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The Long Riders

Play trailer Poster for The Long Riders R 1980 1h 40m Western Biography Play Trailer Watchlist
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80% Tomatometer 25 Reviews 73% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
During a bank robbery by the legendary James-Younger Gang, Ed Miller (Dennis Quaid) impulsively kills a man, much to the displeasure of leader Jesse James (James Keach), who insists that the gang scatter until the heat is off. The groups of brothers go their separate ways, with Cole Younger (David Carradine) considering settling down with his feisty girlfriend, Belle Starr (Pamela Reed). But they soon regroup for an ill-fated bank job in Northfield, Minn., that results in an epic chase.
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The Long Riders

The Long Riders

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Critics Consensus

With its pared down storytelling, The Long Riders delivers with an evocative atmosphere and artful brutality.

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Critics Reviews

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Richard Schickel TIME Magazine Oct 7, 2011
Hill is very much in the American grain, the inheritor of the Ford-Hawks-Walsh tradition of artful, understated action film making. Go to Full Review Dave Kehr Chicago Reader Feb 5, 2008
Walter Hill's first outright failure. Go to Full Review Variety Staff Variety Feb 5, 2008
What's ultimately missing is a definable point of view which would tie together the myriad events on display and fill in the blanks which Hill has imposed on the action by sapping it of emotional or historical meaning. Go to Full Review Mitchell Beaupre Paste Magazine Sep 29, 2023
7.5/10
Strips away a lot of the steely gazes and taciturn men from Hill's first few pictures and gives us richly detailed interpersonal dynamics in the James-Younger gang and the men and women circling around them. Go to Full Review Stephen Farber New West/California Nov 3, 2021
The Long Riders is exceptionally well made, but I came out feeling that there was no pressing reason to make it at all. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Oct 3, 2021
3/4
The Long Riders sounds like merely a gimmick -- cast real-life brothers as real-life outlaw siblings -- but it turned out to be one of the last decent Westerns to hit the big screen until the early 1990s brought us Dances with Wolves and Unforgiven. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jessica M @PandaMoonPagan Aug 21, 2026 This is one of my favorite movies. My mother introduced me to it back in the 80s when I was about ten. The casting is more than just a gimmick. These are top notch actors and the brotherly connections are part of the magic of this film. I return to this film often due to its beauty and its grit. See more John F @RT97797200 Aug 15, 2026 Stiff acting and improbable plot. Meh See more Frans B @FransB May 3, 2026 Very good. Walter Hill did good here. Well written and brought to screen. Stellar cast all delivers convincingly in character. Epic proportions. Lots of well planned gunfights, horseback chases and fight scenes. Great cinematography and visually stunning. Gritty and raw, fast paced and violent. Real good ol' classic cowboys and crooks movie See more Vincent S @Vin_E_At_The_Movies Feb 25, 2026 Walter Hill does it again, making a superior action movie and Western with beautifully shot shootouts. Genius casting of a line of outstanding career actors, some in early roles. This might also be Walter Hill's strongest female characters in a movie of his also. A lot of fun, gritty and it doesn't waste many shots or moments. See more Johannes S @RT64416087 Sep 24, 2024 Great, short, and fast-paced western flick. Tells the interesting story without bloating it up. See more John H @JLHIII Mar 31, 2024 Very good fairly accurate telling on the James Younger Gang. Good story and acting plus stylized action See more Read all reviews
The Long Riders

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Cast & Crew

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Walter Hill

Director

David Carradine

Cole Younger

Keith Carradine

Jim Younger

Robert Carradine

Bob Younger

James Keach

Jesse James

Stacy Keach

Frank James

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The Long Riders

The Long Riders (1980) The Long Riders (1980) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis During a bank robbery by the legendary James-Younger Gang, Ed Miller (Dennis Quaid) impulsively kills a man, much to the displeasure of leader Jesse James (James Keach), who insists that the gang scatter until the heat is off. The groups of brothers go their separate ways, with Cole Younger (David Carradine) considering settling down with his feisty girlfriend, Belle Starr (Pamela Reed). But they soon regroup for an ill-fated bank job in Northfield, Minn., that results in an epic chase.
Director
Walter Hill
Producer
Tim Zinneman
Screenwriter
Bill Bryden, Steven Smith, James Keach, Stacy Keach
Production Co
United Artists, Huka Productions
Rating
R
Genre
Western, Biography
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 30, 2016
Runtime
1h 40m
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