A River Runs Through It (1992)

Director:

Robert Redford

Writers (WGA):

Norman Maclean (story)
Richard Friedenberg (screenplay)

Release Date:

9 October 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The Story of an American Family.

Plot:

Two fly-fishing sons of a Presbyterian minister--one reserved, one rebellious--grow up in rural Montana.

Plot Keywords:

Fly Fishing | Fishing | Voice Over Narration | Bare Butt | Religion

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Craig Sheffer	...	Norman Maclean
Brad Pitt	...	Paul Maclean
Tom Skerritt	...	Rev. Maclean
Brenda Blethyn	...	Mrs. Maclean
Emily Lloyd	...	Jessie Burns
Edie McClurg	...	Mrs. Burns
Stephen Shellen	...	Neal Burns
Vann Gravage	...	Young Paul
Nicole Burdette	...	Mabel
Susan Traylor	...	Rawhide
Michael Cudlitz	...	Chub
Rob Cox	...	Conroy
Buck Simmonds	...	Humph
Fred Oakland	...	Mr. Burns
David Creamer	...	Ken Burns
Madonna Reubens	...	Aunt Sally
John Reubens	...	Uncle Jimmy
Arnold Richardson	...	Old Norman
MacIntyre Dixon	...	Police Sergeant
William Hootkins	...	Murphy
Al Richardson	...	Mr. Murchison
Jess Schwidde	...	Mr. Sweeney
Chuck Adamson	...	Harry the Editor
Rex Kendall	...	Reporter
Jack Kroll	...	Reporter
Martina Kreidl	...	Secretary at Newspaper
Noah Snyder	...	Copy Boy at Newspaper
Margot Kiser	...	Sal
Philip A. Braun	...	Dealer at Lolo
Tracy Mayfield	...	Bouncer at Lolo
Anne Merren	...	Hooker at Lolo
Chuck Tweed	...	Drunk in Jail
Prudence Johnson	...	Pavilion Singer
D. Gorton	...	Pavilion Announcer
Lincoln Quesenberry	...	Drunk in Alley
Hawk Forssell	...	Bouncer at Speakeasy
Jim Dunkin	...	Speakeasy Bartender
Jacob Snyder	...	Piano Player
Kathy Scharler	...	Waitress at Speakeasy
Don Jeffery	...	Black Jack
Byron Dingman	...	Speakeasy Patron
Cecily Johnson	...	Speakeasy Patron
Caleb Shiff	...	Young John
Joseph Gordon-Levitt	...	Young Norman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Daren Eastwold	...	Montana Saloon Dancer (uncredited)
Lance R. Jones	...	Party-Goer (uncredited)
Robert Redford	...	Narrator (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Redford

Writing credits (WGA)
Norman Maclean		(story)
Richard Friedenberg		(screenplay)

Produced by
Jake Eberts	....	executive producer
William Kittredge	....	co-producer
Barbara Maltby	....	co-producer
Patrick Markey	....	producer
Amalia Mato	....	producer
Robert Redford	....	producer
Annick Smith	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Mark Isham

Cinematography by
Philippe Rousselot

Film Editing by
Robert Estrin
Lynzee Klingman

Casting by
Elisabeth Leustig

Production Design by
Jon Hutman

Art Direction by
Walter P. Martishius

Set Decoration by
Gretchen Rau

Costume Design by
Kathy O'Rear
Bernie Pollack
Reese Spensley		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Jean Ann Black	....	makeup artist
Gina Homan	....	assistant makeup artist
Anne Morgan	....	additional hair stylist
Karen O'Connor	....	additional hair stylist
Bunny Parker	....	hair stylist (as Bunny Parker-Adamson)
Tena Parker	....	hair stylist (as Tena Parker-Liddiard)
Tenita A. Parker	....	assistant hair stylist
Anne Pattison	....	additional makeup artist

Production Management
Jerry Ballew	....	unit production manager
Carole Fontana	....	unit supervisor
Susan Moore	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
J. Stephen Buck	....	first assistant director
Patrick Markey	....	second unit director
T.S. O'Kelly	....	second unit director
Kaaren F. Ochoa	....	second assistant director
Steve Perry	....	second unit director
Paul Ryan	....	second unit director

