Broken Trail (2006) User Reviews

"We're all travelers in this world Birth till death We travel between the eternities "

[Nazi_Fighter_David · 8/10 · 9 December 2007]

The film opens in Chinatown San Francisco, 1898 where we five exotic virgins from the Celestial Empire are bought by Captain Billy Fender (James Russo) to be sold as slaves and introduced into the brief and violent life of prostitution…

Robert Duvall stars as "Print" Ritter, an old cowhand whose sister left a will inheriting all to him rather than to her own son, Tom Harte (Thomas Haden Church) who lives in John Day Country Oregon...

Print ignores why she has done it, or why was crossed between the two, but his sister done it…

Print got the idea to buy a team of tough, high-desert mustangs—three to eight years of age—to take them to Sheridan, Wyoming to sell to the British Empire; the money they'll earn will be to increase their capital… And on the shares, Print figures a 25-75 split on profits after expenses and loan repayment to the bank…

From this point, Hill's Western becomes a road movie, with all kinds of odd characters, from ugly villains to a friendly musician, but the key to "Broken Trail" is that through a series of circumstances, fate has placed the five Chinese innocent girls in the hands of Tom and his uncle… But the reality is another… Their families sold them to that rat captain heading out to the mining camp, where Kate, an odious saloon owner, bought them from an associate in San Francisco…

Our two cowboys save the girls' lives from rape and take them along on their journey…

With great photography, gorgeous vistas, perilous ground, sensible brave girls, good and decidedly courageous men, great action when it is necessary, and a big confrontation at the climax of the movie, Hill's Western is a must see film for the fans of the genre

Never doubt a Western that Duvall is attached to

[TheMovieMark · 8/10 · 22 June 2006]

Watching AMC's Western miniseries Broken Trail is similar to reading a compelling novel - the beauty's in the details. Rather than rushing story and character development in order to get to the next action scene (so as to appease those with Attention Span Deficit Syndrome), Broken Trail understands that the mark of a really good Western lies with interesting, colorful characters and a storytelling style that convinces you to keep watching.

I've always been a fan of Westerns and always will be; that's why it's so disappointing that today's movie/TV landscape doesn't seem to have the time, money, or patience to do the genre right. Hopefully, Broken Trail is just the beginning of a reversal to this trend.

If you're a fan of Western epics in the vein of Lonesome Dove then I strongly suggest you check out Broken Trail. The story is a little unconventional as far as Westerns go, but you know what? It works. And it works well.

I was initially curious how captivated I would be by watching two men accompany five Chinese girls across the Western wilderness, but rather than focusing on the concept, this is all about the journey and the adventures and characters that are encountered along the way. Church proves himself quite a versatile actor (how far has he come since Wings?), and Duvall puts in the type of effortless performance that I could watch him deliver every week. He's not unlike Augustus McCrae, but what does it matter? He plays the character flawlessly. Here's a tip - never doubt a Western that Duvall is attached to.

Moving at a smooth, campfire pace, Broken Trail presents characters you'll care about, conflicts you'll want to see resolved, cinematography that will convince you to take a trip out West, and enough Western justice to keep the die-hard fans of action content. Just keep in mind that the shootouts aren't thrown in for the mere sake of satisfying those who demand violence in their Westerns. All the gunplay comes as a necessity to the story and is allowed to happen exactly when it needs to. It's never forced for the sake of hurrying things along.

This is a miniseries that is reason enough alone to justify your cable or satellite bill, and we can only hope that enough viewers tune in to influence more quality programming like this in the future.

A delicious surprise

[colleencarolm · 9/10 · 26 June 2006]

A good Western is a treat, like comfort food for the soul. Robert Duvall is a favorite of mine, and he is wonderful in this movie, as always, but the surprise factor here is Thomas Haden Church, who I remember as a Mechanic in the sitcom, Wings. Watching him playing a 19th century cowboy in this project, well,- he seems made for the part: serious, soft-spoken, and a little too lean from trying to eke out a living in tough times. Wonderful! I hope to see more of him in the future.

The scenery is as beautiful as I expected, and I don't care that it was shot in Canada instead of the U.S. I do wish there had been a little more emphasis on the horses, though. The promos advertised the movie as being about a horse drive, but that was only a premise for the other story lines. They were supposed to be herding 300 to 500 horses, but it sure didn't look like that many to me. But, I guess I'm getting pretty picky there. It was satisfying to watch, regardless of whether there were hundreds of horses, or only about 75, as it looked like to me.

There is one scene in the movie that is almost a reverse "Man from Snowy River"-type scene, where they herd their horses UP a steep hill, and that was interesting. I'm not actually comparing the riding in this movie to the incomparable Charlie Lovick's downhill riding in the most famous scene from Snowy River, but it did bring that movie to mind.

If you like western movies, you'll like this mini series, and it might spark an interest in a part of our American history that is not particularly well known,- the Chinese immigration during the gold rush of the 1800s.

