Hammerman Ikon

Hammerman Ikon Film Guide

The Long Riders
1980
**½
Director: Walter Hill
Cast: James Keach, Stacy Keach, David Carradine, Robert Carradine, Keith Carradine, Dennis Quaid, Randy Quaid, Christopher Guest, Nicholas Guest

Walter Hill's western is best remembered for featuring four sets of brothers who play four sets of brothers. Other than that it’s best left forgotten. The film depicts the rise and fall of the James-Younger gang, who play cat and mouse with the Pinkerton detectives. The characters are poorly sketched and it’s unsure who we should root for. This is not helped by the fact that James Keach is an absolutely wooden Jesse James. As a result the story never draws us in. The violence is realistically and stylishly shot, but The Wild Bunch influences are a bit too obvious.