A River Runs Through It (film)
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- This article is about the 1992 film A River Runs Through It. For information on the 1976 novella by Norman Maclean, see A River Runs Through It.
| 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 |
| 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 |
| All Movie Guide profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
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 (1902-1990).
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 (1918-1933) in the United States: from World War I (1917-1918) to the early days of the Great Depression (1929-1941).
Opening to limited released on 9 October 1992 and wide release on 30 October 1992, A River Runs Through It grossed $43,440,294 in US domestic returns.[1] The film was nominated for three Academy Awards (known commonly as "Oscars"), for Best Cinematography, Original Music Score, and for Best Adapted Screenplay and also nominated for a Golden Globe Award the Best Director of a Motion Picture. It received one of the awards for which it was nominated: the Academy Award for Best Cinematography was awarded to the film's cinematographer Philippe Rousselot.
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[edit] Plot synopsis
Norman and his younger brother Paul grow up 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 river. At home, however, the family's inability to express emotions hints at trouble to come, as Norman matures and dates Jessie Burns, while his reckless brother Paul turns to gambling and liquor.
The film tells the autobiographical story about two boys, Norman (Craig Sheffer) and Paul (Brad Pitt) growing up in 1920s Missoula, Montana. Paul is a rebellious journalist, and his brother, Norman is a level-headed, grounded teacher. 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 Presbyterian 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.
[edit] 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
- Stephen Shellen as Neal Burns
- Vann Gravage as Young Paul
- Nicole Burdette as Mabel
- Susan Traylor as Rawhide
- Michael Cudlitz as Chub
- Rob Cox as Conroy
- Buck Simmonds as Humph
- Fred Oakland as Mr. Burns
- David Creamer as Ken Burns
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Young Norman
[edit] Reception
[edit] Critical reviews
Released on October 9, 1992, A River Runs Through It grossed $43,440,294 in US domestic returns.[2] The film achieved a 70% "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes.com based on all polled critical reviews.[3]
[edit] Awards
A River Runs Through It was nominated for three Academy Awards for 1992, 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. Robert Redford was also nominated for Best Director - Motion Picture at the Golden Globes, but did not win.
[edit] Fly fishing
Not surprisingly, the film fueled a dramatic rise in fly-fishing's popularity: the fly fishing industry expanded roughly three-fold in the five years following the film's release. This rapid expansion of the sport was a mixed bag, both for die-hard fisherfolk and for the fish. On the one side, many new technologies and refinements were brought to bear on ancient equipment and methods; fly-fishermen are gadget freaks by nature, so this was generally enjoyable. However, the well-known rivers also became very crowded with novices, and some ecosystems suffered. Both the unspoiled natural places and the contemplative state of mind portrayed in Maclean's book (and the film) became harder to find.
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[edit] Notes and references
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