Legends of the Fall (1994)

In the early 1900s, three brothers and their father living in the remote wilderness of Montana are affected by betrayal, history, love, nature, and war.

Director:

Edward Zwick

Writers:

Susan Shilliday (screenplay), William D. Wittliff (screenplay) (as Bill Wittliff)

Stars:

Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Aidan Quinn

Won 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

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

Storyline

In early 20th-century Montana, Col. William Ludlow lives in the wilderness with his sons, Tristan, Alfred and Samuel. Eventually, the unconventional but close-knit family encounters tragedy when Samuel is killed in World War I. Tristan and Alfred survive their tours of duty, but, soon after they return home, both men fall for Samuel's gorgeous fiancée, Susannah, and their intense rivalry begins to destroy the family.

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Plot Keywords:

f word | no opening credits | usa | passion | heart | 

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Taglines:

After the Fall from Innocence the Legend begins.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | War | Western

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, and for some sexuality and language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Cornish

Release Date:

13 January 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Leyendas de pasión

Filming Locations:

43 Powell Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$101,670, 23 December 1994, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$66,638,883

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$160,638,883

Company Credits

Production Co:

TriStar Pictures,The Bedford Falls Company,Pangaea

Technical Specs

Runtime:

133 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS (8 channels) Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In this movie, Brad Pitt and Julia Ormond play star-crossed lovers of about the same ages. In The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), Pitt plays Ormond's father.

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Goofs

During the war scenes, an "Air Ram" is visible (a pneumatic device for throwing a person up into the air, to simulate an explosion).

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Quotes

Alfred: Don't mind my brother. Your dog has more breeding than he has.

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Connections

Referenced in Saturday Night Live: Alec Baldwin/Tori Amos (1996)

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Soundtracks

Twilight and Mist
Written by James Horner and Brock Walsh

User Reviews

A wonderful, emotional melodrama

A really good film. Basically a melodrama. Repeat, MELOdrama. Hollywood used to churn out this sort of film all the time with no apologies. OK, many of them seem corny now, but why do people think that every movie made has to be stark realism?

I was tremendously impressed with Brad Pitt's performance. (I'm a guy, so I mean that, and am not swooning over his looks). I had never seen him in anything before, and had barely heard of him. Anthony Hopkins was, as always, fantastic. In fact every single actor hit every single note with the possible exception of Henry Thomas. One of Aidan Quinn's best films, also. The photography of Alberta is magnificent, and I think no one can begrudge LOTF its cinematography Oscar.

The film makers have an excuse for the occasional credibility lapse, in that there is a story frame, the recollections of One Stab, the old Cree. This covers things like Susannah falling for Samuel, who seemed to be an empty suit, Tristan keeping his long hair while in the British Army, etc. Excellent performance by Gordon Tootoosis, by the way, although his manner of speaking is very reminiscent of Chief Dan George.

I highly recommend this film, if you can watch it without trying to dislike it.