A River Runs Through It
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A River Runs Through It
Plot
Robert Redford's lyrical direction sets the tone for this evocative adaptation of author Norman MacLean's memoir of his idyllic Montana youth. The MacLean family is presided over by the strict but encouraging Rev. MacLean (Tom Skerritt) and his loving wife (Brenda Blethyn). Craig Sheffer stars as the young Norman, the older son in his family, who takes his school work and writing a bit too seriously for Paul (Brad Pitt), the impetuous younger son, to take much stock in. Paul would rather have a good time, drink and play cards than get involved with academic study. Where Norman wants to be a college literature professor, Paul would prefer to stay in Montana all his life and wrangle some kind of job writing for a local newspaper. But, ironically, Paul is the better fly fisherman and in this way attains a sense of perfection. The film also details the MacLean boys' involvement with a colorful group of town's people -- including a young Indian woman Paul decides to date and the defiant Jessie (Emily Lloyd), whom Norman later marries. ~ Paul Brenner, RoviReview
The sure hand of director Robert Redford, his images beautifully rendered by cinematographer Philippe Rousselot, did more than play it safe with the material provided by Norman Maclean's best-selling autobiographical novel about fly-fishing and the connection between father and sons. Set in Montana in the early 20th century, the film is a typical coming-of-age story featuring two sons, one conventional (Craig Sheffer) and one wild (Brad Pitt), and their relationships with their minister dad (Tom Skerritt). In his third directorial effort, Redford showed that he understood mood, pace, and setting like few other contemporary American filmmakers. A River Runs Through It is a mature, contemplative film that put Redford back on track as a director, leading him, a few years later, to the equally adept and perhaps more substantial Quiz Show. ~ Michael Betzold, RoviCast
- Craig Sheffer - Norman Maclean
- Brad Pitt - Paul Maclean
- Tom Skerritt - Reverend MacLean
- Brenda Blethyn - Mrs. Maclean
- Emily Lloyd - Jessie Burns
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt - Young Norman
Credit
Walter Paul Martishius - Art Director, Elisabeth Leustig - Casting, Barbara Maltby - Co-producer, Bernie Pollack - Costume Designer, Kathy O'Rear - Costume Designer, Robert Redford - Director, Robert L. Estrin - Editor, Lynzee Klingman - Editor, Jake Eberts - Executive Producer, Mark Isham - Composer (Music Score), Jon Hutman - Production Designer, Philippe Rousselot - Cinematographer, Patrick Markey - Producer, Robert Redford - Producer, Gretchen Rau - Set Designer, Richard Friedenberg - Screenwriter, William Hjortsberg - Screenwriter, Anne Gordon - Animal Trainer/Wrangler, Norman Maclean - Short Story Author| A River Called Titas (1973 Film), A Ritmo de Twist (1962 Film) | |
| A River of Waste: The Hazardous Truth About Factory Farms (2008 Film), A Road to Mecca: The Journey of Mohammad Asad (2008 Film) |
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A River Runs Through It
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A River Runs Through It (film)
This article is about the 1992 film. For information on the 1976 novella by Norman Maclean, see A River Runs Through It (novel).
| A River Runs Through It | |
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 original movie poster |
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| Directed by | Robert Redford |
| Produced by | Jake Eberts Robert Redford Patrick Markey |
| Written by | Norman Maclean Richard Friedenberg |
| Starring | Craig Sheffer Brad Pitt Tom Skerritt Brenda Blethyn Emily Lloyd |
| Music by | Mark Isham |
| Cinematography | Philippe Rousselot |
| Editing by | Robert Estrin Lynzee Klingman |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
| Release date(s) | October 9, 1992 |
| Running time | 123 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
A River Runs Through It is a 1992 American film directed by Robert Redford and starring Brad Pitt, Craig Sheffer, Tom Skerritt, Brenda Blethyn, and Emily Lloyd. It is a period drama based on the semi-autobiographical novella A River Runs Through It (1976) written by Norman Maclean (1902–90), adapted for the screen by Richard Friedenberg.
