Their relationship is so fascinating to me. Why did Robert Ford murder Jesse James? Why did Jesse allow someone like Robert to get so close to him? Did Jesse commit "suicide", or did he really not know that Robert was going to kill him? So many questions, and not enough answers. Regardless, it's clear that Jesse James and Robert Ford were close. Robert Ford worshipped Jesse James, like a hero. Jesse James regarded Bob as a man that could be trusted enough to stay around him.
But it's those grey lines that are so interesting. Did Robert Ford have an infatuation with Jesse? Did he love him? Feel nothing but lust towards him? Did he always hate him? These answers are left up to the spectator.
And what about Jesse? Did he see himself in young Robert Ford? Did he like Robert just as much as he liked him? Or did he keep his friends close, but his enemies closer?
Those questions will never be truly answered, and they're left for Historians to decide. But that's what makes this relationship so very interesting :)
Jesse James & Robert Ford: The Facts
This extremely complex relationship cannot be defined in mere words. There are many aspects to this relationship that historians can't even figure out. In Andrew Dominik's The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, the film tries to explain one of history's most mysterious relationships.
Jesse James is one of history's most famous outlaws. Having murdered 17 people and robbing hundreds of banks and railroads, Jesse is certainly no hero. However, people at that time thought that he was. The country was searching for an anti-hero, someone to be the main topic of conversation. Jesse James fit the bill.
Robert Ford was one of those people searching for someone to look up to. He collected dime novels about Jesse, stories that often over exagerrated the truth about the famous outlaw. He practically became obsessed with Jesse, reading every thing that he could about him, and often dreamt of fame and glory no matter what the cost.
They were two men that were destined to meet. Charley Ford, Bob's brother, was a part of Jesse's gang and it was because of this that Bob and Jesse met. After many conversations and times spent alone, they eventually got to know each other. Bob would usually stay by Jesse's side just because he did labor work for Jesse.
After a very short amount of time, Robert Ford made an appointment with Governor Crittenden and the Sheriff of Clay County, telling them that he wanted to help them capture the elusive Jesse James for the reward prize of $10,000. Because he was still close to Jesse, the prospect of capturing him was very realistic, but impossible at the same time. On April 3rd, 1882, he got his chance.
Jesse James and Robert Ford were reading a newspaper when Jesse found an article about Dick Liddil's surrender to the law. Bob was around the same area that Dick Liddle surrendered in, and should've been around that area at the same time that Dick Liddle surrendered, so naturally, Jesse had a suspicion that Robert knew about this information. Bob denied knowing anything about Liddle's surrender, which of course just so happens that Bob knew everything about it. Jesse changed his accusing attitude and pretended that everything was okay. Bob knew it was just a facade and that his moments were numbered.
In a move that cost him his life, Jesse James took off his gunbelt and moved infront of a picture named 'Skyrocket' and said "That picture is awful dusty." It was then that Robert Ford, Jesse James' biggest fan, shot the famous outlaw.
Instead of receiving the acclaim and rewards that he expected, Bob Ford received nothing but harsh criticism by the public. Everyone turned on him for what he did. He was eventually shot by Edward O. Kelly on June 8th, 1892.