Exceptionally Fine Western Mini Series

[MagicStarfire · 10/10 · 26 June 2006]

I gave this 10 stars.

Both parts of this 2 part mini series deserve 10 stars. It was an extremely well done film.

I got the impression at the end of the film that this was based on real people and their experiences, which I had no idea was the case when I began watching it.

Robert Duval as Print Ritter carries the film, although all of the performers did good jobs.

The storyline was fresh, original and interesting, something I see so seldom these days, it really made it stand out. Another thing that made this stand out from the usual garbage that passes for entertainment in film these days - was the heroes really were heroes. These men were brave and did the right thing. They had values and ethics.

The story revolves around Print Ritter (Robert Duval) and his nephew Will, I think was his name, (and sorry but I didn't know who any of the actors were except for Duval)driving a herd of horses north to sell.

They end up with people they didn't count on being along for the trip--4 or 5 young Chinese girls, who do not speak a word of English, a fiddle player, and a couple of other people who join the group later in the story.

The Chinese girls are very young, the oldest might be 18. They have been sold by their parents and sent to America where they will be forced into prostitution.

None of the 4 men who eventually travel with the girls and protect them, try to take advantage of them, and the two romances in the story, are kept low-key.

The bad guys in the film are just that - they're wicked through and through. No explanation or psycho-analysis given or needed. This picture is getting back to the basics of the American western, good vs. evil.

There's gunfire when needed, confrontations when needed, and great characterizations, as our group journeys along and encounters various people and adventures.

And yes, there's even a plot! Another element I've discovering missing all too often in films of late.

Philosophic Western

[boblipton · 10/10 · 26 June 2006]

How does an honest man make his way in a corrupt world? Walter Hill has been investigating this question since his days as a screenwriter, with a couple of stopovers in Dashiell Hammett country (his dauntingly unsuccessful version of Hammet's RED HARVEST, filmed as LAST MAN STANDING), comedies (48 HOURS), but here, in this leisurely western, he has found a perfect vehicle for this problem, and the right actor for the role in the ever-watchable Robert Duvall. And the answer is that you wind up accumulating a pack of people as wounded as yourself, ducking your head against the storm and slogging on through: a nephew estranged from his mother, your sister, a Virginian who can't stop traveling, five Chinese virgins intended for a mining camp's whorehouse... the list goes on. In the midst of a beautiful land -- the magnificent Canadian plains, west of Calgary where they rise to the Rockies -- they slog on, doing their best.

To what end? When death and violence surround you, then the wise man comes to recognize that the effort is all he can offer.

It is a pleasure to watch canny old pro Duvall at work, and to watch Thomas Haden Church, as his nephew, play off against him. And the beauty of moving horses across the Canadian plains is the revival of a seemingly lost art; the westerns, once the myth of America and bedrock of the film industry, are now an occasional production from people nostalgic for the form. But their nostalgia is suffused with a strong sense of film-making and this mini-series should not be missed.

Sensitive Western with satisfying and impressive directorial by Walter Hill

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 12 March 2008]

The film starts in 1898 , Ritter (Robert Duvall) a veteran cowboy sees declining the ending days of Wild West era and the transition to a new century . Ritter along with his estranged nephew Tom (Thomas Haden Church), and another cowboy (Scott Cooper) transport a herd of horses across the northern , when save five Chinese girls kidnapped by a villain (James Russo). As Ritter along with Tom Harte become the reluctant guardians of five abused and abandoned Chinese girls . The local madame (Rusty Schwimmer) sends a gunfighter (Chris Mulkey) to chase the girls for her own aims . Print Ritter and Harte's attempts to care for the Chinese are complicated by their responsibility to deliver a herd while avoiding a group of enemies intent on kidnapping the girls for their own objectives .

This melancholic picture is acclaimed like one of the best Western TV of the last years with several prizes and various nominations for Gloden Globe . It's an excellent Western with adventures , noisy action , shootouts , breathtaking scenarios ; but also melancholy , friendship , unlovable camaraderie and emotionalism . The movie was shot in Calgary, Alberta, Canada location with marvellous outdoors . Sensitive and moving Western where cowboys must say goodbye to the lives they know and undergo an extraordinary and dangerous travel . Great acting for all casting with magnificent main roles by Duvall and Haden Church . Special mention to Greta Scacchi as an aging prostitute who falls in love . Gorgeous landscapes , reflecting wonderfully the wide open spaces, they are splendidly photographed by Lloyd Ahern II , Hill's usual cameraman . The movie follows the wake the last Television Westerns starred by Sam Elliot or Tom Selleck, such as ¨Monte Walsh¨, ¨Crossfire trail¨ and ¨Quigley Down Under¨. The motion picture was well directed by Walter Hill , a Western expert , such as he proved in ¨Geronimo¨, ¨Will Bill¨ and ¨Long riders¨. Rating : Better than average for the proficient film-making . It's a magnificent movie , and an unforgettable , unchallenged classic TV western.

