Broken Trail (Robert Duvall: Variations on a Theme of Gus)

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rohanaka
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Broken Trail (Robert Duvall: Variations on a Theme of Gus)

Post by rohanaka »

I was watching Broken Trail this afternoon and although I enjoyed seeing it all again... I just started to really WATCH Robert Duvall this time. Wow... I have likely mentioned this before, but I have to say that among the more "modern day" western actors... he is at the top of my list. He just seems to fit into a certain "type" (especially as he ages) and the roles that I love him for the most are all similar characters in a way.

My most favorite of all for him (whether western or not) is his "Gus" from Lonesome Dove. OH the emotion he brings to that character. For such a "gritty" story.. he truly brings a depth to it that you would not necessarily expect. And although I have not watched that serial for several years now... I get very sentimental just thinking about it.

Gus is HARD as nails.. gritty.. determined... reliable... STRAIGHT shooting... but my most favorite aspect of his character is that he is the protector of those weaker than himself. And he is a TRUE gentleman. But he is not ""purty" (ha) and he is not a "softie" either, though I might make him sound a bit that way. He just has a very kind heart behind all that "grit". And I like that he doesn't mince words either. He will tell you the truth (about himself.. or yourself.. or whatever is going on at the moment) and he'll do it "ugly and all". But even when he is being the honest.. he is not judgmental.. and there is not a mean-spirited bone in his body (unless you are a ROTTEN low life who NEEDS to be taken down a peg or two.. or taken down for good. And then he is very matter of fact about it.)

For such a tough guy.. he can reduce me to tears with his "soft side" like few other movie characters can do. His final scenes in LD (between him and Woodrow Call) are some of the most heartbreaking moments I can ever recall in a western. I get misty eyed just thinking of it all. (OH sometime soon, I just need to just sit down and watch this whole story all over again)

And all this is not to say that I think "Gus" is all that Duvall can play. (anyone around here remember Lucky Ned Pepper?) Anyway... I just wanted to make a mention of him as being among one of my more favorite "recent" Western Actors. He has been in a LOT of films and I have enjoyed him in many different roles. But for me.. "Gus" is the first and best one that I think of.

But back to my original thoughts for this thread.... part of my intent here was to chat "Broken Trail" with anyone who is interested. I think this movie is a bit LONG.. but it is a really good and gritty story (if a bit emotional too)

But today as I was watching BT I got to thinking again how MUCH his character reminded me of of this Lonesome Dove role. And I remembered saying on here once (in a different thread) that I thought his Prentice Ritter was a variation on a "theme of Gus" ha. Because I DO see a lot of the same sorts of characteristics in him as I recall in Gus. Maybe Ritter was a version of what Gus might have been in his older years. Or what he might have been like w/out Call. I don't know. But Ritter just seemed to have "Gus" written all over him sometimes. And I liked it.

So along w/ thoughts on the film Broken Trail, I hope others will drop a line here as well and share your thoughts on Duvall. This may be a bit "hodge podge" to try and fit it all in one thread... but I thought one would be easier than two (ha.. since I HATE starting new threads anyway) And by the way... it doesn't have to be a "Gus-a-thon" here.. HA!! Although I posted this in the "Western Forum", since we are taking a "hodge podge" turn here.. feel free to bring up any of your favorite films and characters for Duvall (western or not) Especially ones that you think are "stand out" roles for him. I have a few more in mind myself. But will stop with Gus for now.

In the meantime, I think I need to go find my old copy of Lonesome Dove.. ha. After watching Broken Trail.... I am having a nostalgic "Gus" attack. HA! :)
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mrsl
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Re: Broken Trail (Robert Duvall: Variations on a Theme of Gus)

Post by mrsl »

.
Rohanaka:

I hope I don't put a hex on your thread here because lately I seem to be saying all the wrong things in all the wrong ways. But I also tried to start a thread on this show back when it was on originally during the two nights as a mini series. I agree about Duvall, but I never saw Lonesome Dove. I purposely never started because at the time I was going to bingo religiously, and it fell on one of my bingo nights. This was before the days of family VCR's (when they cost nearly $800.00). Not everyone could afford them. He was wonderful with those girls. Every now and then the camera would settle on him looking over at them, then suddenly he's making plans for their future. I don't want to say much about the plot for those who have never seen it. It is definitely worth renting although it often still plays on AMC. When I want to see something on a network with commercials, I DVR it and ff through the ads. That makes for a much more pleasant experience.

A year or two before this came on, he made Open Range with Kevin Costner where he played another Ritter type of character (Boss Spearman). He can act in just about any time frame you like, but my favorite Duvall is in westerns, especially now that he's older and has that rough hewn look.
.
Anne


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Re: Broken Trail (Robert Duvall: Variations on a Theme of Gus)

Post by movieman1957 »

I recently watched "Broken Trail." I agree it is long. You might argue about 45 minutes shorter would have been good. I think Thomas Hayden-Church has a good shot at making a good film cowboy if there is a chance. Good cast. The women are good and I like the way they build their relationship with Duval.

