Broken Trail (Single-disc)

You can’t go wrong with Robert Duval

BROKEN TRAIL is a film that is similar to RED RIVER, one of the great classics of American cinema, which stars John Wayne and Montgomery Clift. Both of the films concern drives of livestock across hundreds of miles in the American west. In BROKEN TRAIL, the livestock are horses, and the trip is from Oregon to Wyoming, while in RED RIVER, the livestock are cattle, and the trip is from Texas to Kansas. Having watched RED RIVER a few times, I was expecting some sort of tension or schism to occur among the cowboys in BROKEN TRAIL, but this never materialized in BROKEN TRAIL. Perhaps, this sort of expectation made me more involved with or interested in BROKEN TRAIL. BROKEN TRAIL requires watching two DVD discs, each about 90 minutes long.Here are the positive features of BROKEN TRAIL. I was not able to detect any shortcomings:(1) The cinematography is a wonder to behold, treating the viewer to beautiful landscapes of river and distant mountain crags (Canadian Rockies near Calgary). I was under the impression that Ansel Adams was hired as a photography consultant for this film. Great photography does not occur by accident. Wisdom in the framing, lighting, and so on, is evident in all of the landscape scenes.(2) This movie is configured for horse-lovers. There are endless scenes of cowboys riding on individual horses, and of the swarming herd of horses being driven through the wilderness. The horses come in various colors (they are not all brown). The storyline does not give any personality to any particular horse. In contrast, for example, in GULLIVER'S TRAVELS starring Ted Danson and Mary Steenbergen, the horses talk and express their opinions on the human social condition.(3) BROKEN TRAIL has a strong moral storyline, provided by the steadfast good-guy persona of each of the cowboys, and which contrasts with that of Big Rump Kate (the madame) and her cohort of killers. The good cowboys include Robert Duvall and Thomas Church. In fact, I bought this movie because I liked Thomas Church, in his portrayal of The Sandman in Spiderman-3. To be brief, none of the cowboys shows any concupiscent inclinations towards the fugitive Chinese ladies. Another moral aspect of the cowboys, is that they take care of an older Chinese man, for example, by using a simple surgical technique to stitch up a wound on his head, and afterwards smearing the repaired wound with grease, in order to prevent infestation by flies and bacteria.(4) The storyline of BROKEN TRAIL consists of the adventures encountered while driving the herd of horses eastwards for hundreds of miles. At one point, they encounter a group of five young Chinese women who are being transported for "employment" by the madame, Big Rump Kate. The cowboys rescue the the Chinese ladies, and bring them along with them as fugitives, preventing them from being claimed as property by the bad madame. An undercurrent of tension is provided through much of the film, because the viewer knows that the henchmen of the bad madame are tracking the cowboys, in order to capture the Chinese ladies. Near the end, there is some comedy relief, when the cowboys are approached by fierce Indians demanding two horses as a price to pass through their land. Towards the very end of the film, the henchmen catch up. (But don't worry, I do not tell what happens next.)(5) The movie is suitable for children from the age 12 and up. There are a few gunfights, and a few wounds. (But there are no flying body parts, no curse words, and no exposed topless women.)(6) For your interest, here is a bio of the actress playing the oldest of the young Chinese ladies:Gwendoline Yeo was born in Singapore. She moved to California as a teenager, graduating with honors from St. Ignatius College Preparatory in 1994. Yeo received her BA from UCLA before the age of 20, graduating summa cum laude, as well as receiving a diploma piano from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She specialized in playing the Chinese instrument, guzheng, and she had a radio show on NPR-KCRW. Ms.Yeo was crowned Miss Asian America in 1995 and named Miss Chinatown USA in 1998-1999. (Okay, okay, now we know what happens to over-achievers. They become movie stars.)(7) For your interest, here is a bio of Thomas Church: Mr.Church was born in Yolo, California, to an Army health care worker father and a telephone company sales rep mother. He was raised in Laredo, Texas, and graduated from high school in Harlingen, Texas, in 1979, going on to attend the University of North Texas. Church was a radio personality. A part in an independent film convinced him to move to California to pursue acting. He played the role of airport mechanic Lowell Mather for six seasons on the NBC show Wings. He worked in television for two seasons. He had supporting roles in films such as Tombstone, George of the Jungle, and The Specials.

better than expected

I love this movie. We have watched it several times.

It could have been very good as we all like macho cowboy stuff, fight for weak, struggle thru the nature, etc. Very poor end game.

