I remember walking out of the theater with a group of my first-year college friends after watching Edward Zwick’s (The Last Samurai, Blood Diamond) Legends of the Fall when my one friend turned to me and said, “I feel like I just want go in a hole and die now.” Truer words couldn’t have been spoken for, perhaps, the most extensive epic I had seen in a theater until that point in my life. I knew little about the film besides that it starred Brad Pitt (Twelve Monkeys, Se7en), and it could be a darker, more adult-oriented version of the beloved A River Runs Through It. The unknown was just a fraction of what made Legends of the Fall become one of my favorite movies of all time and one that has never fallen out of my Top 50. That is until my 2023 rewatch, some 15 years after I last watched the film.

I’ll preface this by saying Legends of the Fall is still a Top 100 film of mine. While there was a drop-off since my last viewing, it doesn’t take away from my first experience with the film or the memories I’ve had on rewatches. However, I view Tristan (Pitt) much differently in 2023 than in 1994. In 1994, Pitt was this up-and-coming stud of an actor in the first big-budget role that he was carrying, more or less, by himself. Sure, he had Anthony Hopkins (Silence of the Lambs, The Father), Aiden Quinn (Michael Collins, Unknown), and Julia Ormond (Sabrina, My Week With Marilyn) to help shoulder the load. Still, filmgoers surged to the theaters to see Pitt. Pitt’s portrayal of the confident, irresistible Tristan, the middle of Col. William Ludlow’s (Hopkins) three sons, was a character of envy at the time. The way that others flocked towards him and his ability to resist the norm and do things his way was something of envy to an 18-year-old college student living away from home for the first time. It only took 30 years for me to see that Tristan was not the hero I imagined him to be. Instead, he was an arrogant, self-righteous person who loved his family but seemed to have no problem abandoning them in their many times of need.

Col. Ludlow, now retired from the U.S. Cavalry that he now condemns for their brutal treatment of Native Americans, has created a life in the vast Montana wilderness, working the family ranch with his oldest son Alfred (Quinn) and Tristan, along with his most trusted friend, One Stab (Gordon Tootoosis), and John (James O’Banion), who we learn has retreated to the Ludlow ranch after running from the law with his wife and daughter, for an unspecified crime. Ludlow’s wife Isabella has moved to the East Coast, not so much as separating from the colonel, as much as telling the family that ranch life isn’t for her.

Ludlow’s youngest son, Samuel (Henry Thomas – Gangs of New York, All the Pretty Horses), has returned from his university studies on the East Coast along with his fiance, Susannah (Ormond). Samuel is an ambitious, joyful young man with a bright future outside the ranch. However, he is bothered by the events of the world, particularly the First World War. Against his father’s adamant wishes that he stay away from the conflict, Samuel decides to travel to Canada and enlist in the war. Alfred and Tristan agree to go with him, not because they believe in the cause, but because they want to support their brother.

A series of unfortunate events arise when Susannah steps off the train to meet the Ludlow family. She becomes intertwined in numerous ways with each of the colonel’s sons. Saying too much more will lead to many spoilers. However, I feel comfortable saying that all three brothers feel a deep attraction to Susannah, that the way she views each of these men is quite different, and that this will be a driving force of the film. Susannah is strong in mind and body, quickly learning to ride horses, herd cattle, and shoot rifles. She’s beautiful, engaging, spirited, and stubborn. She captivates all the Wudlows. We can sense that something will have to give.

Legends of the Fall is told over 60 years, but we spend 95% of the time with the characters in the 1910s and 1920s. The war and prohibition play integral parts in the film. Voiceover narration is also a consistent element, with the likes of Tristan, Alfred, Colonel Ludlow, and One Stab telling us the thoughts, feelings, and events through their eyes. This technique allows Zwick to condense what might otherwise take multiple scenes into 30-60-second fragments while also allowing his characters to express their innermost feelings as the movie lapses over weeks, months, or even years at a time.

James Horner’s score is beautiful. It’s top 25 all-time for me, and, perhaps, top 10. Zwick tugs at our heartstrings from opening through closing credits. Horner’s music makes it that much more challenging to fight off the tears as our characters endure tragedy after tragedy. The acting is fantastic, highlighted by Pitt, Ormond, Hopkins, and Quinn. As much as I wanted to be Tristan in 1997, my 2023 allowed me to see that he beholds many disdainful characteristics. His dashing good looks and gentle smile are augmented by his ability to converse and make those around him feel important. At least that’s the case when it’s convenient for him. Parts of the film’s tragedies result from the characters’ direct actions. Others are not. This film is sad, almost from the start. As it progresses, you get the sense that this trend will continue. Ormond’s portrayal of Susannah should have earned an Oscar nomination. Her brain is in constant turmoil as she tries to find balance and semblance in her new world. It makes us wonder how much more she can bend before she ultimately breaks. Sussanah wears her emotions on her sleeve and is the movie’s catalyst.

Legends of the Fall is worth a rewatch if you’ve seen it before. It’s gorgeously shot, has a beautiful score, and is stacked with terrific performances. I’m uncertain if it would be as captivating as a first-time watch in 2023. I wonder if it would be given its fair chance, similar to not giving a film like Out of Africa a fair chance because I didn’t watch it when it was initially released. Legends of the Fall remains a great film.

Plot 7.75/10
Character Development 9.25/10
Character Chemistry 9.5/10
Acting 9.5/10
Screenplay 9.25/10
Directing  8.75/10
Cinematography 9.5/10
Sound 10/10
Hook and Reel 9.5/10
Universal Relevance 8.25/10
91.25%

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