Broken Trail (2006) (TV)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Walter Hill

Writer (WGA):

Alan Geoffrion (written by)

Release Date:

25 June 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

Set in 1898, Print Ritter and his estranged nephew Tom Harte become the reluctant guardians of five abused and abandoned Chinese girls...

Plot Keywords:

Chinese Girl | Nephew | Ex Prostitute | Violin Player | What Happened To Epilogue

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Golden Globes. Another 9 wins & 19 nominations

Cast

Robert Duvall	...	Prentice Ritter
Thomas Haden Church	...	Tom Harte
Greta Scacchi	...	Nola Johns
Gwendoline Yeo	...	Sun Foy 'aka' #3
Chris Mulkey	...	Big Ears
Rusty Schwimmer	...	Big Rump Kate
Scott Cooper	...	Gilpin
Valerie Tian	...	Ging Wa 'aka' #5
Caroline Chan	...	Mai Ling 'aka' #2
Olivia Cheng	...	Ye Fung 'aka' #4
Jadyn Wong	...	Ghee Moon 'aka' #1
Donald Fong	...	Lung Hay
James Russo	...	Captain Billy Fender
Todd Allen	...	Marshall Bill Miller
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bill Baksa	...	Store Clerk
Dusty Bews	...	Fly Fisherman
Morris Birdyellowhead	...	Fox-Hide Brine
Duncan Fraser	...	Moncrieffe
Philip Granger	...	Chuck Hyde
Shaun Johnston	...	Small Pox Bob
Sandy Kellerman	...	(voice)
Greg Lawson	...	Bartender
Scarlett Li	...	Additional Voices (voice)
William Marquez	...	Valentín Ugalde
Stephen E. Miller	...	Cariboo Clerk
Donnelly Rhodes	...	Stagecoach Driver
Pat Richards	...	Cowboy Vick
Peter Skagen	...	Dink Yeatman
Patricia Stutz	...	English Rose
Xuefeng Tan	...	Makeup girl in opening scene (red clothing)

Also Known As:

Daughters of Joy (Canada: English title) (working title)

Runtime:

184 min (2 parts)

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English | Mandarin | Crow

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Germany:12 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Company:

Butcher's Run Films

Goofs:

Continuity: During the last fight, when Print head butts Big Ears Bywater, Big Ears hat flies off of his head, when the camera angle changes it is back on his head.

Quotes:

Prentice Ritter: We're all travelers in this world. From the sweet grass to the packing house. Birth 'til death. We travel between the eternities.

Movie Connections:

Featured in 13th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2007) (TV)

Mesmerizing and kept me enthralled both nights.

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!!!