Very Impressive, Realistic & Involving Western

[ccthemovieman-1 · 10/10 · 16 May 2007]

I can only hope they someone keeps making Westerns because the few that have been made the last few years have been outstanding. This one, a TV miniseries, is just great. I can't enough good things about it. I saw it recently on DVD. It was a three-hour film. I thought I read somewhere that it was four hours, so I don't know if this version has been down. I only know what I saw, and I liked about everything I saw.

Looking at the IMDb reviews here before making a rental helped me out a lot. It prepared me for a slower film. In other words, I knew what to expect.....and that helped. I didn't expect a rough film with a ton of violence and nasty characters, language, etc.

What surprised me was just how interesting a film this was for being three hours long and not having a lot of action. I attribute this to the dialog, the acting, characters you care about and the wonderful cinematography. It's hard to beat the scenery in a nicely-filmed western.

The words coming out of the two stars of the picture, Robert Duvall and Thomas Haden Church were extremely believable material. These guys were tough, but not abrasively- macho, compassionate but not sappy. As "Prentice Ritter" and "Tom Harte," respectively, they fascinating to watch. I liked what they said throughout the movie and they were extremely believable characters. They looked and talked the part.

This story is different because it's mainly about helping five young Chinese women, who are destined for prostitution, slavery and who knows what else. Ritter and Harte didn't volunteer for the job; it accidentally came upon them as they were escorting horses North for a nice payday. The two men showed wonderful compassion for these girls, despite the fact they slowed their mission down and had a problem with communication.

There has to be some villains in a western and we have them here with "Big Rump Kate" and others but they are not overblown and we don't see so much of them they they get annoying. For a Walter Hill film, this was astonishing in how low-key it was told.

We also get a bit of a romance, just a glimpse between Duvall's character and one played by Greta Scacchi ("Nola Johns"). It has a different kind of ending to it, one I didn't expect and one that will emotionally affect you.

It simple terms: this is a nice movie, a good story about good guys doing a good deed for the right reasons. Watching them do it, under adverse conditions, was almost a privilege. A big thank you to all involved with this movie and giving us fans of this genre hope that it isn't completely dead.

What caused the Chinese woman to get trampled by the horses?

[tralee71-1 · 26 June 2006]

About two-thirds of the way through, one of the Chinese women inexplicably (to me) jumps from the wagon and is soon crushed or trampled to death by the horses. What caused her to take that action?

This was an excellent production, possibly not as memorable as Lonesome Dove but still a welcome return to the western format. At 75, Duvall deserves all the recognition he gets as a major actor. I wish the movie magazines would devote more attention to the actors who, like Duvall, never attain the star/celebrity status of the $20 million a movie crowd, but without whom Hollywood would be in even worse shape than it is today.

Slow and Steady , but not in a race.

[nccpepper · 7/10 · 27 June 2006]

I must say I love watching Duvall work and Westerns seem to be his forte. Of course, as an actor every genre matches well with his gifts and commitment to character. Despite having all the elements in place for a great Western, (ie: Great cast, good writing, excellent director, brilliant cinematography), I found myself slightly disappointed by Broken Trail's lack of conflict.

Don't get me wrong, I genuinely liked this film and would recommend it to anyone who loves the old West or enjoys good character films. I think the problem was in the marketing. In all of the trailers and the "Making of..." it was built up as a good, old-fashioned Western with lots of "shoot 'em up action." At over three hours long, there was probably a grand total of five minutes of exciting action and even when dramatic moments did arise they were often resolved in the blink of an eye or off camera!

This film was more of an unhurried morality play, which is fine if that's what you're expecting. One of my favorite Westerns, "High Noon," postpones action until the third act, but there is a tension that runs through the entire film that is not present in Broken Trail. In Walter Hill's defense, I believe that his slow pacing is intentional. It seems he is trying to show the day to day life of the cowboy, plodding along to complete his task and calmly taking in stride whatever hindrances "break his trail." These are men of honor and you very quickly empathize with them but you rarely feel like they are in any imminent danger.

The problem is the promos compare the film to "Lonesome Dove" and "Open Range" and, although it is beautifully shot, "Broken Trail" is a very different film. If you love Westerns and you love methodically paced, character driven dramas, you will love this film. But if you seek a Western with a little more tension, conflict and a stronger, action packed pay off, rent one of the films it has been compared to.

Mesmerizing and kept me enthralled both nights.

[shirleyw-2 · 10/10 · 27 June 2006]

As a Chinese-American, I had no doubt I would schedule my life around the two nights BROKEN TRAIL was airing. Having seen part 2 last night, I am still reeling from the beauty of the backdrop, the vastness and the loneliness--something I remember from the film, A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT, which was also in Wyoming I believe and definitely featured fly fishing but I digress.

