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shocking revelations, explosive brawls and blazing gun battles.Adventure movies are hard to come by these days–they’ve been replaced by action movies, which favor fast cars and big explosions over the dangers of nature and explorations of human character.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
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April 5, 2010
#1
This movie was OK, but totally formulaic…a cast full of familiar faces and I always enjoy watching Ben Johnson. Suitable to pass the time but not particularly memorable…you’ve seen it before in different settings and will see it again.
April 5, 2010
#2
Good, but not as good as other A.McLeans stories. Bronson has had much better parts.
April 5, 2010
#3
The description says:
Breakheart Pass [VHS] (1968)
Starring: Gian Maria Volontè, Klaus Kinski Director: Damiano Damiani
I was expecting a movie by Gian Maria Volontè.But the picture shows Charles Bronson. And starring is Charles Bronson.
Gian Maria Volontè is italian and Charles Bronson is american.You can’t mistaken one for another.
Very poor job of amazon.com
April 5, 2010
#4
This isn’t one of the best Charles Bronson movies. However, it’s hard to believe that he’s in his mid-50′s when he made this movie. Nonetheless, this movie would be just another western, if not for this fight scene, that takes place in the middle of the movie. Mind you, not just your ordinary fight scene, because this fight scene takes on top of a moving train, which is covered with heavy snow, in very frigid cold temperatures. Oh, I left out that the fight scene is on top of a train, that is moving on train tracks…Hundreds of feets in the air!!! There are times when the stuntmen…I say stuntmen because I doubt very seriously that Charles Bronson and Archie Moore is hanging from the side of this moving train box car…hundreds of feet in the cold frigid air, but those two stuntmen are. Mind you, this fight scene was filmed long before the computer-enhanced stunts. There is actually a train here. Clearly, the highlight, of the movie, but makes the movie worth looking at.
April 5, 2010
#5
A tale of mystery and suspense in a western setting is rather uncommon, making Breakheart Pass an unusual film. It is based on the novel by Scottish author Alistair MacLean, who also wrote the screenplay. The story is centered on an army troop train on its way to Fort Humbolt, where there is apparently a medical emergency. The train is loaded with medical supplies and relief troops to replace those suffering from an epidemic. The cast is headed by Charles Bronson, as John Deakin an accused killer, and fugitive from the law. Also on board are the arresting marshal (Ben Johnson), the army troop commander (Ed Lauter), a trainman (Charles Durning), and a governor (Richard Crenna) and his mistress (Jill Ireland aka Mrs. Bronson).
While at a train stop, Deakin is arrested, and put on board the train for transport to the stockade at Humbolt. Already strange things have begun to happen, as two soldiers have disappeared. With an urgent mission to complete, the train must get under way. Trouble and misfortune begin to mount. A passenger is found dead, and then a train worker has a fatal fall. Next a whole carload of soldiers suffers a catastrophe. The survivors push on towards the fort, but find themselves with no way to communicate, as their telegraph set is mysteriously missing. What is happening, and who is behind it? Deakin investigates to try get to the bottom of the dark and deadly plot. Outlaws, Indians, guns and gold all figure into the mix. Deakin takes command of the train as it heads for a showdown in Breakheart Pass.
Breakheart Pass was written when MacLean’s best works were already behind him. While it doesn’t rank as one of his best books, it does make pretty good material for the big screen. The film is not outstanding, either as a western or as an action-adventure. It does however offer a different slant on the standard western story, and is presented in an easily accessible way. MacLean’s script is handled capably by the large distinguished cast, under the direction of TV veteran Tom Gries. Charles Bronson’s performance is very solid, and he competently carries the film. A couple of ex-athletes are also part of the train crew. Former boxer Archie Moore, plays the cook and gives Bronson all he can handle in a battle on the roof of the train. And former California and Viking QB Joe Kapp plays a train steward working for more than just tips.
Jerry Goldsmith’s rousing theme music starts the movie, and then his score continues to effectively add to the enjoyment of the film. The transfer to DVD is good, but in certain scenes the poor quality of the original material shows. The DVD edition provides both widescreen and fullscreen versions, but no other extras except a tattered copy of the original trailer for the film.