A River Runs Through It (1992)

a beautifully moving, timeless piece
a poignant and innocent portrayl of thoughtful American life in the western and rugged boundless beauty of Montana... the stillness between lines speaks volumes of the quiet language of the heart... you can hear the meadows glisten, the river rush and dance, and the spirited youthful boys run, laugh, and cry... the world of this film takes us back to when literature and quiet nights with loved ones were revered, where families fished outdoors and dined together by sunset in the tidy kitchen... when men held their lovely wives hands with tenderness, and young men courted their admirations with hand-written authentic words on paper...

the story could take place during any generation though, as it is a universal story, about the impermanence of life, of love and heartbreak, of man's connection with the natural world, the intrinsic inner-battles of the unknown, and the discontent beneath the surface of the perpetually unsatisfied, however much they are adored... the cycles of coming of age, of brothers, of parents, of loves, of it all swirling through the heart and head in one moments time, as one pulls back the reel and brings up the shining fish from the sparkling cool waters...

...i am haunted by Maclean's words.

A nice, quiet movie
A River Runs Through It has received a lot of deserved acclaim, but it's not for the impatient. Fly fishing is a solitary and deliberate sport. So is this movie.

The casting and performances do justice to a fine book. Although I think Robert Redford directed the movie with intelligence and exceptional craftsmanship, I could have done without his narration. He should have trusted his actors and the audience more.
[[ASIN:1587369222 The Shopkeeper]]

Movie Worthy of the Book
Redford has attempted to present Norman Maclean's family story [[ASIN:0226500667 A River Runs through It and Other Stories, Twenty-fifth Anniversary Edition]] on film, and has achieved phenomenal success. I ordered the video at the suggestion of a respected friend, but with a negative bias against the willingness and/or ability of any Hollywood producer to adeqately film this novella, itself perhaps the epitome of the storyteller's art.

I suggest that anyone interested in this modern classic to read the book first, slowly, savoring Maclean's wonderful, yet economical, descriptive style, then to relax with the video while the book is fresh in the memory. Redford's translation of this story from the language of the written word to the language of the movie is as faithful and accurate as can be done.

Every translation is, of course, also an interpretation, and Robert Redford has accurately interpreted Norman Maclain's family story so that the video production enhances the enjoyment and appreciation of the original work, the book.