All good

Wow! This is why filmmakers make movies. This movie will capture your imagination and heart. It is a big epic of a western, beautifuly filmed, with an intriging story line that will keep you guessing right up until the very end.I am a devoted western movie fan, and this movie ranks up there with the very best of the genre.Robert Duvall, best known as "Agustus" in Lonesome Dove, dons western garb once again and stars in a lengthy, yet thoroughly enjoyable tale of a horse drive across the plains to Sheridan, Wyoming. Duvall employs his nephew in the endevor, and they unexpectedly meet up with a variety of both endearing and unsavory characters along the way.This is not a shoot 'em up western. It is not action-packed. It meanders at a leisurly pace, as an actual horse drive would, yet an enjoyable pace from beginning to end. Duvall, as the patriarch Print Ritter, and his nephew Tom Harte, (played exceedingly strongly by Thomas Church) take about 500 head of horses to Wyoming. On the trail, they cross trails with an evil pimp who is moving five Chinese girls to a mining camp where they will be sold into the living hell of prostitution. The Chinese are sweet innocent beings who are being mistreated by the pimp, and through a series of incidents, the girls become the responsibility of Ritter and Harte. From there, the group picks up additional characters: another trail hand, an aging abused prostitute, Nola, played wonderfully by Greta Scacchi(who becomes a potential love interest of Duvall), and a Chinese man. This western is unusual in that the men portrayed have an inate sense of honor, and they treat their "guests" with dignity and kindness, which is unusual treatment indeed. The men vow to protect their companions until they can be safely dropped off in a town where they will be protected and not abused.On the trail we are treated to the troup interacting with each other. Nola falls in love with Duvall's character, as she senses the goodness inside him. She has never been treated with respect or kindness, and she sees a future with Duvall that would be romantic and tender in their love for each other. Meanwhile, nephew Tom has his shy eye on one of the Chinese girls, and they form a tentative, but budding relationship along the way. Throughout the trail drive, the viewer wonders how the love interests will play out.As with any good western, there is a chief antagonist, and in this case, he is a former customer of Nola's, "Big Ed", who is obsessed with her, yet absues her, and in the past nearly killed her. He is paid to bring the Chinese girls to the mining town, and like any evil man, he surrounds himself with three other equally evil companions to accomplish the job. Plans are made to overcome Duvall and his group, take the Chinese girls, and steal the horse herd.The climax occurs at the very end of the film, so it keeps you guessing right up until the very last minute. I will not spoil the ending here, yet suffice to say that the ending is tension-filled, action-packed, and beautifully directed for maximum suspense and impact.Robert Duvall is magnificent. He is the quintessential cowboy, a role that he was born to play. His easy mannerisms and style of acting rank an A+ in my book. Thomas Church plays a powerful role as well, as the chief protector of the group. He is as physically hard as Duvall is tender-hearted, and the two make a fine contrast. All the actors portray their roles wonderfully and most believably. It is as though you are along for the ride, watching it all unfold. One is not aware that these are actors playing roles, no, these are reallife characters, and that is what draws you into this 4-hour movie, and keeps your interest.This is a movie that is not suitable for young children due to gun violence and a brief rape scene. It is however, a movie that both men and women will enjoy together, for the male-female relationship is continually explored throughout the movie. Most westerns do not appeal to women, but this one is different, as much of the movie is interpreted through female eyes.In conclusion, this is a great western that is worth every minute of the 4-our time span. It will engage you and show a side of the west that no other film has attempted. Highly recommended without reservations. Find a nice easy chair, sit back, and enjoy this beautifully-made film.Jim 'Konedog" Koenig

Two me drive 500 horses to sell, maybe 600 miles or more. The people and places they meet and go shape their relationship towards each other. I had a horse when I was a kid, being on a horse all day is no fun at all.

Really good Western

I saw this movie on tv a few years back, which I really enjoyed. The 5 star rating is not for movie itself but for the quality of the dvd. Movie was clear and played flawlessly.

