OK, can't really fault the acting in this movie, except perhaps from Brad Pitt. I can't fault the production value. It's beautifully shot. It held my attention well enough. But I had problems with it when I first saw it back in1994, and having watched it again more than twenty years later, I haven't changed my mind. The primary issue? Pitt's character, Tristan. He's the heart of the story, he's meant to be, if not heroic, at least sympathetic and compelling. Instead, to me, he's just a self-absorbed, arrogant, emo jerk. His hair drove me crazy. That might seem shallow, but he looked like a man on the cover of a trashy romance novel. It's like his hair WAS his character. Like Pitt was kind of acting with his hair. I found myself siding with Aidan Quinn's character, Alfred, instead. Not that Alfred isn't meant to be sympathetic too, but overall I think the movie judges him unfairly, as do the other characters. Maybe it's because Aidan Quinn is just a much better actor, IMO, but mainly I just felt he got a raw deal. I won't say why because I don't want to spoil anything. As for the others, Anthony Hopkins is great as always. Julia Ormond is GORGEOUS here and performs quite well. Her character broke my heart. Finally, I thought the treatment of the Native American characters and how they informed the themes was rather pat. Not racist, just stereotyped. And it's a sexist movie too. I'm not usually a stickler about that, but here, for some reason, it really bothered me. But again, I'd say Tristan is the central problem. And when the central character doesn't work for you, the movie probably won't work for you either. I completely understand why so many viewers love this movie. It's just not for me.

I've watched a lot of movies; however, I can't but place this movie on the top! Brad Pitt acting was awesome, he played his role and convinced me that I'm not watching a movie, but rather scenes captured from real life. Julia Ormond made me sympathise with her and she even made me cry. Hopkins is a great actor; he played the role of a father who adores his brave little spoiled son although that little son is not descent as his elder brothers are! His a strong father who defended his sons and fought for them. Brad Pitt risks his life in order to protect his younger brother who went to the war but he was not a professional soldier when it comes to using the gun. Being killed in the war, Brad Pitt gets his brother's widow married but they did not have any child, so they get divorced and Julia Ormond gets married with Brad's eldest brother; nevertheless, she remains in love with Brad and she could not get him out of her mind, so she committed suicide. Brad gets married with daughter of the Native American family and they had kids. Finally, a big bear attacks Brad but he couldn't kill it as he had done at the beginning of the movie and the bear kills him.

Stellar performances by the principals highlight this early Twentieth Century period piece, with an epic scope that spans the era of World War I and tells the story of a family torn apart, not so much by a global conflict as much as the internal one among it's own members. This is one of those pictures one might seek out for entertainment, but for all that, it's not an entertaining picture. The rifts that occur between the Ludlow Brothers fester for years to come following the Big War, as the presence of Susannah Fincannon (Julia Ormond) serves as a catalyst for a family's undoing. It's Susannah that my summary line refers to, spoken by Cree Indian One Stab (Gordon Tootoosis) who's understanding of the ways of Man and nature permeate this story with insightful recognition. Exceptional cinematography and an emotional soundtrack complement the flow of the film nicely, though one must contend with the director's sense of melodrama that at times tends to overwhelm the narrative.

Edward Zwick's "Legends of the Fall" harks back to the epic historical dramas of the 50's & 60's, which were routinely sweeping in scope while sporting magnificent production values. The story, which begins in the early 1900's, revolves around the Montana-based Ludlow family, led by patriarch Colonel William Ludlow (Anthony Hopkins). At various points over the next several years, Colonel Ludlow's three sons all fall for the same woman, adding friction to a relationship that is tested by war in Europe and subsequent challenges at home.The acting is generally well done with Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins in place as the film's main stars. Hopkins brought his usual level of professionalism to a role that, admittedly, becomes a bit showy at times. Brad Pitt, though he isn't nearly as refined as Hopkins, proved to be more than just a pretty face. Aidan Quinn makes a good contrast to Pitt but since his character is inherently less interesting he doesn't make as much of an impression. Henry Thomas plays the third of the brothers and he also makes a good contrast while contributing a slightly more memorable performance. Julia Ormond, meanwhile, is radiant as the female lead and is easily acceptable as the romantic interest that propels much of the story. Apart from the principle actors, the acting is uniformly satisfactory with a few others standing out from the pack.The film's strongest points perhaps lie in the visual presentation. The Oscar-winning cinematography makes the most of the often stunning locations while the meticulous costume design strangely went unnominated. Throughout, Edward Zwick showed a sure hand in the director's chair, effectively striking a balance between intimate drama and grand spectacle. The majestic score by James Horner was also a key contributor to the film's epic feel.While the movie's grandiose nature may be unappealing to some, I find "Legends of the Fall" to be a welcome throwback to a time when sweeping stories like this were much more prevalent on movie screens. The dearth of similar recent material makes it easy for me to overlook some of the minor hiccups in the narrative. Ultimately, even though "Legends of the Fall" is unlikely to ever attain the same status as the best epic films it nevertheless remains a well-crafted production with an engrossing story and impressive visuals.