Robert Duvall said in an interview on CBS' Sunday Morning that BROKEN TRAIL represented the finale to his western trilogy (Lonesome Dove, Open Range and now Broken Trail) and that's sad but what a body of work he's left us and countless generations to enjoy! I loved the economy of language because that's how I imagine life was among men in those days. The leisurely pace of the film might have pulled the story down but not in this case. I applaud AMC for going forward with this production and the minimal intrusion of commercials. I truly hope this comes out on DVD because I know I will have to have it. I found the casting to be perfect and disagree with the reviewer who lamented the exclusion of Tom Selleck or Keith Carradine among others. The familiarity I felt for Robert Duvall and Thomas Haden Church was enough without being overwhelming--they just seemed to lend honesty and truth to their performances--more known actors weren't needed. I appreciated the fact this wasn't a cast of thousands, although there were suppose to be 500 horses or so...

My final comment to all who enjoyed this mini-series and to those who did not know much of the Chinese who came to the 'Golden Mountain' in the 1800's--please look for Ruthanne Lum McCunn's book, "THOUSAND PIECES OF GOLD" which is based on a true story (I'm still not sure if Broken Trail is, although I believe the writer was somewhat influenced by this book since there are common threads i.e. Chinese girls sold into prostitution and setting roots in far flung states--Idaho in the book and Wyoming in the mini-series). THOUSAND PIECES...has also been made into a film but is not as good as BROKEN TRAIL.

I can't wait for AMC to show repeat airings--for any of you who didn't get a chance--WATCH IT!!!

Pretty good

[arturus · 6/10 · 27 June 2006]

This is a fair attempt at reviving the Western genre. It attempts to imitate the success of "realistic" Westerns like "Deadwood", and does that pretty well. The narrative is clear, though it gets bogged down at the middle stretch, while attempting to add some "character development" during a break of the trek on the trail.

The roles are well cast, and though Duvall is a bit old to play this character, who's probably in his late 50s, not his mid 70s, as Duvall is, this is a rare exception to my objections to actors choosing their own material, since Duvall is an "executive producer" of this venture.

He does very well in the lead character, though I must say that I had a very hard time understanding his dialogue. In an attempt to use a "character" voice, his lines become almost unintelligible. A speech coach on the set would have helped him enormously to keep the integrity of the character voice without sacrificing intelligibility.

The violence is handled with some discretion, except for one totally unnecessarily graphic depiction of "on the trail" minor surgery.

The lack of "foul" language, however, seems a bit disingenuous. These characters would cuss up a blue streak, though they might tone it down around women. But these male characters in this movie don't swear at all, not even when they're alone together, and not even euphemistically (eg, "Dag nab it!") as in old-time movies.

And speaking of disingenuous, the way AMC presented this "miniseries" was that, totally. "Presented with limited commercial interruptions", they said at the beginning. Well, the "series" was aired in two blocks of one hour and 45 minutes of airtime. The first 45 minutes or so of each "episode" were aired without commercial interruptions, though the material is clearly edited to fit commercials in. After that 45 minute stretch of no commercials, the "series" was interrupted every ten minutes with almost five minutes of commercials!

By my (addmittedly clumsy) calculations, that means that the film itself is actually about 2 hours and 30 minutes long, the length of a long feature film, aired with about ONE HOUR of commercials, total! I DON'T think that counts as a miniseries!

great

[sprins · 10/10 · 26 June 2006]

Just finished watching part two. Great story. I can not wait to read the book. Both Duvall and Church brought so much to their characters and the story. I really hope that the "great west " was settled by men like these. Men who were not afraid to do the right thing. Men who showed courage, morals, kindness, and stood up to those who would bring harm and injustice to the innocent. . The kind of men that I would consider it an honor to "ride" with. I could not help sharing in the pain and confusion that the girls felt. I feel ashamed as a man to know that we treated innocent women that way and still do. I am glad the story ended as it did. Duvall's character showed that he could be tough as nails but still have a heart when it came to the girls. Church's character showed true grit and also had a soft side that he could not hide. Overall it was a truly great story brought to life by two men who did an excellent job portraying their characters.

Slightly Disappointing.....

[matt-hallsworth1979 · 6/10 · 2 June 2014]

Being a huge fan of the "modern" westerns such as the Lonesome Dove trilogy, Open Range etc..... I was eagerly looking forward to this but couldn't help but feel slightly let down by the end result. Although Duval is as solid as ever everything was too slow moving and the plot development was poor. Its almost as if they didn't have enough story ideas to fill the 3 hours so kept adding in strange little scenes which lasted about 30 seconds or so....

Character development was strange too.....after the end of the first episode I commented to my girlfriend that "Big Ears" was supposed to be the bad guy but they hadn't really given any reason why..... then at the start of the second he commits a bad act, almost as if they realised they needed to force something in there to make him feared......

The scenery was beautiful, the acting was good by some, limited by others......I didn't really feel ANY empathy or warmth for any of the characters and on the whole it could've been much, much better.

Great acting, great casting, great photography, crappy story.

[jackjack-2 · 5/10 · 10 July 2006]

While the acting, the casting, and the photography in this movie made for TV is superb, the story leaves a lot to be desired. There are a number of goofs besides the goofs listed in the IMDb synopsis. Take it from an old timer who grew up on a Wyoming ranch, the movie takes a lot of liberties with reality.

