An elderly Frank James tells the tale of Cole Younger (Cody McCarver) and the long Black Train to an author. Seems Cole met the train and its keeper, Emmet Black, when he was 18 and his sister Emma was stricken with the fever. He’s still haunted by that train, even as an adult, riding with the notorious James-Younger gang.
So when the Pinkertons learn the gang’s whereabouts, they make a deal with Black, hiring the train to haul a gold shipment, knowing it was serve as the perfect bait for the outlaws. The ploy works.
But the lawmen don’t count on the gang derailing the train, and most of the outlaws survive the ambush.
The black train, of course, represents death; Emmet Black is the harbinger of death, clad all in black with a long black beard. And eventually, in 1916, he does catch up with Cole Younger.
Cody McCarver as Cole Young in Cole Younger and The Black Train (2012)
John Hudson as Jim Younger in Cole Younger and the Black Train (2012)
Review:
The good news: This is a classic compared to director Christopher Forbes’ two prior Westerns, “All Hell Broke Loose” (2009) and “A Cold Day in Hell.”
The bad news: This is a Forbes’ Western, which means classic just barely gets you two stars. There are still pop-gun special effects, overweight lawmen, cast members who have no business in front of a camera and a plot full of holes big enough to drive the world’s biggest black train through.
So, if you’re desperate to watch a Western, or Madsen in what amounts to a guest starring role, go for it. Just be forewarned: You’d be better off watching the Deadwood series again.
Tripp Courtney as Jesse James in Cole Younger and the Black Train (2012)
Braxton Williams as Frank James in Cole Younger and the Black Train (2012)
Directed by:
Christopher Forbes
Cast:
Cody McCarver … Cole Younger
Jerry Chesser .. Emmet Black
Michael Madsen … Marshal Fuller
Tripp Courtney … Jesse James
John Hudson … Jim Younger
Braxton Williams … Frank James
Stan Fink … Deputy Ben Brady
David Topp … Wesley Brady
Taylor Grace-Davis … Alice
Ed Janostak … Sheriff Ellis
Ronald Baumgardner … Shotgun
Crazy Pa … Richard Kinsey
Jerry Chesser as Emmet Black in Cole Younger and the Black Train (2012)
Michael Madsen as Marshal Fuller in Cole Younger and the Black Train (2012)
Memorable lines:
Jesse: “What’s the matter, Cole? Don’t you think we’ll ever see heaven?”
Cole: “Not unless heaven’s got a backdoor for outlaws.”
Frank James: “The story I have to tell you isn’t just about Cole Younger. It’s about Cole Younger and the black train.”
Writer: “Which black train would this be?”
Frank: “Mr. Cummings, there ain’t but one black train.”
Deputy Ben Brady, explaining Crazy Pa, who once got lost in the desert.
“Finally, he admitted, to stay alive, he had to eat his horse.”
Wesley: “He ate his horse?”
Brady: “Every last scrap. I guess that’s better than eating your arm off. That’s why every once in a while you’ll see him staring at a horse, just a salivating, looking for his eatin’ utensils. That’s why they call him Crazy Pa.”
Crazy Pa: “Ben, I’m gonna kill ’em. And I’m goin’ to cut ’em up in little pieces, and feed ’em to my horse. I might even eat a piece or two.”
David Topp as Wesley Brady in Cole Younger and the Black Train (2012)
Taylor Grace-Davis as Alice in Cole Younger and the Black Train (2012)
Stan Fink as Deputy Ben Brady in Cole Younger and the Black Train (2012)
Ed Janostak as Sheriff Ellis in Cole Younger and the Black Train (2012)
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