Breakheart Pass

Breakheart Pass is a wicked tough, badass Charles Bronson action vehicle steeped in the macho charm on the 1970's, and filled with ever changing photography as a train hurtles across the Nevada and Idaho mountains during a snowy winter. Onboard is John Deakins (Bronson), a dangerous outlaw being transported as prisoner to a remote, well guarded fort somewhere deep in the wilderness. Deakins isn't who he seems though, and neither is anyone else onboard for that matter. When a murder occurs, he takes it upon himself to wage a bloody crusade on everyone else in order to find the truth about what's going on, and the truth about their frozen voyage. Bronson is nails tough, doing some deliriously sketchy stunts and engaging in blessedly R rated, pretty intense violence for 70's standards. The cast is stacked, other passengers include Ed Lauren, David Huddleston, Richard Crenna, Charles Durning and Ben Johnson as the ruthless federal marshal in charge of Deakin's transport. A rock solid genre picture, thrilling, decked out in western production design and filled with savage, bullet ridden, bone breaking set pieces.

... to add to the mystery. The film starts slow without boring the customer. We are introduced to some of the characters who will enter a military support train from Arizona(?) to Fort Humboldt, California. The train will pass only wild mountain landscape so that there is no leave. Mysterious things start to happen and we don't know what's behind, a situation roughly comparable to A LADY VANISHES from Hitchcock. So it's more a Thriller and Murder Mystery located in the Old West than a real Western. Bronson does a good job and handles the increasing action well, the other actors give some good but not great performances. The film would be better and more credible with some less mystery events and particularly less carcasses on the train. Why not dump them in the wilderness!? It must have smelled. But overall good and well shot entertainment.

Quite popular in Germany.

entertaining but ludicrous western mystery, starring charles bronson at the height of his career, with beautiful outdoor scenery, a familiar cast and an uneven but at times memorable score from jerry goldsmith.

bronson plays an alleged arsonist and murderer who is being escorted to trial by a state marshall, on board a train that's also on a rescue mission to an army camp beset by disease. nothing is what it seems, and there are plot twists galore, several of which make no sense. most ridiculous development sees murder suspect bronson allowed to roam the train at will, as he figures everything out.

but the taciturn star has his roughneck charms, the railway sequences through the wintry, mountainous terrain are lovely, and there's an incredible, lengthy fight atop the rolling train that is eyepoppingly good -- no special effects here -- and escalates to a jaw dropping climax as the train rolls over a high wooden bridge.

nothing special, but an entertaining diversion.

One thing I do like about Breakheart Pass is that absolutely nobody is who he pretends to be. For the first time viewer, 90% of the fun is figuring just who the good guys and bad guys are on this train to Fort Humboldt in the Rocky Mountains. It's not revealed until about 75% of the film is done and when it is revealed the action steps up considerably.

A special train is being sent to Fort Humboldt with medical supplies and a relief force as cholera has broken out there. The territorial Governor Richard Crenna is taking personal charge of the operation, the troops are commanded by cavalry Major Ed Lauter. Along for the ride is U.S. Marshal Ben Johnson, Doctor David Huddleston, the Commanding officer's daughter, Jill Ireland. The engineer is Roy Jenson, the conductor is Charles Durning. Governor Crenna travels in style with a private car with a cook, Archie Moore and a server Victor Mohica. As you can see Breakheart Pass has a good cast.

Marshal Johnson arrests a fugitive, Charles Bronson, before the journey starts and circumstances force him to take Bronson along. People start getting killed on this trip, even before the train leaves and as I said no one is exactly who he seems to be.

Alistair MacLean for a non-American writer managed in this story to get the western ambiance down pretty good. Breakheart Pass combines the best elements of a western and a mystery and I wouldn't miss it if I was either a western or a mystery fan.

Alistair MacLean has always been one of my favorite authors, dating back to my high-school days in the mid-'60s. He has written many outstanding books, and many films have been made from them. Too many times, however, the title is the only thing that remains the same.

Not in this case, however. Either MacLean himself was involved with this film, or the director actually read the book first before starting, as this film is faithful to the book. A rarity indeed.