A film review by James Berardinelli.
Watching A River Runs Through It is a little like leafing through an old photograph album. It conjures up feelings and images, many of them bittersweet, and all of them nostalgic. This is one of those motion pictures that truly transports you to another time and another place.
A River Runs Through It is a simple story about a typical, early-twentieth century Montana family. It traces the lives of two brothers from boyhood to adulthood. Water -- and a river in particular -- is an important symbol for the twisting, rocky path of life, and it's never far from any scene. In fact, this may be a case of imagery being too obvious.
The two main characters, Norman and Paul Maclean, are portrayed by a pair of up-and-coming young actors, Craig Sheffer as Norman and Brad Pitt as his younger brother Paul. Tom Skerritt, as the boys' father, Brenda Blethyn as their mother, and Emily Lloyd, as Norman's girlfriend Jessie, lead a team of equally-solid supporting players. Skerritt especially has a daunting job, which he carries off with aplomb: showing the loving, caring man beneath the stiff, Puritanical preacher's facade.
The cinematography (by Philippe Rousselot) is on par with the best of the year. This is a beautifully-shot film, and director Robert Redford (who also provides the voice-over narration) has paid painstaking attention to detail. The subtle humor is unforced and character-based. One of the best elements of A River Runs Through It is the effectively understated romance that develops. This has the feel of something genuine: sweet, touching, and sentimental. In that way, it is much like the movie as a whole.
A River Runs Through It avoids manipulating the audience's emotions, even though it has numerous chances to do so. Events happen; they aren't forced on us. Through this straightforward method of storytelling, the impact is strengthened. A River Runs Through It is a fine motion picture and, if it's a little slow in parts (especially the beginning), those moments are worth sitting through to experience the rest.
Blogger's comment and SPOILER ALERT: The film's ending does take some liberties with historical fact. Although Paul worked for the Helena Bee newspaper, he protested when his older brother suggested he come to Dartmouth with him, saying that he'd never leave Montana. In fact, Paul did attend Dartmouth either with or after his brother. Also, the film ends with Paul's murder in Missoula, suggesting that it was because of his bad debts and also possibly because he had a Native American girlfriend which was frowned upon. In fact, Paul was murdered in 1938 on the streets of Chicago where he'd gone to work and be close to older brother Norman and his wife Jessie. Paul had just cashed his paycheck and there was speculation he had been murdered for the money.
Blogger's comment and SPOILER ALERT: The film's ending does take some liberties with historical fact. Although Paul worked for the Helena Bee newspaper, he protested when his older brother suggested he come to Dartmouth with him, saying that he'd never leave Montana. In fact, Paul did attend Dartmouth either with or after his brother. Also, the film ends with Paul's murder in Missoula, suggesting that it was because of his bad debts and also possibly because he had a Native American girlfriend which was frowned upon. In fact, Paul was murdered in 1938 on the streets of Chicago where he'd gone to work and be close to older brother Norman and his wife Jessie. Paul had just cashed his paycheck and there was speculation he had been murdered for the money.
Reverend Maclean is shown preaching from the pulpit of the First Presbyterian Church in the late 1930s and early 1940s, however he left the pulpit of FPC Missoula in 1925 when he moved on to oversee the Helena Synod of which FPC Missoula was likely a part, although it is not known if he actually left Missoula itself. The pastor who came in 1925 after Maclean was David E. Jackson, who was at FPC Missoula from 1925 to 1940 when he passed away. He was followed by Raymond Cameron in 1940.
There is a scene in the film, probably around 1944, showing Reverend Maclean preaching at FPC Missoula, with Mrs. Maclean, Norman, Jessie and their two young children seated in the pews. Since Rev. Maclean passed away in 1941, and Norman and Jessie's two children were born in 1942 and 1943, this is fictional. Even if Reverend Maclean had been there as a guest pastor, it would have been after he passed away.
The final scene shows an aging Norman Maclean fly-fishing on the Big Blackfoot River. Although he passed away in Chicago in 1990 at age 87, it's very likely that he made visits to Missoula throughout his life. John Norman Maclean, Reverend Maclean's grandson and Norman Maclean's son, visits Missoula quite often as there is a family cabin on Seeley Lake that is beloved and has been handed down through the generations. John Norman Maclean, born in 1943, is 81 as of this writing in 2024.
Label: drama, period, reunion, romance, rom-drama-faves, sport, tragedy
Blu-ray
John Norman Maclean, son of author Norman Maclean
Norman Maclean, Amer. author & scholar, 1902-1990, son of Rev. Maclean
Old Missoula
Missoula The Way It Was (loads slowly)
Wikipedia - Missoula Montana
John Norman Maclean, son of author Norman Maclean
Norman Maclean, Amer. author & scholar, 1902-1990, son of Rev. Maclean
Old Missoula
Missoula The Way It Was (loads slowly)
Wikipedia - Missoula Montana
