Broken Trail at 20: A Western Masterpiece

Broken Trail ranks among my all-time favourite westerns. Yet this one isn’t actually a feature, but a two-part TV mini-series. I’d even argue that it’s one of the crowning achievements from director Walter Hill. Widely celebrated for his cult films like The Warriors (1979), 48 Hours (1982) and Extreme Prejudice (1987), maybe it’s inevitable that some projects don’t catch the spotlight they deserve. And yet this show would go on to win four Emmy awards, earning accolades in an industry which certainly took notice.

Throughout his film career, Hill has famously stated that all of his films are westerns at heart. Yet even true-to-the-bone westerns like The Long Riders (1980), Geronimo: An American Legend (1993) and Wild Bill (1995) don’t get talked about nearly as much as they should. Perhaps owing to pop culture fandom (and hype from filmmakers like Edgar Wright), icy-cool crime thriller The Driver (1978) gets more love than many of these other titles, even Hard Times (1975), which I personally much prefer. Or maybe it’s the case that in a busy, half century-long filmography, there will always be highlights, and deep cuts. The hit singles and the mid album tracks. If you only listen to the hits, you miss the quieter moments. This could certainly be said for Broken Trail, which would go on to become a small screen hit and win those four aforementioned Emmys, including Outstanding Miniseries, Outstanding Casting and Outstanding Lead Actor and Supporting Actor, respectively, for both its leads, Robert Duvall and Thomas Haden Church.

Turning 20 this year, the 2006 two-part drama followed Hill’s previous Emmy win for directing the pilot of Deadwood, the bigger and more prolific HBO series which ran for three seasons. With the ongoing success of that show, perhaps Broken Trail existed in its shadow, since the scope of a smaller TV event will rarely match up to a long-lasting, multi-season narrative.

In fact, Broken Trail was first intended to be a feature film, which makes more sense given the story, but was judged easier to finance as a TV production, and taken to AMC. Robert Duvall had developed the project with screenwriter, Alan Geoffrion, before taking it to Hill, having worked together on 1993’s Geronimo.

Set in 1897, Broken Trail tells the story of Prent Ritter (Duvall) and his estranged nephew Tom Harte (Church). While completing a job transporting 500 horses, they encounter five abused and abandoned Chinese women on their travels, being trafficked by slave traders. Compelled to do the right thing, Prent and Tom vow to fulfil their duty, both completing their transportation job, while protecting the women from the forces pursuing them. The story deals with old hands in a changing world, the conflicts of morals, duty of care, sacrifice, and how these choices make an impact on the world we know.

By all accounts, one of the bigger challenges was adapting the planned feature into a television format. For a two-part mini-series running at around three hours (as opposed to a feature), the journey had to be expanded. At the same time, care was taken to keep the crucial story elements central to the plot. The canvas consistently feels rich, while the story is always intimate, and the bond between Prent and Tom at the centre of this. Yet the real heart is felt in their duty of care for these women, destined for a life of hardship. There is also a growing bond between Prent and former prostitute, Nola (Greta Scacchi), who finds her way into the group.

The performances are excellent all round, with both leads earning awards that are hugely deserved. The late, great Robert Duvall delivers what could be one of his most moving performances, certainly ranking among the best of his roles. Even in a career spanning iconic westerns, such as TV’s Lonesome Dove (1989) and Open Range (2003), this one truly stands out. For an actor who became as well-loved and associated with the western as any other genre icon, it’s an impressive feat to carve out new and multi-faceted parts which somehow avoid retreading old ground. From his younger villainous roles, cocky and tough, in the likes of True Grit (1969) and Joe Kidd (1972), to his late era father figures embodying warmth, charm and dependable frontier masculinity, no two characters were ever the same. He feels like a real-life cowboy, not a million miles away from his true persona, who fit the cinematic terrain perfectly, commanding the screen every time.

20 years on, I would strongly encourage anyone curious to delve back and rediscover this mini-series, no doubt one of Walter Hill’s finest works. Earning critical acclaim upon release and winning awards, it can hardly be described as an undiscovered gem, since it took its accolades. But finding ourselves now in a saturated marketplace of streaming platforms and endless choice, and even the crowded filmographies of these key players, it’s easy to overlook things.

If you’re sold, Broken Trail can easily be purchased on digital platforms and is readily available on physical media too, for a superior presentation. The UK only ever released a DVD, but the Blu-ray versions from the US and Netherlands are excellent and include a 23 minute ‘making of’ documentary.

So, if you’re a fan of powerful TV drama, and certainly western fans for whom this slipped under the radar, this one is essential. Deep and meditative, in the words of Duvall’s Prent Ritter: "We're all travellers in this world. From the sweet grass to the packing house. Birth 'til death. We travel between the eternities."