I like the climax of the film even if Church's arrival is a bit too convenient. The shoot out seems genuine and the threatened torture seems terrifying enough. Some characters come and go and rather quickly and I think that is where the editing can might work.

In response to your other point it seems to me that in his western work that Duval has been playing some extension of Gus. Look at "Open Range" and with this role I think that is a possibility. That is not a bad thing but a similar thing.

Recently, I also saw "Dead Man's Walk." What was interesting to me with that, as a "Lonesome Dove" prequel, was watching David Arquette channel Duval's "Gus." I get the sense that he was made to watch "LD" to take on the mannerisms that Duval gave the character. Frankly, he does a good job of it. Now there is something that was too long.

Any scene or action in particular strike you?
Chris

"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
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rohanaka
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Re: Broken Trail (Robert Duvall: Variations on a Theme of Gus)

Post by rohanaka »

Hello mrsl...

(ha.. a hex huh?? NO way.) :D
mrsl wrote: He was wonderful with those girls.


I love the way you could just see him sort of take charge of them.. almost like a "mother hen". So patient and calming with them. And I love how he just worried over them and watched out for them. It was very emotional to see how quickly he fell in love with them all (and how they eventually grew to depend on him for their very lives. I especially like how he called them "children". That's almost what they were.. especially #1 and #5. SO young to be trapped into such a horrific circumstance (not that there is ever a GOOD age for that)
mrsl wrote:A year or two before this came on, he made Open Range with Kevin Costner where he played another Ritter type of character (Boss Spearman). He can act in just about any time frame you like, but my favorite Duvall is in westerns, especially now that he's older and has that rough hewn look.
Both the characters you are mentioning really do put me in mind of his LD character Gus... but I think Ritter is a closer match than Spearman. And I agree.. he seems to really be almost "born" for a Western.. but he has also been in some really good NON western roles as well. (my husband loves him in The Great Santini.. but I am not as fond of that film as he is) I really liked him in that film he made a few years ago w/ Michael Caine.. Second Hand Lions. And if I had to pick a favorite character for The Godfather (although I DETEST that movie..ha) his would be among the ones I liked more (or maybe disliked less...ha)

I hope you get a chance to see Lonesome Dove sometime. It is a time investment. (ha.. I taped it on a VCR YEARS ago one weekend when they showed it straight through on TNT or maybe it was AMC?? I don't recall. And I am embarrassed to admit I even sat there and stopped it and started it over and over again all the way through to keep the commercials out of my tape. I guess you could say I was... OBSESSED. ha. OH me.. what a time investment THAT was.. ha. I am so doofy sometimes)

Hey there Mr. Movieman:
movieman1957 wrote:You might argue about 45 minutes shorter would have been good. I think Thomas Hayden-Church has a good shot at making a good film cowboy if there is a chance. Good cast. The women are good and I like the way they build their relationship with Duval.
Everytime I complain about how long this film is (originally it was a two parter after all) I try my best to come up w/ what I would do to make it shorter and I just don't know. I think there were a lot of "camp" scenes where there is not a lot of action going on and they are just sitting around "gabbing" (sometimes quite colorfully I might add, ha) but honestly... despite the "gritty" language... those scenes really add great insight into the men and who they are as people. You really do get a glimpse of their characters that way.. so I don't know if taking some of that out would have been a good way to go or not.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD:
You are right about Church. I liked how "subtle" he played his emotions sometimes. You KNEW inside he was really keeping himself in check. He was very matter of fact too, about the "ugly" part of his job. (like when he went after the one guy who drugged them and ran off w/ one of the girls and their horses.) One of the best scenes for him I thought was when he has to deal w/ the injured horse.. you can see the compassion he has for the animal as he realizes what he has to do. And I LOVE how he comes to love and care for Sun Fu (#3) and the look on his face when he sees she's gotten off of that stagecoach. Just the shadow of a smile... yet you knew his heart was about to explode from relief. It was a good job by him in this role for sure, I thought.

AGAIN w/ the SPOILAGE:
movieman1957 wrote:Any scene or action in particular strike you?
Well.. I think one of my more favorite parts (at least that was the most endearing) was when Duvall is naming the girls (by giving them their number) I like how they are terrified of him, and #3 encourages them all to just work with him (likely out of fear more than anything else) and then the youngest one was afraid to be #4 so he made her #5. (and then he called her "Little #5 more or less all the rest of the movie) TOO sweet.

