Legends of the Fall (1994)

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Directed by Edward Zwick.

Starring Tantoo Cardinal, Julia Ormond, Brad Pitt, Aidan Quinn, Anthony Hopkins, Henry Thomas.

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The sweeping, melodramatic saga of three brothers, their powerful father, and a beautiful woman, the popular period drama Legends of the Fall presents a romanticized view of rugged masculinity against lush Montana scenery. Based on a novel by Jim Harrison, the film covers decades in the lives of Alfred (Aidan Quinn), Tristan (Brad Pitt), and Samuel (Henry Thomas) Ludlow, the sons of retired military man William Ludlow (Anthony Hopkins). Raised by the unorthodox Ludlow after the departure of their mother, the boys grow up close, sharing an appreciation of the land and a pioneering spirit. The family becomes divided, however, when young Sam enlists in World War I over his father's objections, and his brothers follow suit to protect him. Despite these efforts, Sam dies in battle, leaving Alfred and Tristan to return home and deal with the lingering torment. Further complicating matters is the presence of Sam's beautiful fiancée, Susannah (Julia Ormond). After Sam's death, she attracts the romantic attention of both the responsible Alfred and the brooding Tristan, a conflict that threatens to drive the brothers apart. Aspiring to epic status, the film utilizes period detail and attractive landscapes as a backdrop for tragic, doomed romance. While some critics complained that the film resembled a romance novel writ, veering at times into the overwrought, audiences embraced the combination of emotion and grand historical scale, making the film a box-office success. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

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Reviews and discussions

10 Great Movies About Brothers
by SpoutBlog in SpoutBlog on spout.com

hasn't rated it.

Was this review helpful? [Be the first to tell us!]
"If there’s one thing I relate to on the big screen, it’s the depiction of fraternal relationships. I’m the middle of three brothers (excluding the half-brother I only knew as a toddler and the former stepbrother I only knew briefly as an adult), and at different points in my life I’ve either hated them or considered them my best friends. So, yeah, I can’t wait to see Step Brothers, starring Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly as new siblings who go from being enemies to BFFs when forced to live together. Choosing a handful of favorite movies about brotherhood is really tough. After all, tales of brothers go all the way back to almost the beginning, with the story of Cain and Abel. And a number of favorites can’t exactly be discussed, because the revelation of brothers, especially twin brothers, is often the surprise twist in films. So, before you start naming a thousand other films about brothers that I’ve forgotten (such as The Brothers McMullen and Legends of the Fall), keep in mind ... " [More]

TOP 5 MOVIES TO TEACH AN ALIEN ...
by SkyPilot in Filmgaming

hasn't rated it.

"bavmotors1, you are hereby declared humanity's ambassador. Your films are the sole cargo of the unmanned spacecraft Image1, which launches this morning. Your proposal: Documentaries are right out because that makes the list no fun. Outside of that what an alien “is” carries such a broad range of possibilities that would alter what one might put on the list. Would the alien be like Alf or Galactus? Eating cats or eating planets? Ultimately every study of human kind will produce more questions than answers so that is where I came from with my list. After the number one pick the rest are in no particular order. Contact. The alien has searched the “big ass sky” to find tiny Earth. Contact relates what the experience is like for human kind. The search for alien life might be the only similar effort the two species share. The question Elanor Arroway asks at the end is one I think we'd hope to get the answer to. You know... as long as we're talking. Blo ... " [More]

Re:TOP 5 MOVIES TO TEACH AN ALI ...
by bavmotors1 in Filmgaming

hasn't rated it.

"Documentaries are right out because that makes the list no fun. Outside of that what an alien “is” carries such a broad range of possibilities that would alter what one might put on the list. Would the alien be like Alf or Galactus? Eating cats or eating planets? Ultimately every study of human kind will produce more questions than answers so that is where I came from with my list. After the number one pick the rest are in no particular order. Contact. The alien has searched the “big ass sky” to find tiny Earth. Contact relates what the experience is like for human kind. The search for alien life might be the only similar effort the two species share. The question Elanor Arroway asks at the end is one I think we'd hope to get the answer to. You know... as long as we're talking. Blood Diamond. Of all the geopolitical movies out there an exposition of the ultra poor dying so the ultra rich can have (or even worse lock away in a box) symbolic tri ... " [More]

Re: Top 5 Tear Jerking Scenes
by pippin06 in Top 5

liked it.