The story line is that an old cow poke (Robert Duvall) buys up a large herd of horses in Oregon which he intends to drive 700 miles from Oregon to Sheridan, Wyoming to sell to a British agent who is buying them for use in the Boer War in South Africa. Makes no sense at all.

First, by 1897, the year that this movie was supposedly set in, the West was no longer a frontier. It was laced with railroads and telegraph lines. There would be no need to drive the horses to Wyoming. Just drive them to the nearest railroad. If the British were buying the horses for use in South Africa, the Brits would have shipped them out of Portland.

The one thing about horse and cattle drives is that ranchers make them as short as possible because the longer the trip the more livestock will be lost so getting the livestock to the nearest railroad was paramount.

Then the drive starts out all wrong. There were at least 400 horses in the herd but even with 200 less, two men could not have possibly made the drive. It would have taken at least six wranglers. The movie starts out with only Duvall and his nephew driving the herd with two pack horses. No one can take care of pack horses and ride herd also. Riding herd requires at least four wranglers at all times, a point man, two outriders (better to have four) and someone bringing up the rear. That would be the minimum for cattle and horses are much harder to herd than cattle. And having night hawks was a must to protect the herd from wolves, bears, and cougars, as well as rustlers requires a bigger crew.

The drive starts out with the wranglers running the horses. Never happen. The worse thing is running the herd, especially horses. Too many prairie dog holes. Horses can easily step in a hole while running and break a leg. In the scene one horse actually falls during the run.

If the drive starts in Oregon, much of eastern Oregon and western Idaho is pretty barren and dry yet the route is covered from beginning to end with grass, which might be true in Canada where the movie was shot.

Because at some point in the journey, the drive encounters fishermen on the Snake River, it must be assumed that the route taken was through southern Idaho and then north though Montana. Montana because the drive crosses the Crow Indian reservation. However, to get to the Crow reservation, the drive would have had to cross a rugged and long stretch of the Rocky Mountains. However, no where does the drive cross those mountains. The drive only uses one mountain pass and because it lies south of the Crow reservation, it must have been in the Big Horn mountains.

Supposedly the drive encounters Crow Indians who demand a fee for crossing their reservation. Only problem is that the Indians used in the movie were not Crow Indians. Speaking of Indians, during the drive, Duvall changes the direction of the drive to avoid Indians on the war path. But in 1897, all the Indians were on their reservations and no longer on any war paths.

The wranglers wore pistols as is typical in western movies. Actually wranglers did not wear pistols while herding livestock. Wearing a pistol was uncomfortable and there was too much of a chance it would fall out of the holster. If they had pistols, they usually kept them either in a saddlebag but more likely in a blanket roll. Nor did they ride with rifles while herding stock because it was hard on the horse and rider. They would carry a rifle usually only when they were night haws guarding the herd. Rifles usually were transported on the cooks wagon.

And it is highly unlikely that there were any Chinese prostitutes by 1897 so that part of the story doesn't wash. And Sheridan is shown as being located next to a forest when it is actually located on an open plain. The sheriff from Sheridan is supposed to have gone to Cody which is about a 100 miles west looking for the same rustlers who were tailing Duvall. Why would he go there when the rustlers were following Duvall? And sheriffs did not leave their counties, and Cody is two counties over.

Another anomaly. When the nephew catches a robber, he hangs him rather than shoot him. Makes no sense. Why waste the time and the rope. Hanging someone is not a one man job but that is what happened.

Otherwise, as stated, the casting was great. Greta Scacchi was marvelous as the old whore and everyone but the sheriff were superb in their roles. Lloyd Ahern, the Director of Cinematography did his usually outstanding job. Obvious why Duvall chose him.

Lyrical, Sweeping Western a Triumph...

[cariart · 10/10 · 26 August 2006]

"Broken Trail", a dream project for producer/star Robert Duvall, and AMC's first original film, is the spiritual heir to Kevin Costner's 2003 "Open Range" (also starring Duvall), and one of the most moving, involving Westerns of recent years.

With a charismatic, extremely effective performance by Thomas Haden Church, as Duvall's long-estranged nephew, the film is one of only a handful of Westerns that combine epic sweep, superb characterization, and an understanding of the 'Real West', without shortchanging decency, or respect of an individual's worth. The era was hard, justice could be swift and brutal, and Duvall, as aging but upright Prentice Ritter, lives by his own rules; to protect the helpless in his care, to respect others, and to be unafraid to resort to violence, if necessary. Tom Harte (Church), despite some family history problems with his uncle, lives by the same code, and the two men, driving a herd of horses from Oregon to Wyoming to raise cash for a ranch, become the 'saviors' of five young Chinese women, sold into prostitution, who inadvertently fall into their hands.

