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Broken Trail [2006]


RRP: £19.99
Our Price: £13.48 (subject to change)

Editorial
Amazon.com

The lives of two stoic cowboys and five abused Chinese women become intertwined in Walter Hill's sprawling mini-series Broken Trail. Print Ritter (Academy Award winner Robert Duvall) and his nephew Tom Harte (Thomas Haden Church, Sideways) agree to deliver a herd of 500 horses from Oregon to Wyoming. Along the way, they rescue the young women--most of them still just girls--who're being transported to a brothel to have their virginity auctioned off. When the madam sees she is about to lose the girls, she screams at Tom, "What about my property?" He shouts back, "That's the price of being a capitalist, lady." Unable to overcome the language barrier, Print assigns numbers to the girls. Number Three, Sun Foy (Gwendoline Yeo, Desperate Housewives) is the most fearless and perceptive of them. Though the others don't want to be called Number Four--an unlucky numeral in their homeland--Ye Fung (Olivia Cheng), the most tragic of the group, doesn't care. Targeted for her beauty, she finds herself unable to overcome the trauma. The number suits her, in her mind. Along the way, Print and Tom rescue Nola Johns (Greta Scacchi), the proverbial hooker with the heart of gold, who was forced into prostitution after her husband died.

The cinematography is gorgeous as the camera sweeps over the lush landscape (the Canadian Rockies subbing in for Wild West of the late 1800s) and Hill does a formidable job of pacing this three-hour drama with just the right balance of dialogue and action. For Duvall, Broken Trail is the last piece to his Western trilogy, which started with the mini-series Lonesome Dove followed by the feature film Open Range. He is instantly likeable as a father figure and the viewer never doubts that his intention for the girls is honourable. As for Haden Church, he has never been as appealing as he is in this role. Gruff and flawed, he softens when he exchanges shy glances with Sun Foy. The trek is long and hard and the unlikely band of travellers will face much hardship. If not as satisfying as the rich, detailed Lonesome Dove, Broken Trail makes up for it with a wonderful storyline and some fine acting by all involved. As for the conclusion, it may surprise some viewers who are expecting a more traditional version of the happy ending.--Jae-Ha Kim, Amazon.com



"So I went and got our horses and our money... had to stretch a fella... and you start a finishing school for Chinese girls."
Review date: 2008-11-01 Rating: 6 out of 10

Walter Hill's Broken Trail is a good but at times a little too leisurely Western miniseries following Robert Duvall and his nephew Thomas Haden Church as they try to drive a herd of horses across country only to become sidetracked when they find themselves the unlikely guardians of five Chinese girls being shipped to a brothel - and the target of some bad men determined to relieve them of both...

It's curious how Robert Duvall, and actor who came to prominence playing a mob lawyer who deposited horses heads in peoples' beds, has evolved into the kind of archetypal Western figure of unquestioned decency you'd be happy to trust your life to - even more so when you remember he tried to kill John Wayne in True Grit! If he shoots someone seemingly out of the blue, you know it's someone who needs shooting (although much of the action takes place offscreen) such is his moral stature. By contrast, Church seems uncomfortable and out of place - he does well enough, but they never strike the sparks that made Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones' relationship in Lonesome Dove so memorable and affecting. And Lonesome Dove does unfortunately cast a giant shadow over this: it may be a smaller story, but, especially after Open Range, you expect more when Duvall gets in the saddle.

Despite that, it's an engaging enough amble and extremely well made. Hill is one of the few working directors who still know the power of an extreme long shot, giving the show an occasional sense of the epic, though this is sometimes undercut by the fact that he generally plays his scenes in medium shots. More focused than his intriguing but scattershot Wild Bill but less impressive than The Long Riders or his under-rated Geronimo: An American Legend, it's worth a look, but you might just want to spread it over a couple of nights.

No extras aside from trailers for other Columbia releases, but a good widescreen transfer.


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Reviews


Is that it?
Review date: 2008-08-13 Rating: 8 out of 10

Thoroughly enjoyed this gritty but sympathetic Western...However, the dvd I have just watched finished so abruptly and without conclusion I am wondering if I should have another part (nothing on other side of dvd and no 2nd dvd).
The dvd had Hayden Church galloping out of town with the girls and Greta;Broken Trail [2006] the last shot being the baddie just glowering at their retreating backs. We just presumed it was an upbeat ending..but was it? enlighten me someone please

TV movie
Review date: 2008-04-19 Rating: 6 out of 10

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...
Robert Duvall continues proving that he is a great Western actor who can handle mature and complex characters. He is not the Duke or Clint, but has a style all his own. Thomas Haden Church provides a surprisingly strong performance as the reluctant nephew. He has come a long way from his "Wings" days. Many other reviews detail the plot, so no reason for me to rehash it.

I think the two things I enjoyed most about the film are the scenery (stunning) and the harsh depiction of the West. I always imaginged the West to be a dirty, harsh, tough and dangerous setting. The movie does an excellent job of depicting this reality. If you like other Westerns like Open Range, or Lonesome Dove, then you will enjoy this one as well.

Television Western Mini-Series Keep the Genre Alive
Review date: 2008-04-12 Rating: 10 out of 10

I really enjoyed this movie. In my opinion its one of the best westerns made in recent years. Robert Duvall does his now customary 'Gus McRae Act' which I never seem to tire of. Of course he did this in Open Range as well. Thomas Haden Church is great also, completely different to his role in, for example 'Sideways'. The landscape photography, acting and direction are all brilliant. The movie also features at least one 'stand up' all-guns-blazing shoot out. The bad guys are so evil you just can't wait to see if and when they get dispatched to 'the big open range in the sky'.
Bring on more movies like this.

Broken Trail
Review date: 2008-03-25 Rating: 8 out of 10

I stumbled upon this two part television western while looking at other modern westerns on Amazon and noticing the low price and positive reviews, i decided to take a chance. Unlike the other reviewers, i had not seen Lonesome Dove and was not familiar with Walter Hill, but i am very glad that i took the chance on this.
The story of Uncle and Nephew travelling across the old west while taking care of five Chinese girls who would be sold into prostitution is exceptionally well told. Other characters that they interact with along the way such as a caring prostitute and a vicious ex-convict out for revenge enrich the story. The two main characters in particular though are tremendous. Robert Duvall and Thomas Haden Church both give great career performances, one as the wise and caring old man and the other as the flawed but ultimately well-meaning individual who will come good in the end.
Other reviewers have commented on the cinematography, and i would have to agree that it looks goregeous. The landsacpes add so much to the mood of film and show what can be achieved when you use a setting like that right.
If like me you had never heard of Broken Trail before, i would stongly reccomend that you give it a try, especially if you can get it at a low price.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Greta Scacchi
Rusty Schwimmer
Robert Duvall
Chris Mulkey
Thomas Haden Church

Creators:
Robert Duvall (Primary Contributor)
Thomas Haden Church (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
EAN: 5035822403192
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Anamorphic, Dubbed, PAL,
Release date: 2007-06-18
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 177 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2006
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: Italian (Dubbed)

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