nice but pointless

Breakheart Pass (Tom Gries, 1975) does reflect a sense of post-Watergate cynicism towards public officials (along with a faith in the corrective system), and it makes for a tense, engrossing little film. I agree that it's basically a MacLean-style action-suspense picture moved to the Western. The story very easily could have been a made as a modern-day adventure, but the isolation and forbidding nature of the Old West landscapes serve it well. Bronson is powerful, displaying understated roguish charm, stealthy cunning, and his usual granite resilience, and Jill Ireland is also excellent in a sensitive performance. Indeed, the husband-and-wife team of Bronson and Ireland percolate their usual shrewd chemistry.

The film's third act contains smoothly and tautly staged action-suspense, and the opening is effectively eerie. Unfortunately, there's something a bit stilted about much of the acting (aside from Bronson and Ireland) and the scene construction, with only the beginning of the third act overcoming this flaw. One receives the sense that the movie, while competent and entertaining, is not as dynamic as it could have been, and that it fails to mine its dramatic and psychological potential. Its on-a-train, cat-and-mouse game, for example, doesn't reach the nerve-frying level of From Russia with Love. That said, Breakheart Pass is still an effective (if perhaps overly detached) action-suspense Western from the 1970s.

I totally agree. This is one of Bronson's most watchable films. Actually its a pretty good thriller set against a western location. Some intelligence has obviously gone into the script and some money into the production design. Its even well acted too, which is all credit to the director getting a good performance out of Bronson.

Charles Bronson made some awful films in his career (espec in the 70s and 80s) but don't let that put you off as this is a good solid action thriller that methinks was possibly written for another star (Steve Mcqueen or Clint Eastwood are the two names that spring to mind) but somehow ended up with Bronson in the lead. However what this film does prove is that Bronson could make an occasional good movie.

It's rare to see a Western set in cold weather and snow. The old West had it's share of that, but Hollywood isn't fond of filming in such.

For example:

Virginian is set in Wyoming, but they rarely have bad weather

Same for Gunsmoke in Kansas and Bonanza near Lake Tahoe.

There are two episodes of Rifleman set in snow or very cold weather, and a few others in which coats were buttoned up.

Those are TV Westerns, but the same held true for features.

Of the exceptions, a good one is Shane, actually filmed in Wyoming where it is set.

That's why a cold or snowy setting like this is unusual for most people.

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The Eyes of the City are Mine! Mother Pressman / Anguish (1987)

I'm watching it now - for the first time off - of ThisTV (antenna). I'm finding it to be surprisingly entertaining and quite well-done.


So it goes.

I love this movie and I'm not a real man. Ben Johnson saying "Let's get her done"is my favorite line.