Breakheart Pass (1976)

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While most of Alistair Maclean's work is formulaic, consisting of good guys with a traitor in their midst- if you don't believe me, watch "Guns of Navarone" and "Force 10 from Navarone", action director Gries brings together enough elements to make this a very effective film.

Deakin (Charles Bronson) is arrested and taken aboard a train bound for a remote fort ravaged by diphtheria. Next, we get a Wild West version of "Murder on the Orient Express," as dead people begin to turn up, and the list of criminals narrows to reveal our killer and the real reason for the trip to the fort.

Aboard the train is a large list of suspects, including Ben Johnson, Richard Crenna, Ed Lauter, Charles Durning, and Jill Ireland. For a ninety five minute film, the plot does get a little complicated. Bronson is in fine form as the mysterious criminal who figures it all out. The real star here is the action sequences, with a now classic fight on top of a moving train car. Yakima Canutt does a great job coordinating the stuntwork. This different western is entertaining and moves quickly, with a capable cast and crew.

"Breakheart Pass" is not a modern classic, but a good change of pace from young guns and American outlaws.

Stats:
(1976) 95 min. (* * * *) out of five stars
-Directed by Tom Gries
-Written by Alistair Maclean based on his novel
-Cast: Charles Bronson, Jill Ireland, Ben Johnson, Richard Crenna, Ed Lauter, Charles Durning, Bill McKinney, David Huddleston, Roy Jenson, Sally Kirkland, Rayford Barnes, Scott Newman, Robert Tessier, Joe Kapp
(PG)