As directed by Robert Redford, A River Runs Through It, is a subdued but handsomely mounted picture, with Oscar-winning imagery by the French ace lenser Philippe Rousselot.
The background is often more captivating than the foreground due to the tame, old-fashioned, mildly engaging family melodrama.
Craig Sheffer’s voice-over narration sets the tone for the ensuing saga, when we hear: “In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly-fishing.”
We immediately get the father’s passion for fly-fishing, which is imparted to one of two brothers as the kind of sports that calls for the devotion and fervor of religion.
The siblings Norman (Craig Sheffer) and Paul MacLean (Brad Pitt) grow up in a Montana town under the stern but loving guidance of their Presbyterian minister father, Reverend MacLean (Tom Skeritt) and their soft-spoken mother (Brenda Blethyn).
The two youngsters represent types familiar from similar literature and film: While Paul rebels against his father, Norman is the more mature and responsible one.
The sprawling, occasionally lyrical saga spans a whole generation, from 1910 to 1935. It depicts how Norman goes away to college and Paul stays in Montana, becoming a newspaper reporter.
When Norman returns from college, he’s disturbed by Paul’s gambling, drinking, and womanizing. But he is helpless, and unable stop his brother’s downward spiral, which eventually leads to tragic end. Meanwhile, Norman falls for Jesse Burns (Emily Lloyd), a flapper from an eccentric Methodist family.
This was Redford’s second and weakerfilm in 12 years, after winning the Best Picture and Director for his debut, “Ordinary People,” in 1980. Redford has said that his goal was “to illustrate author Norman Maclean’s “words and language and match them with the physicality of the West.”
Rather dull, the film is made with too much reverence and taste for Maclean’s short story, adapted to the screen by Richard Friedenberg, lacking real drama or compassion.
The family members often just sit and stare at each other without uttering one word. The clan’s bucolic episodes and ups and downs–are blandly depicted and acted, and they turn the saga into a stately and decorous film.
That said, it’s rewarding to look at the landscape and at the gorgeous face of Brad Pitt, who gets the star treatment through numerous close-ups.
Made on a budget of $12 million, the movie ws popular at the box-office and helped catapulting Brad Pitt into major stardom.
My Oscar Book:
Oscar Nominations: 3
Cinematography: Philippe Rousselot
Screenplay (Adapted): Richard Friedenberg
Original Score: Mark Isham
Oscar Awards
Cinematography
Oscar Context
In 1992, the winners of the Adapted Screenplay Oscar was Ruth Prawer Jhabvala for “Howards End,” and of the Original Score Alan Menken for “Aladdin.”
Cast
Craig Sheffer as Norman Maclean
Joseph Gordon-Levitt as young Norman
Robert Redford as the voice of older Norman
Brad Pitt as Paul Maclean
Vann Gravage as young Paul
Tom Skerritt as Reverend Maclean
Brenda Blethyn as Mrs. Maclean
Emily Lloyd as Jessie Burns
Edie McClurg as Mrs. Burns
Stephen Shellen as Neal Burns
Nicole Burdette as Mabel
Susan Traylor as Rawhide
Michael Cudlitz as Chub
William Hootkins as Murphy
Credits:
Directed by Robert Redford
Screenplay by Richard Friedenberg, based on “A River Runs Through It” by Norman Maclean
Produced by Redford, Jake Eberts, Patrick Markey
Cinematography: Philippe Rousselot
Edited by Robert Estrin, Lynzee Klingman
Music by Mark Isham
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release dates: Sept 11, 1992 (Toronto Fest); Oct. 9, 1992 (US)
Running time: 123 minutes
Budget$12 million
Box office: $66 million
