Breakheart Pass Reviews

BREAKHEART PASS is a western mystery that never flags from the opening sequence to the closing credits. If you don't like Bronson, however, forget this movie because he's in virtually every frame of it. Ireland (Bronson's real-life late wife) is the so-called romantic interest (he eventually goes off without her at the conclusion). Bronson is an undercover agent after a murderous gang. Most of the action occurs on a magnificent old train. Bodies are tossed off the train, cars come loose, there's an epidemic that really isn't, a cabal between cowboys and Indians attempts to defeat the Army--in fact, there are more twists than a politician's speech. MacLean wrote the novel and the screenplay, and Gries directed it with his customary professionalism. Durning and McKinney do well in small roles. Tibbs (the rodeo champ), Moore (boxing champ), and Kapp (football quarterback) appear to be in the film for no reason other than cameo marquee value. Second-unit direction is by the dean, Yakima Canutt, and the train-top fight is a pip. (Canutt, whose real first name is Enos, spent half his life as a stunt man and the rest of it shooting other stunt men.)