Continental Divide (1981)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Michael Apted

Writer:

Lawrence Kasdan (written by)

Release Date:

18 September 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

When they met they heard bells. And that was just round one.

Plot:

A hard-nosed Chicago journalist has an unlikely love affair with an eagle researcher.

Plot Keywords:

Eagle | Love | Reporter | Love Affair | Newspaper Columnist

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

John Belushi	...	Ernie Souchak
Blair Brown	...	Nell Porter
Allen Garfield	...	Howard McDermott (as Allen Goorwitz)
Carlin Glynn	...	Sylvia
Tony Ganios	...	Max Bernbaum
Val Avery	...	Yablonowitz
Liam Russell	...	Deke Lewis
Everett Smith	...	Fiddle
Bill Henderson	...	Train Conductor
Bruce Jarchow	...	Hellinger
Eddie Schwartz	...	Jimmy
Harold Holmes	...	Mr. Feeney
Elizabeth Young	...	Mrs. Feeney
Ron Dean	...	Plesko
Frankie Hill	...	Agatha

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Norway:12 | Iceland:L | Singapore:PG | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (re-rating) (1986) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Cedar Falls, Washington, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

The Amtrack train had to be brought to Victor, Idaho on abandon tracks where the scene was shot. The small town had no train service either commercial or freight for years.

Goofs:

Continuity: Nell is chopping wood as Ernie approaches. As they begin to talk Nell piles wood in her cradled left arm. The next shot is closer and at a different angle. As this shot begins Nell has no wood and begins to pile it once again in her cradled left arm.

Quotes:

Ernie Souchak: I've never seen such big balls - and I'm from Chicago.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Directors: The Films of Lawrence Kasdan" (????)

Soundtrack:

Theme from Continental Divide (Never Say Goodbye)

Fantastic Movie

This movie is the REASON I moved to Washington State, even though it was filmed in Montana. When Nell showed Ernie "church" and the panorama of the mountains was shown, I literally had tears running down my cheeks. I was in an Atlanta movie theater. It is then that I made up my mind to come west. I've never looked back. It is all due to this movie. It is, without a doubt, my favorite movie of all time. I just wish Mr. Belushi were still with us. At least Blair is. I'd like to see much more of her in movies. Blair Brown is VERY, VERY underrated. She was wonderful in this film and the film itself should have gotten way more recognition. Just look at the difficulties the cameramen must have encountered for those climbing and coming down the mountain in the snow shots.

One person wrote that a bear entered the cabin. It was NOT a bear, but rather a mountain lion. The only bears in the movie were encountered when Ernie Souchak was climbing up the mountain with the guide, going to Nell's place. See--I do know it by heart.

Hats off to Continental Divide!!!