Art Department
Meg Aeby	....	painter
Thomas Allen	....	carpenter
Braden Aro	....	carpenter
Michael Atwell	....	construction foreman
Jason Baker	....	carpenter
Mark Baker	....	carpenter
Beth Bernstein	....	art department coordinator
Jason Borger	....	fly fishing storyboard artist
Robert Bowler	....	carpenter
John Ceniceros	....	on-set set decorator
Jeff Cronin	....	gang boss
Michael D'Imperio	....	property assistant
Robert M. Dougherty	....	draftsman
Carol Francoso	....	painter (as Carol Y. Francoso)
Ellen Freund	....	property master
Shari Griffin	....	draper
Bruce Harris	....	assistant construction coordinator
Joseph Kearney	....	carpenter (as Joe Kearney)
Otto J. Kelle	....	lead carpenter
R. John Legerski	....	carpenter
Alisa Lumbreras	....	painter
Adam Lustig	....	graphic designer
Adam Lustig	....	painter: mural painting
Brian Markey	....	construction coordinator
James Martishius	....	carpenter
Michael J. Martishus	....	painter
Ray Maxwell	....	construction foreman
Larry Misselhorn	....	greensman
James F. Oñate	....	scenic foreman
Laurie Rajski	....	art department intern
Eric Ramsey	....	storyboard artist
Don Reinhardt	....	carpenter
Beth A. Rubino	....	assistant set decorator
David Russell	....	conceptual illustrator
David Russell	....	storyboard artist
Michael Shapiro	....	set dresser
'Polar Bear' Shaw	....	lead man
Eric C. Shilling	....	carpenter
Ramsey Smith	....	lead carpenter
Brian Stultz	....	scenic chargeman
Chris Ubick	....	assistant property master
Gregory Vallor	....	carpenter
Tony Veach	....	carpenter
Ingrid Wilcox	....	property assistant
John W. Wise	....	carpenter
W. Tim J. Zawisza	....	carpenter
Tony Ballew	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Paul Mason	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
C.J. Appel	....	adr editor
Sandina Bailo-Lape	....	foley editor
Steve Bartlett	....	post-production sound
Sara Bolder	....	dialogue editor
Christopher Boyes	....	foley recordist
Clayton Collins	....	sound editor
Clayton Collins	....	sound effects
Robert Deschaine	....	adr mixer
Ken Fischer	....	sound effects
Fonda Fisher	....	assistant sound editor
J.R. Grubbs	....	assistant sound editor
Ruth Hasty	....	assistant sound editor
Richard Hymns	....	supervising sound editor
David Jobe	....	adr recordist
Tom Johnson	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Keating	....	temp dub re-recording mixer
Marnie Moore	....	foley artist
Tom Myers	....	assistant sound designer
Jenny Oznowicz	....	assistant sound editor
Hans Roland	....	production sound
Kevin Rose-Williams	....	assistant sound editor
Gary Rydstrom	....	sound designer
Gary Rydstrom	....	sound re-recording mixer
Blair Scheller	....	boom operator
Dennie Thorpe	....	foley artist (as Dennis Thorpe)
Maia Veres	....	assistant sound editor
Noel Vought	....	foley artist
Gwendolyn Yates Whittle	....	dialogue editor (as Gwendolyn Yates-Whittle)
James Allen	....	sound re-recordist (uncredited)
Tim Archer	....	dialogue recordist (uncredited)
John Countryman	....	machine room operator (uncredited)
Ronald G. Roumas	....	machine room operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Richard Stutsman	....	special effects coordinator
Mark Yuricich	....	special effects assistant