These are good men, in a jaded world, and their journey picks up other 'strays', as well as the women; young Virginian fiddler Heck Gilpin (an engaging Scott Cooper), is rescued by Tom in a saloon; aging Chinese laborer Lung Hay (Donald Fong), and careworn prostitute Nola John (the wonderful Greta Scacchi) join the group after Tom saves the Chinese women from rapists, in a boarding house/bordello. While neither Ritter and Harte were overjoyed at the strange direction the drive was taking, they would not allow harm to fall on 'innocents', and the group bonds into a warm 'family', with Nola and Ritter finding a mature attraction between each other, and Tom and Sun Foy/#3 (Gwendoline Yeo, who speaks only Mandarin, in the film), gently falling in love.

Danger is never far behind them, however, as brutal ex-con 'Big Ears' (Chris Mulkey), with a score to settle with Nola, and a 'contract' to return the Chinese women to whorehouse owner Kate 'Big Rump' Becker (Rusty Schwimmer), trails them, leading a gang of killers...

While the film is long (240 minutes), director Walter Hill, an old hand at Westerns (his "The Long Riders" is one of my favorites), keeps the story constantly engrossing, and Duvall and Church have a warmth and authenticity as the characters that will stay with you, long after the movie ends.

Shot in the Canadian Rockies, "Broken Trail" combines grandeur and intimacy seamlessly, has moments of great humor to lighten the drama, explosive action, and a bittersweet sense of nostalgia...

It is, simply, superb!

Nicely Done

[mschrock · 9/10 · 26 June 2006]

If you're looking for a good view of the old West, this movie is well worth your time.

Great storyline, great acting, and fantastic scenery.

Duvall seems to be timeless, as always, this time in a story that's all about time. Thomas Haden Church adds his best performance ever, showing he's ready for more serious roles.

The plot develops with a made-for-TV pace, which on occasion doesn't develop a scene as deeply as it could, but it does not fail to develop the characters to a fine pitch.

On balance, it's the characters and the fantastic western setting which make this a western that should stand time.

I'll enjoy watching it again in a few years.

Interesting editing.....Horse stumbles and is run over by herd

[chulaiguy · 28 June 2006]

The movie was great. I am a big fan of westerns and of Robert Duvall. I am also like horses and was surprised by one scene in the first 15 minutes of part 1. The herd of horses are being run through a valley and the scene shows the ho-res running directly toward the camera and on the right side of the screen, you can clearly see (and hear) a horse stumbles and roles into on-coming horses. Very graphic and I am certain from what I saw that the horse must have sustained injury. Wonder why they left it in the clip and did not edit it out. The horse roles from the right side of the screen to the center and tumbled for a few seconds on the screen. Just curious.

Why are so many new westerns shot in Canada?

[kholmes39 · 7/10 · 25 June 2006]

OPEN RANGE, BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, and now BROKEN TRAIL.

Calgary and points west are beautiful, I would admit. In fact, the Canadian Rockies have to be one of the most gorgeous ranges on the planet. BROKEN TRAIL is a superb new western.

And it's probably cheaper to shoot in Canada.

But why are so many new westerns set in the U.S. shot in Canada, rather than in the superlative landscapes we have HERE: Texas, New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, Washington...especially since the stories pertain so strongly to American history: ranching, the railroads, Native American tribes, the Irish or Chinese immigrants, the frontier towns, the saloons, etc... Surely a state like New Mexico would offer the tax breaks that Alberta does.

Just wondering.

A Tough and Tender Story. A Genre Classic, and That's a Fact!

[Conagher_1880 · 10/10 · 26 June 2006]

One of the best westerns I've seen in YEARS! Thomas Haden Church FINALLY loses his goofy comedy persona and shows that he can be tough, and if necessary brutal, in how he deals with villains. (Hint, he is good both with a gun and a rope). I will state right here that Church is the FIRST actor in ANY western that I have seen (and I've seen a LOT, ranging from William S. Hart's silents, through "Tombstone," "Open Range" and other modern westerns) to actually "throw down" when he uses his pistol in Part 2's climactic gunfight. Watch how he holds his Peacemaker, and steadies it for aim....SOMEONE did some research, and it paid off!

Robert Duvall's character of Print Ritter ranks up there with Gus MacCrae and "Boss" Spearman. It's a pity he hasn't been in more westerns, because the role of frontier authority figure suits him to a "T". The kindness, as well as hardness, he displays (watch how he deals with a trader who sells smallpox infected blankets to Indians....excellently done!) is classic Duvall. His character is tough, but human and you can see the fatherly love he has for all those girls. The attraction Print has for Nola is also well played. Duvall is absolutely perfect at playing the hero who is human.

The story is a mix of truth and fiction, (based loosely on a horse drive to Nebraska's Haythorn Ranch) and is expertly directed by Walter Hill. The Canadian scenery is beautiful, but is a minor distraction from the overall excellence of this movie.

