History Film / ARiverRunsThroughIt

A 1992 film adapted from Norman Maclean's semi-autobiographical story of the same name, directed by Creator/RobertRedford and starring Creator/BradPitt, Craig Sheffer, and Tom Skerritt.

* TheAlcoholic: Jessie's brother, Neal.

* NakedPeopleAreFunny: After Norman and Paul's failed attempt at taking Jessie's brother, Neal, fishing, the brothers find Neal and the girl he brought with him passed out together in the grass, naked. After several moments of wide-eyed chagrin over what Jessie will think when she finds out, they start cracking jokes about the tattoo on the girl's butt cheeks.
* {{Narrator}}: Norman's role in the film, and the narration was taken directly from Maclean's book. Interestingly though, the narration is read by Robert Redford, rather than Craig Sheffer.

* SmallTownBoredom: Played with. Norman does not keep in close contact with his parents after going off to university, but on coming back he remembers all the things he loved about rural life. Paul, on the other hand, refuses to leave Montana [[spoiler:even when his life is at stake]].

The film was well received by critics, with much praise being given to Redford's directing and [[BreakoutRole Pitt's performance as the younger brother Paul]]. It won an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for Best Cinematography, and also received nominations for Best Original Score and Best Adapted Screenplay.

* TimeShiftedActor: A very young Creator/JosephGordonLevitt makes his feature film debut as younger Norman, with Vann Gravage appearing as young Paul.

Directed by Creator/RobertRedford and starring Creator/BradPitt and Craig Sheffer, ''A River Runs Through It'' is a 1992 film based off the semi-autobiography of Norman Maclean. Set between UsefulNotes/WorldWarI and TheGreatDepression, the story follows the life of Norman and Paul Maclean, two brothers from Missoula, Montana, who are [[SiblingYinYang as different as can be]]... except for their mutual love of fly fishing, a passion that was instilled in them by their father at a young age. The film begins in their childhood, and shows their transition to young, reckless teens, and finally grown men, exploring several themes of Transcendentalism along the way.

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* SeriousBusiness: For the Maclean's, it's fly fishing.

* TechnicianVersusPerformer: The brother's fly-fishing techniques reflect their differing personalities: Norman, the more dutiful son, adheres to the technique they were taught by their father, while the more adventurous Paul branches out and adopts a rhythm of his own.

* [[NoAnimalsWereHarmed No Fish Were Harmed]]: "The producers would like to point out that, although the Maclean's kept their catch as was common earlier in this century, enlightened fisherman today endorse a 'catch and release' policy to assure that this priceless resource swims free to fight another day. Good fishing."

* HopeSpot: Subverted. Near the end, Paul shows up to go fishing with Norman and their father like he promised, and the fishing trip goes well - Paul succeeds in catching an enormous fish, and Norman's narration recalls it as a perfect moment - but Norman admits that he knows it won't last. [[spoiler: He's proven right, as Paul continues to rebuff his attempts to help him out of his dangerous gambling situation]].

-> "I am haunted by waters."

* TitleDrop: The final lines of the film.

Directed by Creator/RobertRedford and starring Creator/BradPitt and Craig Sheffer, ''A River Runs Through It'' is a 1992 film based off the semi-autobiography of Norman Maclean. Set in between UsefulNotes/WorldWarI and TheGreatDepression, the story follows the life of Norman and Paul Maclean, two brothers from Missoula, Montana, who are [[SiblingYinYang as different as can be]]... except for their mutual love of fly fishing, a passion that was instilled in them by their father at a young age. The film begins in their childhood, and shows their transition to young, reckless teens, and finally grown men, exploring several themes of Transcendentalism along the way.

The film was well received by critics, with much praise being given to Redford's directing and Pitt's performance as Paul. It won an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for Best Cinematography, and received nominations for Best Original Score and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Directed by Creator/RobertRedford and starring Creator/BradPitt and Craig Sheffer, ''A River Runs Through It'' is a 1992 film based off the semi-autobiography of Norman Maclean. Set in and around the city of Missoula in western Montana between UsefulNotes/WorldWarI and TheGreatDepression, the story follows the life of brothers Norman and Paul Maclean, exploring several themes of Transcendentalism.

Administrivia/NeedsABetterDescription

* UsefulNotes/AcademyAward: Best Cinematography.

* BillingDisplacement: Only retroactively. It may seem strange to modern audiences to see Brad Pitt credited below his lesser known co-star, but this was one of his first major roles, so it was appropriate at the time.
* BittersweetEnding: The story lands somewhere between this and a DownerEnding. [[spoiler:Paul is murdered offscreen over his gambling debts, which leaves their parents devastated and Norman says they barely spoke of it afterwards. Norman, however, marries Jessie and has a family, living a full life to an old age... except that he also outlives his wife and most, if not all, of his friends, so his story kind of turns out sad as well. The movie finally ends with him as an old man, fishing alone in a river, while the narration monologues about the serenity of fly fishing and the timelessness of water.]]

* BittersweetEnding: The story lands somewhere between this and a DownerEnding. [[spoiler:Paul is murdered offscreen over his gambling debts, which leaves their parents devastated and Norman says they barely spoke of it afterwards. Norman, however, marries Jessie and has a family, living a full life to an old age... except that he also outlives his wife and most, if not all, of his friends, so his story kind of turns out sad as well. The movie finally ends with him as an old man, fishing alone in a river, while the narration monologues about fly fishing and the timelessness of water.]]

