Legenden der Leidenschaft

I watch a lot of movies & I can't remember the last time a film held me so spellbound. Not only are the characters engaging & vividly portrayed by an excellent cast, the subtle dynamics of their interactions are portrayed with inspired undertone & nuance. Star billing or even an Oscar should also have been awarded to the spectacularly beautiful scenery of Montana for the vast majesty it bestowed.

This complex saga of love, grief & loyalty is narrated with stark simplicity by old Stab, long-time friend to retired Colonel Ludlow & his 3 sons: staid Alfred, the eldest ("old even for his years"); idealistic Samuel, the youngest ("There was nothing these brothers would not do for him."); & wild Tristan ("Such people become crazy or they become legends."). The conflict between Ludlow's fiercely anti-government anti-war stance & his sons' determination to do what they see as their duty is but a small part of the story; the heart of the tale is the rift that threatens the mutual devotion of these 3 loyal brothers as they all come to love the same woman. "She was not to blame," Stab tells us, "She was like the ice that freezes in the rock and splits it apart."

A tragic tale, yes; heartbreaking at times, but never boring. Every time I felt certain I knew what was coming next, the plot took another unexpected turn & I sat there riveted, softly breathing "Wow!" now & again into the darkness. This film immediately became one of my all-time favorites; I've watched it half a dozen times since then & its scope & power never fail to move me.

Not having read the novella upon which this is based, I don't quite understand the quirky reasons for the characters to behave as they do in 'Legends of the Fall'--nor do I understand just what the title is supposed to imply. It's all a bit grandiose with some of the most breathtaking color photography of a western landscape ever seen in an American movie--richly deserving of an Oscar for its photography. But the story is another matter--a sprawling, epic kind of familial tale of the struggle for a father's affection, the love of two brothers for the same woman, etc., with all of the characters swept up in tumultuous emotional states without preparing the viewer for the reasons.

The overall effect is disappointing when, after spending a couple of hours with these characters, you have no better understanding of their nature or what makes them tick. And yet, despite poor motivation, all of the actors do outstanding jobs--from Brad Pitt to Henry Thomas to Aidan Quinn to Anthony Hopkins--hats off for some fine acting. But at the core of the movie is a hollow factor that fails to touch base or explain the events. The jumps in continuity are a bit baffling.

On the plus side, the war scenes are especially realistic--and it's nice to see Henry Thomas (the boy from E.T.) developing into a fine actor. The outdoor photography is awesome and the score by James Horner is an impressive one. Too bad the script was such a letdown.

Summing up: a picture that can be enjoyed on its own terms--beautiful to look at but hollow inside.

The raw passion of this movie is enough to make any serious movie enthusiast weep. I honestly can't believe this movie was not nominated for about 8 or 10 Academy awards. It also baffles me that some people think this was Anthony Hopkins worst portrayal. He was absolutely brilliant in this, as was Brad Pitt. THIS was the movie that made me take a look at Pitt and see that he's more than just a pretty face. After watching this, he became, and is still to this day, my favorite actor. In this movie he was rustic, yet thoughtful. He was strong and vulnerable. He had a great love for family(especially his father) and for a woman he knew should not be his. This film a true epic with history, talent, superior cinematography, and most of all(and what many movies of today lack).. closure.

Watch and wonder

I have enjoyed watching the film a number of times during several periods of my life and, as time goes by, I believe that it is gaining the general recognition it deserves! This is an epic drama about people dealing with personal demons within an amazing western scenery at the beginning of the 20th century in Western America. Everyone, including the father, the 3 sons and the "girl" is trying to heal the wounds inside. Tristan, the protagonist, is a wild spirit playing with fire, unable to form attachments for long. There is a constant battle going on inside him (between life and death, love and rage, passion and ethics, the visible and the invisible) affecting everyone around him. I would like to emphasize a point that I haven't read in other reviews: the boys' mother, even though hardly appearing on screen, has a key-role in the story: she practically abandons her husband and three sons, staying detached all the way, not even coming back for some major family events (funerals-weddings-births)! Such an abandonment causes tremendous emotional pain, relationship issues and deep trauma to everyone. The brothers are antagonistic, trying desperately to find their place in the world and prove their worth, one way or another: fighting at the war, excelling in politics, winning a woman's love and more! Tristan's magnetism seems to be so great that everyone (including us, watching) is willing to accept almost anything from him. He's something like a Sun for the women who loved him - they couldn't take their eyes off him, and we all know what happens when you stare at the sun... Does love conquer all? Sometimes yes, sometimes no... The movie is at times becoming overly dramatic, but I love it whatsoever. In my humble opinion, this is not a superficial soap opera - if you can read between the lines, there is a great analysis that can be done... Acting and cinematography are superb!

I fell for it all, not just Brad Pitt. "Legends of the Fall" is an epic melodrama, which should be oxymoronic, but the quality of the performances raises it up. Sappy lines like "I followed all of the rules, man's and God's. And you, you followed none of them. And they all loved you more. Samuel, Father, and my... even my own wife," would sink lesser actors. Not Aidan Quinn, assigned the movie's most challenging role as the eldest brother who must make his own luck.

But it's Brad Pitt's movie. As favorite son Tristan, a James Dean-ilk rebel with leonine locks and boy-toy beauty, he steals every scene (and plenty of audience hearts, given the sudden burst of boys named Tristan after 1994). That said, his costars-- Quinn, Gordon Tootoosis, Karina Lombard, Julia Ormond, and especially Anthony Hopkins-- support him so well that it seems like an ensemble picture, an impression deepened by the serious themes which are given due respect, starting with the treatment of Native Americans. The abhorrence toward the U. S. government by former army Colonel Ludlow (Hopkins) challenges the very idea of patriotism. Not many Hollywood movies risk dialog like this: "Indians!... There is nothing quite so grotesque as the meeting of a child with a bullet; or an entire village slaughtered while sleeping. That was the Government's resolution of that particular issue and I have seen nothing in its behavior since then that would persuade me that it has gained either in wisdom, common sense, or humanity."

Hugely ambitious, covering half a century, it is ultimately less interesting on the central matter of love than it is everything else, from the WWI trenches and shell shock that follows to Prohibition and the gangsters it created (including Tristan). It is also famously beautiful, filmed near Banff by Oscar-winner John Toll. Disappointments include James Horner's engulfing music; the implausible decrepitude of the aging Colonel's ranch while his caretakers are still there; and a final scene with voice-over narration that manages to fail twice, being both sentimental and abrupt. But as I said, I fell for it, flaws and all.