I've been to eastern Oregon, and much of it is high desert, as is southern Idaho and the other locales of this movie. It's country as beautiful as any, but it's a harsh....stark kind of a beauty, and would fit the tone of this story much better. However, the setting works, and the set representing Caribou, ID has a seedy, sleazy boomtown look to it that captures the look and feel of late 19th Century mining camps just right. Strangely enough, some of the towns in modern day northern Nevada have that same rough feel....but without the sleaze. The feeling of the frontier is alive in those towns, and the feel is captured quite well by the set designer for "Broken Trail."

One complaint I do have is why can't SOMEONE NOT have actors ride modern saddles in westerns?????? As much as I like Church's wood-post horned Wade saddle, and Duvall's swell forked rig, those are very obviously modern buckaroo saddles, not the Taylor and Homestead trees that would have been common in the 1890s.

Other than that point, I have no problems at all with "Broken Trail".

The actresses playing the Chinese girls are all appropriately pretty.....Greta Scaachi is attractive, even as disheveled as she looks in this movie. In short, this is a western that works!

Now if only Hollywood would grasp the fact that LOTS of us love westerns and want more of them.....

better than no Westerns at all--but not as good as it could be

[ziret · 6/10 · 7 July 2006]

I loved Lonesome Dove and looked forward to a new western with Robert Duvall. In this miniseries he resurrects his performance--and character--from the former movie, albeit with a different name. Thomas Haden Church is fantastic--I loved his voice--filling the Tommy Lee Jones slot, and naturally there is a good-hearted prostitute love interest for Gus--I mean Uncle Print. Plot-wise, there are few surprises and no revelations. We know where this movie is going and how it will get there from the first half hour and the last half hour or more of exposition seems tacked on.

If you expect character development development to fill in the long hours where plot leaves off, you might as well expect a western without hanging bodies or burning houses. Henry Gilpin, the fiddle player who early on joins the two men moving 500 horses from Oregon to Wyoming, is given a handful of lines and no back story and it's unclear why he's in the movie at all, except perhaps to provide bits of the none-too-interesting soundtrack.

Likewise, the two bad guys are virtually interchangeable in appearance, motivation and evilness (though one is taller and has a bad-guy moniker), and the second seems to arrive simply to fill the void of the first's departure.

Finally, could not someone have instructed Mr. Duvall how to pronounce Oregon place names such as The Dalles, Celilo, Malhuer County and, worst of all, Oregon itself--the state where the main characters supposedly live and from which they begin their journey? If they had indeed filmed in Eastern Oregon rather than Alberta, these errors might have been avoided. Skip this and watch Lonesome Dove again.

Recommend It

[born_tomd · 10/10 · 26 June 2006]

As a fan of modern as well as "oldies" style westerns, I was impressed with they layout of this mini-series. The trail drive was only a vehicle in which to tell the story, not hours of it to kill time. Excellent in my book, exquisite scenery, as well as keeps one attention so as not to miss a single scene. The previews drew my attention at first, but the lead actors convinced my wife and I to make plans to see this two-part miniseries. We wanted to see the first part to see if we would give up other interests, which we were glad we did. All in all this mini-series kept our attention focused, but was not without a bit of violence, and slight bit of adult subject matter. But no nudity, and little if any harsh language, which was a relief. Enjoy it I did.

Duval leads a fine cast

[MartianOctocretr5 · 7/10 · 5 July 2006]

Robert Duval and Thomas Haden Church are uncle and nephew in this wonderful western tale directed by Walter Hill. Exquisite locations, fine acting, effective directing, and a moralistic script combine for an interesting excursion into the Old West of 1898.

The two are herding horses for sale in hopes of cashing a bonanza profit, when they come upon a brutal maniac abusing his charges: five young Chinese girls who have been sold into slavery/prostitution.

The film is not afraid to approach the subject of the inhumane practice of families selling their own children, or the danger and violence these young immigrants faced. Both lead characters prove themselves not only good Samaritans, but quite handy with all kinds of guns, so it's easy to see from a mile away what abusive maniac has a bull's eye painted on him. Soon, Duval and Church are escorting (and defending) the girls.

I think the Chinese & American characters would have had an easier job of learning to communicate than this movie depicts, but you know that all parties are sincere, and that is what's important. The language barrier is important for plot development, so the film forbids its characters to conquer it.

Good guys and bad guys are clear polar opposites, as this film's focus requires characters with heart do the right thing, and evil ones evoke audience involvement by representing everything repugnant. Gun play scenes are used sparingly, only when necessary, with several sections of the movie devoted to character study. This slow pacing approach provides good build up for the the crucial gunfight scenes. When bullets do fly, the action is well-choreographed.

All elements of a good Western are here. Duval's work is superior as always, as is the acting of the rest of the cast. A good story, and a well defined resolution. A worth-while movie.

The cowboy is still a hero even though he didn't start out to be.

[misterbee-1 · 10/10 · 27 June 2006]

When I first saw this advertised on AMC I knew I was going to watch because of Robert Duvall. While the character of Print Ritter was almost a carbon copy of Gus McCrea from Lonesome Dove, Duvall was still a thrill to watch. He reminds me of the old time movie cowboys although dressed more authentically then they ever did. But he stood for justice in Lonesome Dove and also in Broken Trail. And he did this while minding his own business - he never sought out the confrontations. These were men doing what men had to do and Duvall epitomizes that character.