WALTER HILL gehört mit Sicherheit zu den erfolgreichsten Regisseuren Hollywoods, mit Filmen wie „Nur 48 Stunden“, „Red Heat“ oder „The Warriors“, hat er Action-Geschichte geschrieben.Aber nicht nur Actionfilme sind sein Metier, auch der Western hat es ihm angetan, so wie bei der Miniserie „Broken Trail“ aus dem Jahr 2006.In „Broken Trail“ dreht es sich um den alten Cowboy PRINT RITTER (Robert Duvall), der nach dem Tod seiner Schwester deren Sohn TOM HART (Thomas Haden Church) aufsucht, um ihm einen Vorschlag zu machen. Da RITTER die Farm seiner Schwester geerbt hat, nicht ihr Sohn TOM, macht er ihm einen Vorschlag. RITTER hat vor vom Verkauf der Farm eine Herde Pferde zu kaufen und diese mit ihm nach Norden zu treiben, wo er sie mit viel Gewinn verkaufen möchte.Nach anfänglichem Zögern willigt er ein und die beiden machen sich auf und werden unterwegs unfreiwillig zu Beschützern von fünf versklavten chinesischen Mädchen, die sie befreien. Die Besitzerin der Mädchen möchte aber gerne ihr Eigentum zurück haben und setzt den Gangster BIG EARS (Chris Mulkey) darauf an, ihr die Mädchen zurückzubringen …..Die Geschichte ist nicht wirklich spektakulär, aber sehr schön erzählt und emotional. Das Besondere an „Broken Trail“ ist die unaufgeregte Art wie HILL die Geschichte erzählt, er legt das Augenmerk auf die beiden Hauptprotagonisten, auf deren Charakter und die Neffe-Onkel-Beziehung, die sich langsam aufbaut.Eingebettet wird die Geschichte in wunderschöne Landschafsaufnahmen, die der Story Authentizität verleihen und die Story zusätzlich aufwerten.ROBERT DUVALL und THOMAS HADEN CHURCH spielen richtig gut, sie arbeiten viel mit Mimik, sie sind sehr ausdrucksstark, was den spärlichen Dialogen eine stärkere Bedeutung verschafft. Besonders ROBERT DUVALL ist große Klasse, ihn sehe ich sowieso sehr gerne, hier zeigt er warum das so ist.Beide wurden mit dem „Emmy“ ausgezeichnet, insgesamt wurde „Broken Trail“ 16 Mal nominiert, was schon darauf hindeutet, dass dieser Zweiteiler richtig gut geworden ist.Mein Fazit: „Broken Trail“ ist ein eher ruhiger und besonnenerer Western, da ist nichts mit glorifizierten Überhelden, die Figuren sind ganz normal, was sie ungemein sympathisch macht. WALTER HILL hat die Story in wunderschöne Bilder verpackt, das wurde sehr stimmungsvoll inszeniert, mir gefällt „“Broken Trail“ richtig gut und ich würde ihn deswegen auch wärmstens empfehlen.

Alors que l'on peut parler de la trilogie du JEUNE Clint Eastwood avecPour une poignée de dollars, Et pour quelques dollars de plus, Le Bon, la brute et le truand (Édition simple) et que ces trois westerns restent dans nos mémoires comme des joyaux, ici,, le troisième joyau d'une trilogie du SENIOR ROBERT DUVALL nous marquera tout autant...une trilogie ? parce que ce western récent, (2006), suit Lonesome Dove et Open Range (Édition simple) où Robert Duvall est la figure marquante de ces sagas.Le film est long, trois heures, il s'étale sur deux disques, offre de magnifiques paysages tout au long d'un périple de western classique, une traversée, avec 500 chevaux, de plusieurs états.Le scénario est l'adaptation d'un roman écrit par le scénariste lui même (Alan Geoffrion) à partir d'histoires vécues. Le film est réalisé par Walter Hill.Un cow boy âgé Print Ritter (Robert Duvall) va vendre son ranch pour acheter des chevaux. Le profit de la vente des chevaux, il envisage de le céder à son neveu déshérité par sa mère...l'achat par l'armée des 500 chevaux doit être réalisée dans le Wyoming.La route sera longue depuis l'Orégon, cela devrait resserrer les liens qu'oncle et neveu ont eu dans le passé. L'oncle et le neveu, au gré du parcours semé d'embuches, vont récupérer des isolés, des filles promises à la prostitution, un malheureux chinois poursuivi, un violoneux qui quémandait dans un coin de saloon...L'aventure commence comme un simple convoi de bestiaux, mais chaque étape leur fait rencontrer des gens louches, agresseur de saloon, esclavagistes, truands, violeurs, tenancière de bordel etc...Ils s'en sortiront avec brio en récupérant les éclopés de ces mésaventures...Et la petite troupe poursuit vaillamment son chemin, composée de petites chinoises promises à la prostitution, du violoneux qui deviendra cow boy, d'une prostituée échappée d'un établissement où le danger a soudé ce petit monde les uns aux autres...Soudés certains pour de bon aux malheureuses "reconnaissantes". Mais "Unkle Print" se sent trop vieux pour l'aventure romantique...Trop vieux et pourtant quelle fière allure que celle de Robert Duvall, chevauchant à 76 ans.Le jeune neveu Tom, (Thomas Haden Church) est également un brillant cavalier, il conduit pour notre régal, ces chevaux au galop sur fond de lumière du couchant ou dans de vastes prairies verdoyantes...Un western comme je les aime avec beaucoup de beaux paysages, des aventures, des personnages aux caractères tranchés...à voir absolumentBonus : making Of

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