LEGENDS OF THE FALL ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (1994) US, 133 mins
THE CREDITS: Directed by Edward Zwick … Starring Brad Pitt, Anothony Hopkins, Aidan Quinn, Henry Thomas, Julia Ormond
THE VERDICT: Grim and unyielding, but nevertheless a powerful and striking epic.
THE RATING (out of 5): * * * 1/2
You know it's often the case that while the majority of films keep you occupied (hopefully even entertained!) for their duration, afterwards you're often left with a feeling of indifference. A really good film should have the ability to either stir your senses, engage your mind or touch your heart. Every so often you come across a film like LEGENDS OF THE FALL, a film which not only succeeds in doing the above, but also quite literally punches you in the stomach! It's not a very pleasant sensation, but by heck, it means the film-makers are doing something right!
LEGENDS OF THE FALL is a downbeat tale about three brothers, spanning the American Indian Wars through the First World War and beyond. It's an epic in the true sense of the world - spanning several years (and several hours in real-time!). Director Edward Zwick does a masterful job coaxing terrific performances from his all-star cast, and milking the beautifully location scenery and passing events for all they're worth.
There are, however, some problems with the plotting. First of all, it's a very grim tale - with not even a particularly happy ending, either. I can't actually think of any real moment of happiness throughout the entire film - there may be the odd glimmer, but I assure you it's a given that tragedy will be lurking around the corner. There's also a rather tenuous connection with the Native American Indians which isn't fully capitalised on. The story is related by an Indian friend of the boy's father, One Stab, played by Gordon Tootoosis. Other than that there seems little point to this plot element other than glamour, which is a bit of a shame. There seems to be a conscious attempt to somehow elevate the tale to almost "legend" status, hence the title of the film. Sometimes it works, but generally it just seems a bit superficial. It's a family drama, which occassionally veers into melodrama, but is bolstered by the talent of its cast and director. That's about it; I don't really buy into any deeper pretensions the film may have about itself.
Kudos must be paid to the actors, who elevate a script which may have otherwise descended into melodramatic hokum. Brad Pitt does a marvellous job as the film's lead, the intense, disturbed Tristan. Pitt's performance very effectively conveys a tortured soul, and with the focus primarily resting on him as the film progresses, he carries the film nicely. Unfortunately, Anthony Hopkins seems rather wasted as the father, particularly as he spends half the film paralysed from a stroke and unable to speak! But if he is only window dressing, then he's first class window dressing at that! Julia Ormond also gives a strong performance as the lovely Susannah, who finds herself torn between the brothers. Acting wise, this is top of the range, and very often the performances elevate many a scene from maudlin to emotionally poignant.
As I believe I mentioned above, director Zwick does a brilliant job bringing to life a potentially tricky film. Whilst some lesser efforts easily trip up when they try to do sweeping epics that span many years, for the most part LEGENDS OF THE FALL flows effortlessly. The cinematography is utterly beautiful, and the location work in the gorgeous hills of Montana spectacular. Oh, and also to be highly commended is James Horner's bombastic, majestic score - this guy knows how to score a film!
So, summing up then, a flawed but sufficient script is beautifully performed and executed. It gets the thumbs up, but I would warn anything thinking of watching it that it is certainly not feel-good viewing. It's a grim and depressing tale, but brought to life by its magnificient acting, directing and production values.
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Review written by and (c) Rory B Mackay, 1998
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