Legends of the Fall
This is one of those movies that I've always known I must be missing something about it. The first time I saw it (in an airplane) I thought it was awful, but then I think I rented it again anyway because somehow I suspected it surely must be better than that. It got a little better the second time, but still I had a hunch that I didn't quite "get" it. So long story short, ever since the beginning, whenever I saw this movie playing on tv, I would always have to sit through and watch it again.
The funny thing is, it does continue to get slightly better with each viewing (I must be on 5 or 6 by now). The first time I think I was perplexed because the plot is so sprawling - well, that and I was on a plane - and I mistakenly thought it was a story about Susanna (Julia Ormond). Thus, I objected that the story was not at all romantic. I don't remember when and how the rest of the meaning unfolded to me, but here are some of my interpretations now (subject to change every time I see this movie again):
- It's basically a story about familial love and the unbreakable elegance of the American spirit.
- The story centers on Tristan (Brad Pitt), which is a bit of a paradox because he's totally opaque (hence my initial dismissal).
- Tristan is coherent if you understand him as a Byronic hero. However, this can only make sense only insofar as you believe that Brad Pitt is ridiculously good-looking. Although I see now that this is the case, it should by no means be considered obvious. The movie's main incoherence stems from the fact that it makes this assumption; why does everyone put up with his ish? you end up wondering.
- It's possible to appreciate the tragedy of loving a Byronic hero (Susanna's story, the "romance" part) only if you've ever experienced the 100% randomness and unfairness that is the male mind when it comes to relationships.
The funny thing is, it does continue to get slightly better with each viewing (I must be on 5 or 6 by now). The first time I think I was perplexed because the plot is so sprawling - well, that and I was on a plane - and I mistakenly thought it was a story about Susanna (Julia Ormond). Thus, I objected that the story was not at all romantic. I don't remember when and how the rest of the meaning unfolded to me, but here are some of my interpretations now (subject to change every time I see this movie again):
- It's basically a story about familial love and the unbreakable elegance of the American spirit.
- The story centers on Tristan (Brad Pitt), which is a bit of a paradox because he's totally opaque (hence my initial dismissal).
- Tristan is coherent if you understand him as a Byronic hero. However, this can only make sense only insofar as you believe that Brad Pitt is ridiculously good-looking. Although I see now that this is the case, it should by no means be considered obvious. The movie's main incoherence stems from the fact that it makes this assumption; why does everyone put up with his ish? you end up wondering.
- It's possible to appreciate the tragedy of loving a Byronic hero (Susanna's story, the "romance" part) only if you've ever experienced the 100% randomness and unfairness that is the male mind when it comes to relationships.
posted by Rex at 1:49 PM
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