Thomas Haden Church was excellent as Tom Harte. I had never seen him in anything except "Wings" but he makes an excellent cowboy. And he and Duvall played well off each other.

I also got the impression this story was based on real people and real events.

The only thing that would have made this movie any better would have been including Tom Selleck, Sam Elliot and Keith Carradine in the cast. But Broken Trail was great as it was and I believe will become a classic.

A good not-your-typical western...

[etsm92 · 7/10 · 1 July 2006]

Broken Trail/2006/***

By Eric Staab/ June 26, 2006

Main Stars: Robert Duvall Thomas Haden Church Greta Scacchi Scott Cooper The Chinese Girls

Although Walter Hill's Broken Trail was not a theatrical release but an AMC two night original movie event, it was probably the most talked about movie for months! All you saw on AMC were previews of the film during the commercial breaks which are every five minutes. "Academy Award Winner Robert Duvall and Academy Award Nominee Thomas Haden Church star in Broken Trail, an AMC two night original movie event. Catch it on Sunday, June 25 and Monday, June 26 at 8/7c only on AMC." I practically had the whole preview memorized (clips and all) after seeing it five dozen times. Everyone should notice that the narrator of the previews that speaks that quote I just typed above ^ is the same narrator that narrates every movie clip on the planet except for the little kiddy movies or comedies. He narrates all the dramas and horror films and the rest. They probably have the same guy traveling over to the foreign countries and having him speak in a different language for the previews there. Then he has to travel over to America and do every film and then has to travel all the way over to the foreign countries. He just doesn't rest! So finally on the night of June 25, 2006 the premiere of the most talked about movie in America was shown at 8:00/7:00c. I had to see it, just had to! It's like the previews made me. But I didn't regret it. The first part of the film was impressive and the second was just about the same in impressiveness. The movie started out in 1898 in China in a room full of innocent Chinese female prostitutes who were being checked to see just how beautiful they were. The master of this madness was a drunk and abusive man by the name of Captain Billy Fender (James Russo) who finally decided on what prostitute he should take. Actually there were five that went with him on his trip to get sold to a nasty, old, ugly plump woman who really deserved what she got at the end of part I. Two westerners, Print Ritter (Robert Duvall) and Tom Harte (Thomas Haden Church), however, got stuck in this madness also and decided to stick to it. The westerners' REAL journey was actually to get from their original destination, Oregon, and arrive in their final destination, Wyoming, to sell horses for money and this journey was tied up with family matters. Print and Tom meet up with a few other westerners, a sheriff and his comrades, some Indians, and the people that have been trying to find them who were ordered by the ugly plump woman. So that was part I with some scenes from part II. But most of part II is the rest of the journey to where Print and Tom gotta reach. The intensity gets higher when they move faster to get to their final destination. In between the actual journey, all of them (including the fiddler named Gilpin (Scott Cooper) which Print and Tom picked up in part I fiddling in a bar. Also including a Chinese man and a woman named Nola (who also was picked up in part I along with the Chinese man) camp out in random places and rest. They also talk about unnecessary random things. The main story is what you hang on to and what is very intense at the very end of part II. The film was not the ordinary western but a western filled with more imagination and not just shootings and more shootings. Yes the film had many shootings in it, but the good news was it was mostly from the good guys. You feel good at the end because the story ends joyfully instead of sadly. The story is good (violent but still good) and well thought out and is definitely worth watching especially after seeing all those previews. Who knows? It may come out on DVD sometime. Movie directed by Walter Hill.

It's no "Lonesome Dove".

[planktonrules · 4/10 · 29 April 2023]

"Lonesome Dove" is one of the greatest mini-series made. Not surprisingly, it resulted in a few sequels. Well, while "Broken Trail" isn't a sequel, it's a western mini-series with Robert Duvall...and it certainly WON'T be mistaken for "Lonesome Dove" despite the two starring Duvall.

The story is about a couple cowboys...an uncle (Robert Duvall) and his nephew (Thomas Haden Church). They are driving their cattle to market when they come upon a VERY disreputable jerk who is forcing some Chinese women to come with them....and for a lifetime of prostitution. After the jerk tries to rob them, they turn the tables and take the women with them. But what are they going to do with five Chinese women??

"Broken Trail" is an odd one. On one hand, it's much more historically accurate than most westerns, with realistic costumes and a less than typical plot. But, on the other hand, it's unrelentingly grim and slow...glacially slow. According to IMDB, it was originally going to be a two-hour film but execs wanted a mini-series and stretched it out to three...and it shows. Too often, the film just seems slow...glacially slow. And, while Duvall gets top billing, he says VERY little and Thomas Haden Church really seems to be the lead. This isn't bad...but it's a disappointment to folks like me who love Duvall and wanted to see more of him.