THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, January 17, 1995 TAG: 9501170036
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Movie Review
SOURCE: BY MAL VINCENT, MOVIE CRITIC
LENGTH: Medium: 83 lines
HANG UP your pistols and take off your shirt, because little brother's girlfriend is coming to visit the glorious West.
That could be Brad Pitt's motto in the epic Western that is going to make him, at long last, a top-of-the-list star. Everything about ``Legends of the Fall'' is big - and old-fashioned. It has majestic scenery (the Canadian Rockies near Calgary), a sweeping musical score (composed by James Horner), a beautiful girl (new star Julia Ormond), suitable nobility and dignity (supplied by Anthony Hopkins) and a dashing nature boy, played by Pitt with boyish daring that is going to leave half the women in the world sighing.
It is a movie that looks like movies used to look.
Based on Jim Harrison's novella, it chronicles the family history of the Ludlows.
Hopkins, as the father, moves his wife and three sons to backwoods Montana in the early 20th century. As a former Army officer, he's disgusted with civilization in general and, in particular, with the way the government treated the Indians.
Unhappy in the wilderness, the boys' mother leaves for the East, and the father raises the boys. Tristan, played by Pitt, learns the ways of nature from One Stab, a Cree who works at the ranch. The Indian, played by Gordon Tootoosis, also narrates the drama - with standard ultra-wise Native American soothsaying.
Older brother Alfred, played by Aidan Quinn, is the reliable one, but their father seems never to approve of him as much as golden boy Tristan.
Things go nicely until the youngest brother, the sensitive, idealistic Samuel, played with big ears and innocent expression by that ``E.T.'' kid grown up, Henry Thomas, brings home his girlfriend. Susannah, played by Julia Ormond, is a refined, well-bred girl from back East who bowls over all three brothers.
All the brothers fall for her as if they were Humpty Dumpty sitting on the edge. No wonder, because she is apparently just about the the only young woman in Montana.
This plot doesn't sound like much, but throw in the brothers' service in World War I, the father's stroke, crooked politicians and bootleggers.
It's directed by Edward Zwick, who also had an ease with epic movie style with his Civil War drama ``Glory.''
It sounds a lot like an episode of ``Bonanza,'' with the Ludlow boys on the big screen substituting for the Cartwright boys on the Ponderosa. No matter, the plot is nothing if not suggestive of things past. Think of the brothers in ``East of Eden'' or of the father-son relationship in the big Cinemascope production ``Broken Lance,'' in which Spencer Tracy was the noble father to Robert Wagner and Richard Widmark. The whole epic style smacks of ``Shane.'' I have an idea that is exactly what director Zwick wanted us to do - think of movies past.
It's been quite awhile since there was a movie this unabashedly romantic in an epic way. It won a best-picture nomination from the Golden Globe folks, and Pitt was nominated for best actor. That's a large honor for a film that, at one time, would have been routine. Now, ``Legends of the Fall'' seems bigger, and more unusual, than it would have back in an era when they made more movies like this.
As a star vehicle for Brad Pitt, it is perfect. As an entertainment for everyone, it is rousing. You can get realism outside the theater. This is a movie-movie. ILLUSTRATION: TRISTAR PICTURES
From left, brothers Alfred (Aidan Quinn), Tristan (Brad Pitt) and
Samuel Henry Thomas) love Susannah (Julia Ormond).
FILM REVIEW
"LEGENDS OF THE FALL"
Cast: Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Aidan Quinn, Julia Ormond, Henry
Thomas
Director: Edward Zwick
MPAA rating: R (sexual situations, violence)
Mal's rating: ***
KERRY HAYES
Susannah (Julia Ormond) is torn between Alfred (Aidan Quinn) and his
brother Tristan.
by CNB