Though writer-director Ed Zwick gained his fame as the creative force behind the enormously popular TV series, thirtysomething (1987-1991), his theatrical films are usually epic in nature. He scored a critical and commercial bull's-eye with his first picture, the Oscar-winning Civil War drama, Glory (1989). But, five years later, he expanded on that film's broad historical canvas with Legends of the Fall, a sprawling romantic melodrama based on the acclaimed Jim Harrison novel. This is the sort of big-budget movie that studios used to produce in the 1940's and '50s, with a major dose of Brad Pitt's modern-day sexual charisma thrown in for good measure.

In Legends of the Fall, Anthony Hopkins plays Colonel Ludlow, an ex-Cavalry officer living with his three handsome sons in the wilds of Montana. Alfred (Aidan Quinn), the oldest one, is a level-headed businessman with political leanings, and the youngest, Samuel (Henry Thomas), has a hot temper that is sometimes ignited by his political interests. Colonel Ludlow loves Alfred and Samuel, but he keeps a special place in his heart for Tristan (Pitt), his sleek, long-haired middle son. Like his father, Tristan, who was schooled by a Cree Indian named One Stab (Gordon Tootoosis), shows deep respect for Indian culture.

When Samuel returns from college, he is accompanied by his girlfriend, Susannah (Julia Ormond, in one of her first films). Her presence begins to create tension between the three brothers, all of whom fall in love with her. Then World War I is declared. Samuel enlists in the Army and is soon followed by Tristan and Alfred. Before leaving for the front, Tristan and Susannah share a romantic exchange that Samuel secretly watches, further complicating the relationship between the brothers.

[Spoiler Alert] After witnessing Samuel's death on the battlefield, Tristan clings to Indian spirituality as a sort of psychic salve. But, like his brother Alfred, he eventually returns to his Montana home where they both proclaim their love for Susannah. The film culminates in a political showdown involving the annihilation of the Indian nation, as well as Tristan making his way to Africa to hunt for ivory, a stroke for the Colonel, and one son's late-blooming career as a bootlegger.

Critics weren't particularly kind to Legends of the Fall when it opened and noted its unwieldy narrative and bombastic direction. Even a world-class actor like Anthony Hopkins wasn't able to resist some scenery chewing antics in the course of the film. Nevertheless, Legends of the Fall was a box office hit, mainly due to Brad Pitt, who was at the peak of his fame. Critic Tom Charity of TimeOut said it best when he wrote, "...the entire film plays like a commercial for Brad Pitt. You can imagine half the audience wondering, "Where can I get one of those?" Every young male star should have a role like this: cowboy, soldier, adventurer, bootlegger, vigilante."

As for Academy Award recognition, John Toll won an Oscar for his gorgeous cinematography and he would also win the following year for shooting Mel Gibson's Braveheart (1995), making him the first cinematographer in movie history to manage such a coup. He would later photograph Terrence Malick's strange, dreamlike World War II drama, The Thin Red Line (1998), making him one of the indisputable masters of the art.

Director Zwick has gone on to even greater success as a producer, having been responsible (along with several other people) for Best Picture winner Shakespeare in Love (1998) and Steven Soderbergh's hard-hitting drug expose, Traffic (2000).

Director/Producer: Edward Zwick
Screenplay: Susan Shilliday and Bill Wittliff
Based on the novella by Jim Harrison Art Designer: Rick Roberts and Andrew Precht
Editing: Steven Rosenblum
Cinematography: John Toll
Costume Design: Deborah Scott
Principal Cast: Brad Pitt (Tristan Ludlow), Anthony Hopkins (Colonel William Ludlow), Aidan Quinn (Alfred Ludlow), Julia Ormond (Susannah Finncannon), Henry Thomas (Samuel Ludlow), Gordon Tootoosis (One Stab).
C-133m. Letterboxed.

By Paul Tatara