Legends of the Fall (1994)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Edward Zwick

Writers (WGA):

Jim Harrison (novel)
Susan Shilliday (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

13 January 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | War | Western

Tagline:

He was a rock they broke themselves against however much he tried to protect them

Plot:

Epic tale of three brothers and their father living in the remote wilderness of 1900s USA and how their lives are affected by nature, history, war, and love.

Plot Keywords:

USA | Passion | Heart | Epic | Restlessness

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 win & 8 nominations

Cast

Brad Pitt	...	Tristan Ludlow
Anthony Hopkins	...	Col. William Ludlow
Aidan Quinn	...	Alfred Ludlow
Julia Ormond	...	Susannah Fincannon Ludlow
Henry Thomas	...	Samuel Ludlow
Karina Lombard	...	Isabel Two Decker Ludlow
Gordon Tootoosis	...	One Stab
Christina Pickles	...	Isabel Ludlow
Paul Desmond	...	Decker
Tantoo Cardinal	...	Pet
Robert Wisden	...	John T. O'Banion
John Novak	...	James O'Banion
Kenneth Welsh	...	Sheriff Tynert
Bill Dow	...	Longley
Sam Sarkar	...	Rodriguez

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, and for some sexuality and language.

Runtime:

133 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS (8 channels) | Dolby SR

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Canada:14+ (Ontario) | Philippines:R-18 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | Germany:12 (w) | Netherlands:12 | Peru:14 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

43 Powell Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Bedford Falls Productions

Trivia:

Originally conceived as a starring vehicle for Sean Connery and Tom Cruise.

Goofs:

Continuity: During young Tristan's clawing from the bear, the bear is striking at him with his right paw repeatedly. when Tristan stabs at the bear and severs his toe, it is his left toe that is cut off.

Quotes:

[First lines]
One Stab: Some people hear their own inner voices with great clearness and they live by what they hear. Such people become crazy, or they become legends.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The O.C.: The Dearly Beloved (#2.24)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Twilight and Mist

Epic journey through wonders of life

There are many things you can say about this movie. Many people would say it's both full of clichés and too dramatic plot(s). But I have never caught the point in these kind of critics. If a story is a bit used up and filled with clichés, why does it have to be mocked? Such films as Pearl Harbor, Titanic etc., are a bit over the top, but I honestly think that Legends of the Fall contains so many qualities that it deserve the credit it deserves. All along the film, we follow the life and times of the Ludlow family living in Northern USA in the late 1800's and early 1900's. It is always well balanced between ingeniousness and cliché. Just a few times this line is crossed (thereby 9, not 10 points), and in the end, you're left with a good feeling, 'cause this is really a "feel-good movie". If romance, action and intrigues are your thing, I can absolutely recommend this, 'cause every time I see it I'm deeply touched.