Film: "Legends of the Fall" (1994)

[Bob Pr.]

"Legends of the Fall" (1994) 133 min. (R: violence; some sexuality, language)
Genres: Drama, Romance, War, Western. Stars: Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins,
Aidan Quinn. Awards: Oscar for cinematography.
IMDB: 7.2/10 stars Legends of the Fall (1994) - IMDb
Rotten Tomatoes: 40% of top critics rate it ripe: Legends of the Fall - Rotten Tomatoes
Roger Ebert: 3 of 4 stars: Legends Of The Fall :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews
Trailer: Legends of the Fall Trailer - IMDb

In IMDB's "User Reviews," many consider this one of the best films they've ever seen
while a much smaller 'many' consider it among the worst. For my appetite, that second,
smaller group is more to my taste.

To me, the narrative seems too arbitrary and capricious, mainly a vehicle to display Brad
Pitt's charms (here he's impulsive, overly inclined to physical confrontation with men
and beasts, non-conformist and extra-legal, but these traits stay dormant and emerge
only when called on by the proper cues in the script).

Too many incongruous details for me: suits, white shirts & ties for working ranchers at
suppers? A career military man ("Col. Ludlow"/Hopkins), after 30 years promotions and
service, rebelling against his government because of its treatment (1880-1900) of American
Indians and adopting many of their values and customs? No helmets worn by Canadian
troops in battle in the first World War? "Tristan"/Pitt buying a 60-80 ft. sailing vessel about
1920 and, with no previous sailing experience and no visible financial support, skippers it
with his crew exploring the Pacific for many years? Warm emotional relations across the
distance of many years between the Col. and his sons with his wife (the sons' mother)
after she deserted them.

My rating: 4 out of 10 stars [plusses mainly for beautiful Canadian (pseudo-Montana) scenery]

[Retriever Mama]

I got about 2/3rds of the way throught this movie and I don't even remember what happened, but something got me sobbing so hard my husband turned it off.

[Bob Pr.]

Possibly it had something to do with its "R" rating, especially the cutting out of a dying man's still beating heart to take it home to bury it?