Starring: Charles Bronson, Ben Johnson, Richard Crenna, Jill Ireland, Charles Durning Directed By: Tom Gries Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) Binding: DVD Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, Full Screen, Widescreen, NTSC Label: MGM (Video & DVD) Number of Items: 1 Region Code: 1 Release Date: December 19, 2000 Running Time: 95 minutes Theatrical Release Date: December 25, 1975
Description: Charles Bronson (The Magnificent Seven, Death Wish) is at his dynamic, heroic best inthis suspenseful action-packed mystery-western based on the best-selling novel by Alistair MacLean (Where Eagles Dare). With a powerful cast that includes Ben Johnson (The Last Picture Show), Richard Crenna (First Blood), Jill Ireland (Death Wish II) and Charles Durning (Tootsie), Breakheart Pass throws open the throttle for runaway excitement! At the height of the frontier era, a locomotive races through the Rocky Mountains on a classified mission to a remote Army post. But one by one, the passengers are being murdered! Their only hope is John Deakin (Bronson), a mysterious prisoner-in-transit who must fight for his life - and the lives ofeveryone on the train - as he uncovers a deadly secret that explodes in a torrent of shocking revelations, explosive brawls and blazing gun battles.
Amazon.com: Adventure movies are hard to come by these days--they've been replaced by action movies, which favor fast cars and big explosions over the dangers of nature and explorations of human character. Breakheart Pass stars Charles Bronson as a mysterious petty criminal on the Western frontier. After being caught cheating at cards, he's arrested and held on a military transport train heading through the Rocky Mountains toward a fort on the coast, a fort stricken with diphtheria and in desperate need of the medical supplies on the train. But there's a conspiracy afoot--people on the train keep getting killed or disappearing--and the situation at the fort isn't what it seems either. Alistair MacLean adapted the screenplay from his own novel, and it's a well-plotted, efficient piece of work, made more compelling by a cast of solid character actors, ranging from Charles Durning (The Sting, Tootsie), Richard Crenna (Body Heat), and Ben Johnson (Oscar winner for The Last Picture Show) to guys whose faces you'll recognize, even if their names don't sound familiar. Breakheart Pass isn't The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, and Bronson isn't Humphrey Bogart, but the movie is a lean adventure flick with an outstanding score by Jerry Goldsmith. (Trivia buffs will catch Sam Elliot and Sally Kirkland in bit parts.) --Bret Fetzer
"And you must be Mr. Deakin, the murderer." So I dig it muchly when the film takes place on a train. And if that same film also crosses over into the whodunit genre, well, so much the better. BREAKHEART PASS, released in 1975, is actually a western mystery, starring Charles Bronson, he of the rugged frame and the tough, careworn features. And, because what's a Bronson flick without lovely Jill Ireland, she shows up, too, looking all nice.
Alistair Maclean offers up the screenplay (adapted from his novel), about a train in the Old West conveying replacement troops and medicine to Fort Humboldt, a distant military garrison stricken with diphtheria. The trek is quite a ways, four hundred miles of freeze and isolation. So it's even more harrowing when the passengers begin to be picked off, one by one. "Trust no one," the movie trailer warns ominously, "and believe half of what you see. Because nothing is as it appears, and nobody is who they seem to be." But could the surviving passengers' only hope lie in the mysterious prisoner in their midst?
A year before, Charles Bronson knocked it out of the park with his blockbuster flick Death Wish. So the viewing public was high on him when this one was released. BREAKHEART PASS doesn't let his fans down. It's thrilling and suspenseful and culminates with a slam bang finish. This flick isn't your typical, straightforward western; it's got some twists. While the film doesn't quite bowl you over with jaw-dropping reveals, the frequent plot shifts do keep you involved and guessing. Meanwhile, the imposing snowy backdrop of the Rockies lend greatly to a feeling of deadly danger and isolation.
While Charles Bronson will never be considered a consummate actor, he does maximize his talents. His biggest strength is that tough persona he's built up for the cinema. He's absolutely ideal for those roles calling for a man of action (but of few words). Having said this, Bronson does play his John Deakin with enough complexity that you're never quite sure what he's up to, although we don't quite buy Deakin's assertions of pacifism, never mind that he's a former university lecturer. Is he trying to unearth a conspiracy, or is he part of it? Honestly, can you be sure he's the good guy?
Backed by a reliable bunch of acting veterans (Ben Johnson, Richard Crenna, Charles Durning) and graced by an oft-partnered actress (and wife), Bronson confidently carries the film. Even though 54 years old when this movie debuted, with those lines on his face sinking in ever deeper, dude was still spry and athletic enough to pull off his action sequences. And for a man of action but few words, well, that's almost everything.
breakheart pass Good, but not as good as other A.McLeans stories. Bronson has had much better parts.
