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MONEY
Did you know
Made its money back 3.6× over at the box office.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
A River Runs Through It
"Nothing perfect lasts forever. Except in our memories."
1992 2h 3m EN
👍
7.0
SOLID
🍅
80%
FRESH
👌
68
METACRITIC
⭐
7.2
IMDB
★7.0TMDB · 1,250🍅80%Rotten Tomatoes●68Metacritic★7.2IMDB · 70,482
Drama
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
The Maclean brothers, Paul and Norman, live a relatively idyllic life in rural Montana, spending much of their time fly fishing. The sons of a minister, the boys eventually part company when Norman moves east to attend college, leaving his rebellious brother to find trouble back home. When Norman finally returns, the siblings resume their fishing outings, and assess where they've been and where they're going.
“Nothing perfect lasts forever. Except in our memories.”
Cast
Craig Sheffer
Norman Maclean
Brad Pitt
Paul Maclean
Tom Skerritt
Reverend Maclean
Brenda Blethyn
Mrs. Maclean
Emily Lloyd
Jessie Burns
Edie McClurg
Mrs. Burns
Stephen Shellen
Neal Burns
Vann Gravage
Young Paul
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Robert Redford
- Writers
- Richard Friedenberg, Norman Maclean, Jason Borger
- Languages
- English
- Countries
- United Kingdom, United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
ERA
Did you know
34 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
CAST
Did you know
241+ people credited in cast and crew — a small city's worth of labour.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Robert Redford, shot by Philippe Rousselot. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Mark Isham. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Robert Estrin shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Craig Sheffer and Brad Pitt and Tom Skerritt carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Robert Redford directs. Philippe Rousselot behind the camera. Mark Isham scores. Robert Estrin cuts. Made its budget back several times over at the box office. Produced in United Kingdom, United States of America. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Made its money back 3.6× over at the box office.
- 234 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
- 3International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.
- 4241+ people credited in cast and crew — a small city's worth of labour.
- 5Directed by Robert Redford, shot by Philippe Rousselot. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 6Original score by Mark Isham. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 7Editor Robert Estrin shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 8Craig Sheffer and Brad Pitt and Tom Skerritt carry the top of the cast.
- 9Marketing tagline: "Nothing perfect lasts forever. Except in our memories.".
- 10IMDB entry: tt0105265 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 11Classified under 10 themes, including "journalist", "individual", "sibling relationship", "gambling".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Philippe Rousselot
- Original score
- Mark Isham
- Editing
- Robert Estrin
- Production design
- Jon Hutman
- Costume design
- Kathy O'Rear
- Makeup / hair
- Jean Ann Black
- Sound
- Gary Rydstrom
- Stunt coordinator
- John Robotham
- Runtime
- 123 min · 2h 3m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $12,000,000
- Box office
- $43,440,294
- Return
- 362% of budget
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- PG
- Rotten Tomatoes
- 80% 🍅 Fresh
- Metacritic
- 68/100
- IMDB rating
- 7.2/10 · 70,482 votes
- MPAA
- PG
Awards
Won 1 Oscar. 4 wins & 11 nominations total
- Academy Award for Best Cinematography
Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.
Also by
Robert Redford
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Community reviews
What people are saying
- Wuchak★ 8/10
Two brothers growing up in Montana during the 20s After WW1, two brothers come-of-age in the Missoula area of Montana; one prudent (Craig Sheffer) and the other imprudent (Brad Pitt). Tom Skerritt plays their father, a wise Presbyterian minister, while Emily Lloyd plays the sensible son’s potential romantic interest. "A River Runs through It" (1992) was based on the memoir of American author Norman Maclean and is similar to “Legends of the Fall” (1994), but understandably more mundane (in a positive sense). This was Robert Redford’s third directorial effort and it was very successful. It effectively brings to life the Prohibition Era of the 20s and early 30s with their Model T's and speakeasies. Aside from Lloyd, Susan Traylor appears on the feminine front as a woman with, um, rather loose morals while Nicole Burdette plays the Indian lass that Pitt’s character brings to a speakeasy. The moral is deep and a little murky, but clear if you reflect on it. Regardless, it’s a great drama that takes you back to rural America during the roaring 20s. If you like “Legends of the Fall” and “The Horse Whisperer” (1998) it’s a must. The film runs 2 hours, 3 minutes, and was shot in western Montana (Livingston, Granite Falls & Bozeman) with one scene done in Wyoming. Needless to say, the locations are a highlight. GRADE: A-/B+
Production companies
Who made it
Allied Filmmakers
GB
Columbia Pictures
US
Key crew
- ProducerRobert Redford
- CastingElisabeth Leustig
- EditorRobert Estrin
- EditorLynzee Klingman
- Set DecorationGretchen Rau
- Costume DesignKathy O'Rear
- Costume DesignBernie Pollack
- Executive ProducerJake Eberts
- Production DesignJon Hutman
- Costume DesignReese Spensley
- ProducerPatrick Markey
- Art DirectionWalter P. Martishius
- ProducerAmalia Mato
- Sound Re-Recording MixerGary Rydstrom
- Sound Re-Recording MixerTom Johnson
- Assistant Sound DesignerTom Myers
- Sound DesignerGary Rydstrom
- Supervising Sound EditorRichard Hymns
- Sound Effects EditorClayton Collins
- Sound Effects EditorKen Fischer
- Additional GripJustin Fonda
- ChoreographerMiranda Garrison
- StuntsAnnie Ellis
- StuntsNoon Orsatti
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- journalist
- individual
- sibling relationship
- gambling
- prohibition era
- montana
- fishing
- fly fishing
- pastor
- semi autobiographical
Release history · US
When it landed
- Theatrical (limited)1992-10-09
- Theatrical1992-10-30PG
Also known as
International titles
- Aus der Mitte entspringt ein FlussDE
- Där floden flyter framSE
