A box-office hit when released in 1994; this sprawling; frequently overwrought familial melodrama may get sillier as its plot progresses; but it's the kind of lusty; character-based epic that Hollywood should attempt more often. It's also an unabashedly flattering star vehicle for Brad Pitt as Tristan--the rebellious middle son of a fiercely independent Montana rancher and military veteran (Anthony Hopkins)--who is routinely at odds with his more responsible older brother; Alfred (Aidan Quinn); and younger brother; Samuel (Henry Thomas). From the battlefields of World War I to his adventures as an oceangoing sailor; Tristan's life is full of personal torment; especially when he returns to Montana and finds himself competing with Alfred over Samuel's beautiful widow (Julia Ormond); whose passion for Tristan disrupts the already turbulent Ludlow clan. Under the wide-open canopy of Big Sky country; this operatic tale unfolds with all the bloodlust; tragedy; and scenery-chewing performances you'd expect to find in a hokey bestselling novel (in fact; it's based on the acclaimed novella by Jim Harrison); but it's a potent mix that's highly entertaining. Not surprisingly; John Toll won an Academy Award for his breathtaking outdoor cinematography. --Jeff Shannon