Stunts
Daniel W. Barringer	....	stunts (as Dan Barringer)
Jason Borger	....	stunts
David Burton	....	stunts
John Dietsch	....	stunts
Annie Ellis	....	stunts
Tracy Keehn-Dashnaw	....	stunts
Noon Orsatti	....	stunts
John Robotham	....	stunt coordinator
Stagg Summers	....	stunts
Tracy Keehn-Dashnaw	....	stunt double: Emily Lloyd (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Adams	....	best boy grip
James Babineaux	....	best boy electric
George M. Chappell	....	electrician
George M. Chappell	....	rigging gaffer
Bill Coleman	....	special still photographer
Peggy Coleman	....	clapper loader
François Duhamel	....	unit photographer
Giles Dunning	....	first assistant camera
Alexander Eberts	....	video assistant
Jack English	....	gaffer
Michael S. Epley	....	grip
Robert K. Feldmann	....	key grip
Bill Finger	....	second assistant camera (as William Finger)
Justin Fonda	....	additional grip
J.P. Gabriel	....	grip
Ed George	....	additional assistant camera
Scott Graves	....	electrician
Johnny Hale	....	grip
Lawrence 'Doc' Henvirland	....	key grip
John Kelly	....	special still photographer
John 'Quincy' Koenig	....	electrician
Dwight Joseph Lavers	....	dolly grip
Ami Canaan Mann	....	video assistant
Ted Morris	....	assistant camera
Peter Pilafian	....	additional fish photographer
Paul Ryan	....	director of photography: second unit
Alex Smith	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Merie Weismiller Wallace	....	additional still photographer
Jim Wiley	....	clapper loader

Casting Department
Susan Brown	....	casting associate: Los Angeles
Helen Dollan	....	extras casting
Jill Greenberg	....	casting associate: New York
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting
Janelle Ramaker	....	extras casting assistant
Lesa Shapiro	....	extras casting
Jerry Siem	....	fly casting consultant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Amy Andrews	....	costumer: men (as Amelia C. Andrews)
Elizabeth Barber	....	costumer: women
Marsha Barton	....	seamstress
Marie Boller	....	costumer
George Cooper	....	costumer
Jeannie Johnson	....	seamstress
Chrisi Karvonides-Dushenko	....	assistant costume designer
Karan Kaufman Feder	....	seamstress (as Karan Kaufman)
Barbara Marko	....	costumer
Lynn Moore	....	wardrobe
Leslie Neuman	....	costumer
Hugo Peña	....	costumer
Laurie Riley	....	set costumer
Christine Schumann	....	seamstress
Vincent Sembera	....	tailor
Barbara Shiff	....	set costumer
Reese Spensley	....	costume production assistant
Chuck Velasco	....	costumer
Terry Velasco	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Donah Bassett	....	negative cutter
Greg Finton	....	first assistant film editor
Adam C. Frank	....	assistant editor
Margaret Liu	....	assistant editor
Jennifer Mangan	....	first assistant film editor
Ray Martin	....	color timer
Kate McGowan	....	first assistant film editor
Brent White	....	additional editor

Music Department
Tom Boyd	....	musician: oboe soloist
Sandy DeCrescent	....	music contractor
George Doering	....	musician
Kathy Durning	....	music editor
Stephan R. Goldman	....	music producer
Stephen Krause	....	scoring mixer
Ken Kugler	....	conductor
Ken Kugler	....	orchestrator
Katherine Quittner	....	music editor
Allan K. Rosen	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Larry Alexander	....	transportation coordinator
Dave Amberik	....	driver
Tony Ballew	....	driver
Karla Barghultz	....	driver
Charlie Carpenter	....	driver
Ralph Good	....	driver
Cheri Kimerly	....	driver
David Knox	....	driver
Merle Luppen	....	driver
Lonnie Mace	....	transportation co-captain
Matthew Markey	....	driver
Stuart Shiff	....	transportation captain
Darcy Stewart	....	driver
Paul Thomas	....	driver
Erik Westfall	....	driver