* HopeSpot: Subverted. Near the end, Paul shows up to go fishing with Norman and their father like he promised, and the fishing trip goes well - Paul succeeds in catching an enormous fish, and Norman's narration explicitly describes the moment as perfect - but Norman admits that he knows it won't last. [[spoiler: He's proven right, as Paul continues to rebuff his attempts to help him out of his dangerous gambling situation]].

* HopeSpot: Subverted. Near the end, Paul shows up to go fishing with Norman and their father like he promised, and the fishing trip goes well - Paul succeeds in catching enormous fish, and Norman's narration explicitly describes the moment as perfect - but Norman admits that he knows it won't last. [[spoiler: He's proven right, as Paul continues to rebuff his attempts to help him out of his dangerous gambling situation]].

* SceneryPorn

* SmallTownBoredom: Played with. Norman does not keep in contact with his parents after going off to university, but on coming back he remembers all the things he loved about rural life. Paul, on the other hand, refuses to leave Montana [[spoiler:even when his life is at stake]].

Directed by Creator/RobertRedford and starring Creator/BradPitt, ''A River Runs Through It'' is a 1992 film based off the semi-autobiography of Norman Maclean. Set in and around the city of Missoula in western Montana between UsefulNotes/WorldWarI and TheGreatDepression, the story follows the life of brothers Norman and Paulie Maclean, exploring several themes of Transcendentalism.

* CantHoldHisLiquor: Neal.

* TheGamblingAddict: Paul.

* MayDecemberRomance: Jessie's father is old enough to be her mother's father.

--> '''Paul''': "Neal, in Montana, there's three thing we're never late for: church, work and fishing."
* SmallTownBoredom: Played with. Norman does not keep in contact with his parents after going off to university, but on coming back he remembers all the things he loved about rural life. Paul, on the other hand, refuses to leave Montana [[spoiler:even when his life is at stake.]]

* HopeSpot: Deconstructed. Near the end, Paul shows up to go fishing with Norman and their father like he promised, and the fishing trip goes well - Paul succeeds in catching enormous fish, and Norman's narration explicitly describes the moment as perfect, but he then follows it up by admitting that he knows it won't last. He's proven right, as Paul continues to rebuff Norman's attempts to help him out of his dangerous gambling situation.

* {{Narrator}}: Norman's role in the film, and the narration was taken directly from Maclean's book. Interestingly, though the narration was read by Robert Redford, rather than Craig Sheffer.

* PlayingGertrude: Edie McClurg was born in 1945 while the man who plays her husband, Fred Oakland, was born in 1917, making her 28 years younger than her on-screen husband. To top it all off, Stephen Shellen, who plays her son, was born in 1957, making him only 12 years younger than her.
* RedOniBlueOni: Norman's blue to Paulie's red.

* SmallTownBoredom: Played with. Norman barely talks to his parents after going off to university, but on coming back he remembers all the things he loved about rural life. Paul, on the other hand, refuses to leave Montana [[spoiler:even when his life is at stake.]]
* TitleDrop

Directed by Creator/RobertRedford and starring Creator/BradPitt, ''A River Runs Through It'' is a 1992 film based off the semi-autobiography of Norman Maclean. Set in and around the city of Missoula in western Montana between UsefulNotes/WorldWarI and TheGreatDepression, the story follows the brothers Norman and Paulie Maclean, exploring several themes of Transcendentalism.

* CantHoldHisLiquor: Neal

* TheGamblingAddict: Paul
* {{Narrator}}: Redford reads directly from Maclean's book.

* RedOniBlueOni: Norman's blue to Paulie's red

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* FakeAmerican: Brit Brenda Blethyn as Mrs. Maclean

* PlayingGertrude: Edie McClurg was born in 1945 while the man who plays her husband, Fred Oakland, was born in 1917, making her 28 years older than her on-screen husband. To top it all off, Stephen Shellen, who plays her son, was born in 1957, making him only 12 years younger than her.

* PlayingGertrude: Edie McClurg was born in 1945 while the man who plays her husband, Fred Oakland, was born in 1917, making her "28 years older" than her on-screen husband. To top it all off, Stephen Shellen, who plays her son, was born in 1957, making him only "12 years younger" than her.

* AcademyAward: Best Cinematography.

Directed by Robert Redford and starring Creator/BradPitt, ''A River Runs Through It'' is a 1992 film based off the semi-autobiography of Norman Maclean. Set in and around the city of Missoula in western Montana between UsefulNotes/WorldWarI and TheGreatDepression, the story follows the brothers Norman and Paulie Maclean, exploring several themes of Transcendentalism.

Directed by Robert Redford and starring BradPitt, ''A River Runs Through It'' is a 1992 film based off the semi-autobiography of Norman Maclean. Set in and around the city of Missoula in western Montana between WorldWarI and TheGreatDepression, the story follows the brothers Norman and Paulie Maclean, exploring several themes of Transcendentalism.

NeedsABetterDescription

Directed by Robert Redford and starring BradPitt, ''ARiverRunsThroughIt'' is a 1992 film based off the semi-autobiography of Norman Maclean. Set in and around the city of Missoula in western Montana between WorldWarI and TheGreatDepression, the story follows the brothers Norman and Paulie Maclean, exploring several themes of Transcendentalism.