SET JETTING
A River Runs Through It
It is almost 30 years since Robert Redford’s 1992 Oscar-winning depiction of family saga A River Runs Through It hit the big screen.
Even if you have never visited Big Sky, Montana, you may have seen the mighty Gallatin River on the Hollywood hit.
It provides the backdrop to the semiautobiographical tale of Norman Maclean, played by Craig Sheffer, and his brother Paul, played by Brad Pitt, who as children growing up in the 1920s spend long days casting lines into the turbulent waters.
As the years go by, their lives veer off in vastly different directions, but their love of fly-fishing in the untamed west of Montana keeps them together.
Cinematographically stunning, this 90s classic catapulted a fresh-out-of-the-box Brad Pitt to stardom.
The film also changed the way travellers and movie-makers saw Montana as well as giving new life to the fly-fishing industry.
Soon after the film’s debut, the sport exploded, seeing an increase in participants of 60%.
Sten Iversen, manager of the Montana Film Office, said: “It’s been one of the most impactful films, as far as driving tourism goes, as there’s ever been.”
Native American tribe the Shoshone originally called the Gallatin River “Cut-tuh-o-gwa,” which means swift water.
In 1805, the river was renamed by Meriwether Lewis in honor of Albert Gallatin, the US Secretary of the Treasury from 1801-1814, along with the Gallatin Mountain Range to the east of the river and the Gallatin National Forest bordering Yellowstone National Park.
Three decades later, tourists and anglers are still making the pilgrimage to Montana to find out for themselves if that river will give them the same transcendent experience.
With travel to America opening up tomorrow research for Virgin Atlantic says New York City is top of Brits’ wishlist, but there’s also enthusiasm for visiting national parks such as Yosemite or Joshua Tree and destinations inspired by lockdown binge watching US TV shows and films. virginatlantic.com