Set in and around the city of Missoula in western Montana, the story follows two sons of a Presbyterian minister—one studious and the other rebellious—as they grow up and come of age in a time that roughly spans the Prohibition era (1919–33) in the United States: from World War I (1917–18) to the early days of the Great Depression (1929–41).
The film won an Academy Award for Best Cinematography in 1993 and was nominated for two other Oscars, for Best Music, Original Score and Best Adapted Screenplay. The film grossed $43,440,294 in US domestic returns.[1]
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Contents
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Plot synopsis
The film tells the autobiographical story about two young men, Norman (Craig Sheffer) and Paul (Brad Pitt), growing up in 1920s Missoula, Montana under the watchful eye of their father, a Presbyterian minister. Their mornings are spent in school and religious study, while their afternoons are devoted to fly fishing in the nearby Blackfoot River. At home, however, the family's stoic emotions hint that trouble is to come. Norman goes to the east coast for college and lives there for six years, without returning home until then. In the meantime, Paul gets a job as a prolific journalist and makes a name for himself back home. The movie is about Norman's return home and his and Paul's summer together.
As adults, Paul is a rebellious journalist and his brother, Norman, a level-headed, grounded teacher. Norman matures and channels his rebellion through his writing while dating Jessie Burns, while his reckless brother Paul turns to gambling and liquor. The film chronicles their intertwining and often conflicting lives, focusing on Norman's point of view, as they grow up in the shadow of their minister father. A great deal of the film surrounds the men's love of fly fishing for trout in Montana's rivers, and their shared experiences through it while growing up.
Main cast
- Craig Sheffer as Norman Maclean
- Brad Pitt as Paul Maclean
- Tom Skerritt as Reverend Maclean
- Brenda Blethyn as Mrs. Maclean
- Emily Lloyd as Jessie Burns
- Edie McClurg as Mrs. Burns
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Young Norman
- Nicole Burdette as Mabel
- Michael Cudlitz as Chub
- Buck Simmonds as Humph
Location
Although both the book and movie are set in Missoula and on the Blackfoot River, the filming was done in Bozeman, Great Falls [2] and on the nearby upper Yellowstone, Gallatin and Boulder Rivers. The waterfall shown is Granite Falls in Wyoming.[3][4][5] The church scenes were filmed in the Redeemer Lutheran Church in Livingston, Montana.[6][7]
An article published in the Helena Independent Record in July, 2000 and based on recollections of people who knew both brothers noted a number of specifics about the Macleans — notably various chronological and educational details about Paul Maclean's adult life — that differ somewhat from their portrayal in the film and novella.[8]
Reception
Critical reviews
Released on October 9, 1992, A River Runs Through It grossed $43,440,294 in US domestic returns.[1] The film achieved an 83% "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes.com based on all polled critical reviews.[9]
Awards
A River Runs Through It was nominated for three Academy Awards in 1993, including Best Cinematography (Philippe Rousselot); Best Music, Original Score (Mark Isham); and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium (Richard Friedenberg). Rousselot won for Best Cinematography. At the Golden Globes, Robert Redford was nominated for Best Director - Motion Picture, but did not win.
References
- ^ a b boxofficemojo.com: A River Runs Through It
- ^ See Wikipedia article Great Falls, Montana (section Motion pictures filmed in Great Falls). Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Falls,_Montana#Motion_pictures_filmed_in_Great_Falls.
- ^ The Bozeman Daily Chronicle
- ^ Internet Movie Database
- ^ The Worldwide Guide to Movie Locations
- ^ Livingston, Montana and the Paradise Valley
- ^ imdb
- ^ Martin J. Kidston —
- ^ rottentomatoes.com: A River Runs Through It
External links
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Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: A River Runs Through It |
- A River Runs Through It at the Internet Movie Database
- A River Runs Through It at the TCM Movie Database
- A River Runs Through It at AllRovi
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