Kumari Shreya
Directed by Robert Redford, the movie ‘A River Runs Through It’ is based on Norman Maclean’s eponymous semi-autobiographical novella. It follows the life of the Maclean family in the 1920s. Reverend John Norman Maclean homeschools his sons Norman and Paul. The family loves fly fishing and often goes to the nearby river to indulge in the activity. As the brothers grow up, they carve different lives for themselves.
The movie was praised by critics and fans alike for its storyline and cinematography. Famous actors like Craig Sheffer, Brad Pitt, Tom Skerritt, Brenda Blethyn, and Emily Lloyd star in the film. The breath-taking backdrops and natural landscapes add to the film’s charm. If you want to learn where the filming took place for this iconic piece of cinema, here’s all you need to know!
A River Runs Through It Filming Locations
‘A River Runs Through It’ is set in the city of Missoula in Montana and the Blackfoot River. However, the movie’s filming primarily took place in Park County, Gallatin County, and Sweet Grass County in Montana. The production team also headed over to Teton County in Wyoming to utilize its natural beauty. Principal photography of the movie started on June 17, 1991, and ended on August 31, 1991. Let’s take a closer look into the details of the locations featured in the Brad Pitt starrer.
Park County, Montana
As the county seat of Park County, Livingston is a bustling city in Montana whose streets were used to film scenes set in Missoula. Given the profession of Norman’s father, Reverend John, the movie features several church congregation scenes which were lensed at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 1505 East Street, Livingston. A house located at Front Street in Livingston served as the shooting site for scenes set within the Maclean household. The enchanting Paradise Valley of the Yellowstone River in southwestern Montana serves as the backdrop for scenes shot on the upper Yellowstone River.
Gallatin County, Montana
Several locations across the Gallatin County served as the filming spot for many scenes in ‘A River Runs Through It.’ The county’s seat, Bozeman, doubled up as one of the most prominent production spots for the filming crew of the film. The city’s streets and train station were utilized for several scenes within the movie. Scenes set in front of the police station were taped at 32 South Tracy Avenue. Venturing south of Bozeman, the Gallatin River is where several scenes involving fly fishing were shot.
Belgrade, another city in the county, can also be seen in the movie. The exteriors of Macleans’ house were shot at Springhill Community Road in Belgrade. The famous Eagle Nest Tunnel appears in the film when Jessie drives through the railroad tunnel.
Sweet Grass County, Montana
Multiple scenes set on the Blackfoot River were lensed on the Boulder River, just south of the city of Big Timber in Sweet Grass County of Montana. Other films produced within the area include ‘The Horse Whisperer’ and ‘Missing 411: The Hunted.’
Teton County, Wyoming
Teton County in Wyoming is full of beautiful landscapes and served as one of the shooting spots for ‘A River Runs Through It.’ Granite Falls, one of the county’s natural treasures, was used to lens the adventure of the Maclean brothers as they navigate a dangerous waterfall. The town of Jackson also served as a filming spot for a few scenes in the film. Movies like ‘Django Unchained‘ and ‘Dances with Wolves‘ were also filmed in the county.
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