Great story, action, and beautiful location scenery I'm a Bronson fan, and this is definitely one of my favorites. A very fine ensemble cast, great story line, and, as mentioned in my title, the scenery is definitely breathtaking. Highly recommended western.
Breakheart Pass Breakheart Pass is a solid western that stars Charles Bronson. The supporting cast is excellent & includes Ben Johnson, Richard Crenna, Jill Ireland (Mrs. Bronson), Charles Durning & Eddie Little Sky. the cast also has two actors, in small roles, better known for being sports personalities: Joe Kapp (former quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings) & Archie Moore (former light-heavyweight world champion boxer). The film was directed by Tom Gries, one of Bronson's two favorite directors. The movie is based on the Alistair MacLean novel of the same name, he also wrote the screenplay. MacLean is famous for writing the novels The Guns of Navarone, Where Eagles Dare & Ice Station Zebra. Breakheart Pass was his only western ; what makes this so unique is MacLean was from Great Britain.
Breakheart Pass is actually a Western-mystery. It centers on a train bound for Fort Humboldt where a diptheria epidemic has broke out. The train is carrying medical supplies for the living & coffins for the dead. Leading this expedition is the governor of Colorado, Richard Fairchild (Richard Crenna). He's accompanied by Marcia Scoville (Jill Ireland) with whom he's having a not-so-secret relationship with, she's also the daughter of Col. Scoville, commander of Fort Humboldt. Being the daughter of the commander is the only reason she's on the train because it's restricted to only military personnel or those involved directly with the humanitarian mission. John Deakin (Charles Bronson) is there only because he's an outlaw who's been arrested & the U.S. Deputy Marshall doesn't want to leave him behind. Marshall Nathan Pearce (the venerable Ben Johnson in a rare major role) is on the train because he's supposed to be picking up a civilian prisoner at Fort Humboldt. Major Claremont (Ed Lauter) has a detachment of about 30 or so soldiers on the way to Fort Humboldt as replacements.
The outbreak of diptheria at Fort Humboldt isn't common knowledge to everyone on the train. Maj. Claremont isn't told this until they're less than a day away from Fort Humboldt & is told by the Governor this information; & he's only told this because two of his officers had disappeared & been left behind in town. In actuality, they've been murdered & have been stashed in the locomotive's woodpile. The mystery gets deeper as the cars that contain the soldiers are loosened from the train & end uo crashing to death. The locomotive looses its fireman because he fell off the train on a bridge & plummeted to his death. The doctor dies mysteriously (murdered) & the preacher disappears (murdered).
We finally learn that Deakin is an undercover agent for the Secret Service. He's been tracking a stolen shipment of rifles & has found them hidden in the coffins, he's also found dynamite hidden in the so-called cases of medicine. The diptheria outbreak at Fort Humboldt is only a ruse; the guns & dynamite are being delivered there to the not-really captured outlaws & a band of Indians. Before the movie is over we find out almost everyone left alive on the train is part of the conspiracy, including the Governor & the Deputy Marshall. The climax is exciting &well done. Breakheart Pass is done in the vein of the traditional Western except we can't tell the good guys from the bad guys until near the end.
Take a ride on Charlie's train I was given this movie as a Christmas present this past year by my mother, who knows I am a huge Charles Bronson fan. Sadly, it took me quite a while to watch this film until the other day. I have to say that I was very impressed. I for one love Mr. Bronson's vigilant films and "Breakheart Pass" isn't a gritty urban revenge film, but isn't a total departure from the Charlie we all know and love.
As for the rest of the cast, "Breakheart Pass" had Richard Crenna, Ed Lauter (who was also in Death Wish 3), Charles Durning and Jill Ireland (Bronson's wife and in many of his other films). Ultimately, the acting in this movie was really good.
The premise of the movie is rather simple; a train is bringing medical supplies to an area that is infested with disease. On this locomotive are a Governor and other high status individuals whose mission is to bring these medical supplies to aid the land and replace the soldiers who fell to the disease.
Now you might be wondering where good old Charlie fits in, well he plays a (somewhat) scoundrel who is wanted by law enforcement in San Francisco and since the train is going that way, the "good Samaritans" figure they will bring him to "the law" in California. Yet during the journey, people start turning up dead. This sets the stage for a great movie.
I will admit, the movie starts out a bit slow but picks up quickly. I was surprised how this movie was more mystery than western. Of course the movie has that western flare due to the time period, but I felt the mystery really drove this motion picture.
There was lots of adventure and action, also a couple of dummies (which in many cases looks better than CGI in modern movies). Also I felt this movie was quite brutal despite the PG rating.....times have changed. Look for the fight sequence on top of the train, one of the best scenes in the film. I would love to know just where this movie was filmed, absolutely beautiful landscape.
Overall "Breakheart Pass" was a great mystery, a great western, a great adventure and a great performance by Charles Bronson. Now if only I could be a smooth as Charlie B, I wouldn't have to work full time.
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