[Pitt] casts such a saintly, beatific sheen over the proceedings that he seems to glow from within.
Legends of the Fall (1994)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:40
Fresh:25
Rotten:15
Average Rating:5.7/10
Runtime: 2 hrs 14 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: Director Edward Zwick's epic romance, set against the backdrop of WWI and the wide sky and rugged terrain of Montana, stars Anthony Hopkins as William Ludlow, an idealistic retired colonel who... Director Edward Zwick's epic romance, set against the backdrop of WWI and the wide sky and rugged terrain of Montana, stars Anthony Hopkins as William Ludlow, an idealistic retired colonel who disapproves of the war and the army's indecent treatment of Native Americans. Abandoned by his blue-blooded wife, Ludlow raises his three sons in the remote foothills of Montana with the help of Native American friends. Before the war, Samuel (Henry Thomas) brings home his fiancée from the East Coast, Susannah (Julia Ormond), a stunning beauty who can ride, rope, and hunt like the Ludlow boys. When the war breaks out, Samuel, the youngest and most idealistic son, enlists in the army. Brothers Alfred (Aidan Quinn) and Tristan (Brad Pitt) follow suit, more as protectors than as cohorts. Despite their best efforts, however, Samuel dies in battle. Upon returning home, Tristan becomes involved with Susannah, who is devastated by her loss but profoundly attracted to the brooding brother. However, tormented by his inability to save his little brother's life, Tristan abandons her and sets out on a long journey of self-discovery. During his absence, Alfred reveals his own passion for Susannah. Although she does not reciprocate his feelings, Susannah--who has despaired of ever seeing Tristan again--agrees to become his wife. Ultimately, Tristan does return, setting off a dangerous conflict between the brothers. [More]
Starring: Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Aidan Quinn, Julia Ormond
Starring: Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Aidan Quinn, Julia Ormond, Henry Thomas, Karina Lombard, Gordon Tootoosis, Christina Pickles, Tantoo Cardinal
Director: Edward Zwick
Director: Edward Zwick
Screenwriter: Susan Shilliday, William D. Wittliff
Producer: William D. Wittliff, Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskovitz
Composer: James Horner
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Reviews for Legends of the Fall
Just like quality loo roll, it's long in duration and strong on technical quality. Unfortunately it's also soft on plot and characterisation.
Big, bombastic and in the hands of director Edward Zwick, a bit much. In fact, it seems at times like little more than an overblown television miniseries.
Can be recommended to all the viewers hungry for movies that Hollywood knew how to make some thirty or forty years ago.
A semi-successful attempt at grand, schmaltzy romantic melodrama, in the manner of 1950s movies like Giant and other works based on literature. Hopkins is hammy as the patriarch but Aidan Quinn and particularly Brad Pitt as his sons at least look right.
Grand tale about passion, guilt and grief set in the wilds of Montana.
The kind of movie that doesn't require much effort to surrender to and enjoy.
What needs to be epic often seems petty and small. Perhaps it was in compensation for this narrative inadequacy that the musical score grew to be sweepingly grand and intrusively ever-present.
A thoughtful and occasionally powerful epic film. It is unusual to see filmmakers taking a risk on this type of film any more, but this one deserves to pay off.
Though the admirable Quinn has the toughest role, Pitt carries the picture. The blue-eyed boy who seemed a bit lost in Interview With the Vampire proves himself a bona fide movie star, stealing every scene he's in.
This is the kind of big, robust Western love story that just begs to be filmed -- which, come to think of it, it has been.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 15% 15% | The Ugly Truth |
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 45% 45% | Shorts |
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