Great Northfield RaidThe Northfield Historical Society and Carleton College are teaming up this year to host the inaugural Jesse James Film Festival starting July 31. All showings will be in the Weitz Center for Creativity Cinema and will free and open to the public (donations appreciated).

“The NHS wanted to find a way to show these movies on the big screen,” says board chair Christian Hakala. “With the exception of the Brad Pitt movie, I’m not sure that many people in town have seen these films in a movie theater.” And of course there was special interest in creating some nostalgia with the presentation of a Roy Rogers double-feature.

“With Carleton College graciously agreeing to host,” adds Hakala, “we jumped at the chance to offer this summer event to the community.”

Five films were chosen for the festival because of their depictions of the famous attempt by the James-Younger Gang to rob Northfield’s First National Bank in 1876:

  • Thursday, July 31, 7 p.m.: The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid(1972), rated PG; directed by Phillip Kaufman, starring Cliff Robertson and Robert Duvall
  • Sunday, August 10, 2 p.m.: Roy Rogers double feature: Jesse James at Bay (1941) and Days of Jesse James (1939), both rated G
  • Thursday, August 14, 7 p.m.: The Long Riders (1980), rated R; directed by Walter Hill, starring David Carradine, Stacy Keach, and Dennis Quaid
  • Thursday, August 21, 6:30 p.m.: The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford(2007), rated R; directed by Andrew Dominik, starring Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, and Sam Shepard

The festival will end during Defeat of Jesse James Days when SPUR Award Winning Author Johnny D. Boggs will present his book, Jesse James in the Movies at the Northfield Historical Society at 6:30 p.m. on September 4.
Jesse James and the Movies (Paperback) from Northfield Historical Society on Square Market