns". This is a surprisingly fine motion picture. Well written with far more attention to historic detail in firearms, clothing and even saddles than I would have expected, excellent writing and fine acting from all involved. It is quite a feat of film-making to create suspense that keeps the viewer on the edge of his seat when that viewer knows precisely what is about to happen. The women in the story, in particular June Carter Cash and the two wives are superb in what might have been mere window dressing in a lesser movie. The simple music, using the folk song, is totally appropriate. This is a fine and moving production well worth seeing more than once. PS: I will confess that Frank James, wonderfully portrayed here by Cash, is of a personal interest to me since my legal father claimed that as a child he had seen Frank James in Detroit circa 1910.