Was I Up For A Fall? (Legends of the Fall (DVD))

Member Name: fooyoo

Product:	Legends of the Fall (DVD)
Date:	19/10/04 (208 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Strong performances

Disadvantages: Weepy wife on my arm!!

Raking through our pretty extensive and varied film selection, my wife decided that it was a long time since we had watched ‘Legends Of The Fall’, and that last night was the night to put that right. Being truthful, I was dreading the thought, as I don’t think I managed to sit through it all first time round as it was just too much of a romantic girlie film for me, but eager to please, I vowed to stay put last night.

The film was first released 10 years ago, when Brad Pitt was only starting off on his climb up the Hollywood fame ladder. The film is based on a book by Jim Harrison, but then isn’t that so often the case nowadays, but sadly most of the time the films falls well short of the literary version. Edward Zwick is in the director’s chair, and I am sure that this is not his first film, however his is not a name that conjures up images of successful and enjoyable films. The film focuses on the lives and loves of an early 20th century family who live in the mountains of Montana. It is narrated by Decker, an Indian man who lived with, and was practically part of the family. He lives with the family, along with his wife and daughter Isabelle Too, who is named after the departed Mrs Ludlow.

Head of the family, is the father, bitter ex serviceman William Ludlow (Anthony Hopkins), who is a firm but fair, and without doubt a devoted father to his three sons, Alfred (Aidan Quinn), Tristan (Brad Pitt) and Samuel (Henry Thomas). Throughout the film, we watch the brothers grow and develop very different characters. Alfred is driven and determined to make a life away from the mountains in the “big city”, and finally gain his father’s approval, as he has always been biased towards Tristan. Tristan is happier at home, working and living from the land, whilst mousey Samuel is intelligent and more thoughtful than his older, brasher brothers, and is the first to bring home a bride to be. Susannah(Julia Ormond) is the perfect match for Samuel, and it seems that his simple life is to be complete. Susannah brings a female influence into the house, which has been missing since William’s wife Isabelle decided that life in the mountains for not for her.

The family are a solid unit until the call of war takes the three brothers away to fight against the increasingly powerful German forces. Susannah begs Samuel not to go, but his need to do his duty is a stronger calling. They all witness different events, and experience different traumas, which when they return home, affects them all in different, but dramatic ways.

I will not spoil the film by telling you what happens to the brothers whilst they are at war, as it would certainly prove too much of a spoiler. All I will say, is that second time round, I found this really enjoyable, and far less girlie than I remember. It has got romance, but that is balanced with equal amounts of bitterness, hatred, jealousy, rivalry, bloodshed and death.

The characters are well developed, and the actors chosen to portray them are very watchable. Hopkins looks much older than his years, and puts in the dependable, steady performance he has become renowned for. Pitt delivers an excellent performance as the troubled middle brother who feels that life has dealt him too many hard blows and the only way to cope is to fight back. This kind of role really suits Pitt, as it allows him to show he has true talent, rather than being the stereotypical pretty face so many people have him pigeonholed as. I like Aidan Quinn, and I think he is an underrated actor, and whilst he is a good choice for Alfred, Pitt’s performance leaves him in the shade. Julia Ormond sets foot into a predominantly male film, and she does well, although at times she was too wet, and I was sure some of her experiences would have left her a tougher, even quite bitter person.

James Horner provides the score for the film, and whilst it certainly adds to the ambience of the film, it is not the kind of music which immediately comes to mind when recalling the film. The cinematography is at times stunning, but then that is more down to the landscapes than the talent of the technical team, but then it would be hard to take on nature and beat it!!

I am glad I gave this film a second chance, and I would recommend you do the same if you think you will not like it.

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