"Wow! All men replied to this topic so far. It's good to know boys do cry after all, hee hee.I just wanted to throw my two cents in.Movies with scenes I always cry for:Gone with the Wind: Ok. If you had been watching this movie for four hours, that teary farewell scene culminating into "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn" would you make you cry too. You've just been through a Civil War, the death of two parents, the death of your only child, and you've pining for the wrong man this whole time not to mention all the failed tricks and schemes you masterminded, even stealing your sister's only beau, to try to win his affections. Oh wait, I mean Scarlett has. Then the stubborn woman just realizes things a little too late. Those tears are real.The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King: The first time I watched this movie, I cried for the last hour. I did see it at the midnight showing, to be fair, and I was tired and riddled with too much excitement. Now, ... " [More]

Re: Top War Films
by Risselada in Top 5

hasn't rated it.

"[quote user="SkyPilot"] 1. The Thin Red Line--I've never been in the military but the movement of the film feels very realistic, a hurry-up-and-wait situation. But since it's Malick, it's often slow-down-and-wait, too. 2. The Deer Hunter--By now we probably all know that there is no evidence for the Viet Cong forcing their prisoners to play Russian roulette. Fine. It's still one of the most compelling scenes in cinema history. 3. Apocalypse Now--not the Redux, in which the scenes had some interesting points or themes, but I don't think most of the scenes helped the movie. Except maybe the scene where Kurtz comes to the guys' cell and reads to him from--Time magazine was it? Still, you have a trade-off because that's the only time you see Kurtz in the daylight, and I like how in the original he's always in the dark of the temple. 4. Saving Private Ryan--UPPUM WILL YOU GET UP THAT F***ING STAIRCASE! It still does it to me every time. 5. Platoon--I don't have much to say a ... " [More]

Re: Top War Films
by paul in Top 5

liked it.

"War.It's such a popular genre and, therefore, is usually done poorly, like romance. So, I'm asking myself which films I feel really showed me something about war besides the usual hero vs. villain stuff.The Thin Red Line (for reasons stated above)The New World - although not a designated "war," I still thought there was a war between the colonists and indians. Even such a small war had reprecussions that changed the world.Hotel Rwanda - showed me how a country can cave in on itself without the rest of the world having a clue. It also showed me how much war is about emotions with no regard for reason.Legends of the Fall and Tae Guk Gi - It's amazing how war completely mangles and reinvents a bond between brothers.Chihwaseon - Usually, in war movie you have to watch the war from one side--the hero's side--looking at the other. This movie's hero refuses to choose sides as war after war goes on around him. Something about that perspective really, for me, showed the futility of war. " [More]

Re: Guess The Movie Quote
by spoutgirl in Best movie quotes

hasn't rated it.

"Would it be Legends of the Fall? :) " [More]

Review by All Movie Guide

All Movie Guide

is neutral about it.

Although Edward Zwick's ambitious, tragic epic oozes with melodrama, it nevertheless manages to captivate the imagination. With a macho rural narrative smacking of a Jack London tale, the story becomes stuck in a tragic mode early on, with one painful event after another befalling the film's central family. Anthony Hopkins, Brad Pitt, and Aidan Quinn all breathe life into their respective characters, but their work, as well as Zwick's ability to capture the rugged beauty of Montana's pastoral landscapes, is severely compromised by the film's excessive length and its narrative's unceasing tragedies, both of which try the viewer's patience. The cast rarely disappoints though; Hopkins is exceptional as the patriarchal anarchist, while Pitt and Quinn also offer some strong moments. Legends of the Fall has all the elements of classic melodrama: romance, war, tragedy, and sibling rivalry, and its universal appeal made it a hit with moviegoers but, despite its aspirations, it is by no means an epic tale for the ages. ~ Mike DiBella, All Movie Guide

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