I also liked the "horse trading" w/ the Crow indians (when they wanted 2 and he was only willing to give them 1.. and then he gave them his little carved horse as one of the two.. and they WENT for it. ha.) I also loved how he treated Nola.. VERY much in a "flirty" yet gentlemanly way. NO judgements passed on her or her former lifestyle at all.

But the two parts that I was waiting for ALL the way through the whole thing (while watching again today) were A) when Sun Fu gets back off of the stagecoach (I love a good romance, ha) and B) when Ritter tells Big Ears "You will NOT hurt these children" and of course.. by then he was saying it to a deadman.

You are right.. the descriptions of the "torture" that guy was about to inflict (had he not been stopped) were almost as graphic as if he'd actually carried them out instead of just talking about it. And those blows as he was knocking Ritter around while the other men held him were GUT wrenchingly LOUD. Ugh.. it was a very violent moment. And even though Tom (Church's character) does seem a bit "timely" in his arrival.. ha... I was NEVER so glad to see anyone show up in a movie in my life. OH my golly those men got what they deserved... and I was a happy, happy woman. ha. I guess I am more "violent" than I realized, HA.
movieman1957 wrote:Recently, I also saw "Dead Man's Walk." What was interesting to me with that, as a "Lonesome Dove" prequel, was watching David Arquette channel Duval's "Gus."


I saw that a VERY long time ago. At first it was so long ago I did not recall it... but after sitting here a bit.. I DO remember what you are referring to. Ha.. I wonder if he DID study him.. I am sure he did. He made a very good "younger" Gus. Did you ever see James Garner as Call when he was an old man? (in the LD Finale... I think it was called Streets of Laredo.) Now I don't think he was as "channeled" into Tommy Lee Jones as Arquett was into Duvall.. ha. But I thought he did a good job w/ the character at any rate. Of all the sequals and pre-quals to LD, I think that one is my favorite.
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Re: Broken Trail (Robert Duvall: Variations on a Theme of Gus)

Post by movieman1957 »

I did see "The Streets of Laredo" and I enjoyed more than I did any of the other films save "LD." The thing I liked about Garner is that he more hinted at Jones' portrayal. He made no effort to imitate him or anything like that but he did do a good service to the character.

Back to "BT." I agree in that the scenes where he is trying to get the girls comfortable are touching and have a charm about them that is as much the girls as Duval. The campfire scenes you mention are mainly what I thought of as being expendable in some fashion. There may be some sense of the loneliness and length of the trip but it seems as they were time fillers in several cases. I do think that whatever drags is in the middle. By now you pretty well know everyone. The one scene that I think was required is when they get to the town the girls were supposed to go in the first place. Duval seeks an interpreter and a decent meal. Church rescues them and the other woman. They all get out with the men more burdened than before but doing their duty.

It would be interesting to see if there was ever an idea to make it into a regular feature length film.
Chris

"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
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mrsl
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Re: Broken Trail (Robert Duvall: Variations on a Theme of Gus)

Post by mrsl »

.
Quick break for a query:

Since I have it on tape, I never watch Broken Trail on (live) TV. My question: have they joined it and made it a three hour movie or something? Or is it still 4 hours with an intermission?
.
Anne


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rohanaka
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Re: Broken Trail (Robert Duvall: Variations on a Theme of Gus)

Post by rohanaka »

movieman1957 wrote:It would be interesting to see if there was ever an idea to make it into a regular feature length film.
I don't know if that was ever a consideration or not. I did a little "googling" and found the AMC website where there is a lot of really fun stuff on this film, including a 25 or 30 minute or so documentary on the making of it.. with interviews with the cast, director, and writer. (It is not hard to find.. if you are interested.. google "Broken Trail, AMC" and it will show up) It really was interesting. One of the things Duvall mentions is that he saw this film as the third in a "trilogy" for him (between Lonesome Dove, Open Range, and Broken Trail) so that tells me even HE agrees with us on the comparisons we have been making to his characters in all three films. Nice to get it from "the horse's mouth" ha.

One of the more interesting things about that website too was the mention of how the story was not necessarily a "true" one.. but based on a lot of "true" types of stories that happened back then. Especailly with regard to the whole buying and selling of Asian women into slavery. There was mention made of a woman named Donaldina Cameron (google her too, for more info.. REALLY interesting person). She was responsible for working to rescue thousands of Chinese girls and young women from the slave trade (in and around San Francisco, mostly) A lot of her stories were something of the basis for the girls in this movie, if I understood correctly. Anyway.. it was an interesting read between the AMC stuff and the info on Cameron.. if you have the time to read it.

PS: mrsl... I did not keep track of the time yesterday as I was watching... but near as I could tell.. it was the full four hours. It basically seemed to me that they just went from the end of part one and right into part two with no break in between.
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