Other crew
Dwight Adair	....	dialogue coach (as Dwight R. Adair)
Allen Alsobrook	....	pre-production supervisor
Johnny Alvarez	....	choreographer
John Anklow	....	production assistant
Terry Austin	....	advisor: Trout Unlimited
John Bailey	....	fly fishing advisor
Kara Baker	....	script supervisor (as Karla Dillard Baker)
Teresa A. Baldas	....	studio teacher
Lori A. Balton	....	location manager
Donald Bench	....	security officer
Marshall Bloom	....	advisor: Trout Unlimited
Dixie Bullock	....	housing coordinator
Kimberly Burns	....	production assistant (as Kim Burns)
Dave Cary	....	forest service ranger: USA
George Croonenberghs	....	period fly tyer
George Croonenberghs	....	technical advisor
Theresa Curtin	....	assistant: Mr. Markey
John Dietsch	....	fly fishing production coordinator
Alexander Eberts	....	assistant: Mr. Redford
Paul Erickson	....	intern: University of Chicago
Mike Fantasia	....	assistant location manager
Linda Farahi	....	accounting assistant
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer: main title and montage sequences
John Foust	....	mechanical fish operator
Andy Froemke	....	EAC unit
David Froemke	....	EAC unit
Miranda Garrison	....	choreographer
Taj Gombart	....	production assistant
Anne Gordon	....	animal trainer
Karen Hughes	....	production coordinator
Dixie Johnson	....	humane society
Jerry F. Johnson	....	whitewater services
Donna Kail	....	assistant: Mr. Redford
Shannon Kane	....	production accountant
Marsha Koff	....	production controller (as Marsha Mann-Koff)
Rory J. Kremer	....	production staff
Jonathan Swain Landreth	....	production assistant
Alexandra Lin	....	set production assistant
Maren Linett	....	intern: University of Chicago
Doug Lobaugh	....	medic coordinator
Don MacDonald	....	assistant choreographer
Craig Manhart	....	assistant location manager
Ami Canaan Mann	....	intern: Mr. Redford
Doug McClelland	....	advisor: Trout Unlimited
Judy A. Meagher	....	studio teacher
Anne Merrem	....	assistant production coordinator
Carla Meyer	....	dialogue coach
Robbie Miller	....	assistant: Mr. Redford
Ralph Moon	....	federation fly fisheries advisor
Ric Morelli	....	assistant production coordinator
Breck O'Neill	....	whitewater consultant
Brandt Oswald	....	advisor: Trout Unlimited
Walter W. Parry Jr.	....	key set production assistant (as Walter Parry)
Marianne Simon-Strader	....	production secretary
Lois Smith	....	public relations
Jacob Snyder	....	craft service
Jean Maclean Snyder	....	consultant
Joel Snyder	....	consultant
Wendy Spurrier	....	production assistant
Kelly Stultz	....	accounting assistant
Mak 'Crash' Takaro	....	personal trainer
Todd Turner	....	key set production assistant
Cynthia Upstill	....	script supervisor
Joseph Urbani	....	fisheries biologist
Dick Vincent	....	fisheries advisor: Montana
Beverly Walker	....	unit publicist
John Wasson	....	whitewater services
Ted Watson	....	fish provider
Tom Whiteaker	....	whitewater services
Michael Yurchak	....	craft service
Ben Zakheim	....	set production assistant
Judi M. Durand	....	adr voice (uncredited)
Roy Lewis Garton	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Jennifer Irvine	....	assistant: Steve Perry (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Allied Filmmakers

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1992) (USA) (theatrical)
• AMLF (1993) (France) (theatrical)
• Filmayer (1993) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Pathé (1993) (UK) (theatrical)
• Scotia International Filmverleih (1993) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (1993) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Cecchi Gori Home Video (2005) (Italy) (DVD)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1995) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1993) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1993) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Emerald (2007) (Argentina) (DVD) (re-release)
• Fox Life HD (2007) (Japan) (TV)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• LW Editora (2007) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Pioneer LDC (Japan) (DVD)
• Pioneer (1994) (Germany) (video) (laserdisc)
• Pioneer (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Pioneer (199?) (Japan) (video) (laserdisc)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD) (deluxe edition)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Teleview International (1993) (Lebanon) (TV) (Middle East)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (DVD)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• VCL Communications (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
• Video Omega (1993) (Argentina) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies (as Leonard Chapman)
• Helen Uffner Vintage Clothing  vintage clothing rentals
• Montana Film Office  special thanks
• Pacific Title  opticals
• Panavision  camera and lenses
• Skywalker Sound  post-production sound services
• Technicolor  color timing

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG for momentary nudity, and some language in a family drama

Runtime:

123 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Chile:TE | Finland:K-10 | Germany:6 | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG (PCA #31883) | South Korea:12 | Singapore:PG | Norway:10 | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Australia:PG | Iceland:12 | Australia:M (DVD rating) | Peru:PT

Filming Locations:

Bozeman, Montana, USA

Company:

Allied Filmmakers

Trivia:

Even though the film claims that it is filmed in Missoula, it is actually filmed in and around Livingston, Bozeman and Big Timber, Montana. Many of the fishing scenes were filmed in the Gallatin Canyon on the Gallatin River south of Bozeman.

