Touches You

Thanks for the memories!

Memorable, crazy movie

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Tom Gries is not a well known director and, judging from this effort, deservedly so. With a very limited actor, Charles Bronson, as the lead, the film begins with much too modern credits for its time, its soundtrack is equally anachonistic, and by and large all performers look uneasy.Screenplay does not help. Bronson begins by playing an alleged convict who is tied to a corner but, before you know it, he is going up and down the train conducting an in depth investigation without anyone apparently wising up to it, apart from a cook with whom he trades punches atop the train.Crenna is predictably the smooth villain, Edward Albert not so predictably the good soldier, and Jill Ireland is as beautiful as she is exceedingly limited as an actress, and the rest of the cast takes turns coming on and disappearing.I could not wait for the end of this totally forgettable flick.

Having Alistair Maclean get involved with the production this movie has a proper high class standard,Tom Gries has been proved in a fine western in late sixties with Chuck in "Will Penny" and this mystery train which Charles Bronson as usual made a good job,nevertheless the story is quite unbelievable to start,even so the picture floating in resounded tracks,has a cold atmosphere and mystery,corpses were found during the journey,the casting are quite fabulous,Ben Johnson,Richard Crenna and Charles Durning and lot of others good actors in this solid and enjoyable in a amazing winter landscape!! Resume: First watch: 1984 / How many: 4 / Source: TV-Cable TV-DVD / Rating: 7.25

95 minutes of action packed excitement. A train traveling through the Pacific northwest heading to a diphtheria ridden military outpost is full of characters who are never what they first appear to be. Wanted man Charles Bronson is being escorted by ornery lawman Ben Johnson. Governor Richard Crenna is bringing gal-pal Jill Ireland to see her father and soldier Ed Lauter is suspicious of everyone. None of these people turn out to be what you think they are and that's the fun of this tightly wound Alistair MacLean thriller. Bronson, steely eyed and ever intense turns out to the hero while most of the remaining cast turn out to be ruthless criminals. Directed by the ever efficient Tom Gries and featuring an appropriately rousing Jerry Goldsmith score. The supporting cast also includes Charles Durning, Archie Moore and David Huddleston.

The biggest problem with this movie is the rather uninteresting beginning. The movie doesn't introduce us to the characters in the interesting way. It simply lacks hook for the first twenty minutes. Thankfully with time the movie slowly gets more and more interesting. It's not strange , because the story is an interesting mix of western , thriller and action.There are some nice dialogues here and plenty of action in the last 30 minutes. There is also quite many twists and nice mystery along the way. Good old Alistair MacLean. "Breakheart pass" feels like a book , although I'm not sure if there was a book under the same title.Charles Bronson ("Death wish") is a typical silent bad ass hero that is easy to like. I was delighted to see Richard Crenna ("Rambo : First blood") as the governor. Other actors are OK.Action scenes feel real. The special effects are sometimes a little outdated. The music by Jerry Goldsmith is really nice.Good and underrated western. I give it 7/10.