Australian director, Andrew Dominik has only made two feature films: Chopper, a film about the infamous Australian underworld figure Mark ‘Chopper’ Read, and The Assassination of Jessie James by the Coward Robert Ford (or “The Assassination” hereafter). Spoiler warning:  This article may contain passages that give away the ending or plot points of the above-mentioned films.)

There are some clear thematic similarities between these two films, but this article seeks to elicit a deeper thematic correspondence. 

Obviously, both films are about renowned criminals.  However, those expecting a deep psychological character study of the famed American outlaw, Jessie James  (played convincingly by Brad Pitt) would be disappointed for “The Assassination” focuses more upon James’ understudy and eventual nemesis, Robert Ford, played cringingly well by the then, much lesser known Casey Affleck (yes, brother of Ben, but no relation in acting styles).

In The Assassination, we follow Robert Ford’s journey from fawning fan and accomplice, through to that of reluctant killer, having eventually come to fear Jessie James as a vengeful, cold-blooded murderer.

However, the extended Act 3 epilogue is the telling one.  In the last stanza of The Assassination, after Robert Ford has killed Jessie James, the film follows Ford’s path as he rises to wealth and fame through his book and re-enactments of how he came to kill the legendary Jessie James.  Despite his wealth and fame (or perhaps in part because of it), Ford never lives down the killing of Jessie James, seen by an equally fawning public (fawning to the legend of Jessie James, not Robert Ford) as a cowardly act.

In Chopper, we follow the journey of Mark ‘Chopper’ Read.  Chopper depicts a man who falls in love with his “tough guy” image, part-larrikin, part killer.  The final scene shows Chopper hamming it up before the cameras, only to be locked in his cell, a lonely, pathetic figure.

The thematic resemblances should be clear at this point.  The Assassination is the tragedy of Robert Ford, who tries to build his reputation as a hero, only to find he is viewed and reviled as a coward.  Chopper is the tragedy of Mark Read, who falls in love with his image as a tough-guy/larrikin, whereas the truth is he is just a lonely jailbird.

Continuing the Theme?

What next then, for Andrew Dominik?  It may come as no surprise to some, that Dominik is making his screen adaptation of the Cormac McCarthy novel, Cities of the Plain, the third of the famous “Border Crossing” trilogy.

Not having read the this book (I’ve only read the first third of the second novel, “The Crossing”) I picked my fiancee’s brain for her thoughts on Cormac McCarthy’s key themes.  Here is her list:

- How does a man work out what’s right?

- Characters don’t explain themselves – they are men of action, driven by some inscrutable internal logic/path/moral code.

- Contrast between the World’s perceptions of the character and the reality.  In Chopper, it was of lead character.  In The Assassination, this misperception was of Jessie James, and how it impacted on Robert Ford.

- Morality and personal codes which are violent/tragic/cruel/irrational

- Lots of violence in general in a tragic, cruel, irrational world.

- Cruel world, nevertheless with a bleak beauty about it.

- Spiritual encounters – Man and his God.

Again, the thematic correspondence between Cormac McCarthy’s work and Dominik’s earlier work is undeniable.  It appears the themes of his material are much more important than any commercial aspects of his work, or he wouldn’t have waited 8 years to make a film after the widely acclaimed Chopper.  Also, he would not have chosen the third book in a trilogy, the first of which, All the Pretty Horses was a box office flop.

Personally, I hope this trend continues.