Goofs:

Continuity: Paul's collar during the restaurant scene.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Norman:[narrating] Long ago, when I was a young man, my father said to me, "Norman, you like to write stories." And I said "Yes, I do." Then he said, "Someday, when you're ready you might tell our family story. Only then will you understand what happened and why."

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Home Improvement: A Taylor Runs Through It (#5.1)" (1995)

Soundtrack:

Bye Bye Blackbird

Pay attention to the themes that never go away

Have you seen The Graduate? It was hailed as the movie of its generation. But A River Runs Through It is the story about all generations. Long before Dustin Hoffman's character got all wrapped up in the traps of modern suburbia, Norman Maclean and his brother Paul were facing the same crushing pressures of growing up as they tried to find their place in the world. But how could a place like post WW1 Montana be a showcase for the American family, at a time when the Wild West still was not completely gone? Just what has Maclean tapped into that strikes so deeply at who we all are and what we have to go through to find ourselves? As the movie opens, Norman is an old man, flyfishing beside a rushing river, trying to understand the course his own life has taken. The movie is literally a journey up through his own stream of consciousness, against time's current and back to when he was a boy. He and his younger brother Paul were the sons of a Presbyterian minister and devoted mother. The parents fit snugly into their roles. Mom takes care of house and home. Dad does the work of the Lord. The boys ponder what they will be when they grow up. Norm has it narrowed down to a boxer or a minister like his dad. Given the choice, little Paul would be the boxer, since he's told his first choice of pro flyfisherman doesn't even exist. The boys grow up and get into trouble with their pranks, fight to see who is tougher and do the things brothers do, all the while attending church and taking part in all other spiritual matters like flyfishing. They are at similar points in their lives before college. But when Norm returns from his six years at Dartmouth, things are very different. Paul is at the top of his game. Master flyfisherman. Grad of a nearby college and newspaper reporter who knows every cop on the beat and every judge on the bench. Norman is stunningly well educated for his day but has little idea what to do with his life, even as his father grills him about what he intends to do. You're left feeling that at least to Pops, God will call you to your life's work. But you have to stay open and ready to receive it -- all your life. Father has always taken his boys to reflect by the side of the river and contemplate God's eternal words. "Listen," their father urges. It's both Zen and Quakerly. Pretty radical for a stoic clergyman. But with all the beauty and contemplation, and even though the Macleans are truly a God-fearing, scripture-heeding household, how is it that Rev. Maclean's family is unraveling? Paul is true perfection as he fishes the river, but he's feeling the pull of gambling and boozing, while his family doesn't know how to keep him from winding up where he seems to be headed. Mom, Dad and Brother all seem to have the same quiet desperation of not knowing what they should be doing and why they can't seem to help. Pauly just waves it all off with a grin and his irresistible charm. But the junior brother is losing his grip. Norman starts getting his life on track, finding love and career, but Paul continues to slide. The family that loves him watches helplessly. Mother, Father, Brother flounder in their own ways trying to help, but none very effectively. How can a family that loves each other so much be so ill-equipped to handle this? How can someone be so artful and full of grace when out in God's nature, yet be somehow unfit or unwilling to fit into the constructs of society that God's peoples have made for themselves? These are all questions Norman will ponder his entire life. The eternal words beneath the smooth stones of the river forever haunt him, yet keep their secrets. The movie is beautiful to watch. This is certainly God's country, and filming it won an Oscar. Director Robert Redford plays with the story from the book and teases the narration a bit to follow the emotional pattern he's presenting, and it works well. But do go back and read the book, too. You'll see Norman made connections with his old man even deeper than the movie can suggest -- and you'll see the places where the storyteller's very words gurgle and sing right off the page with an exuberance of a river running through it, leading into the unknown.