James Carville - Life Imitates Art, Sort Of

It was more than a clever casting joke when director Andrew Dominik cast former Clinton aide, James Carville (above right - with the great Michael Parks), in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Carville played the Governor of Missouri, the politician who persuades Robert Ford (Casey Affleck) to act as a Judas by betraying his outlaw friend Jesse (Brad Pitt) in exchange for reward money and a pardon. Carville not only had the right look for the part, but gave a credible realistic performance.

Now Carville has accused former Clinton cabinet member, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, of being a "Judas" for endorsing Hillary Clinton’s presidential rival, Barack Obama. Said Carville, "Mr. Richardson’s endorsement came right around the anniversary of the day when Judas sold out for 30 pieces of silver, so I think the timing is appropriate, if ironic." Given Carville’s role as a modern Pharisee in the Jesse James film, it is not so much a matter of life imitating art, as reflecting it in an odd funhouse mirror kind of way.