Distinctly Montana Magazine

64 D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A M A G A Z I N E • FA L L 2 0 2 5 I talked to Bruce Robinson, who started working on the film as an extra, but because of his connections, eventually became one of the main coordinators for extras on the film. Robinson is the brother of Terry Robinson, founder of Montana's most success- ful band, The Mission Mountain Wood Band, and Bruce played in the band himself after Terry was killed in a plane crash. Robinson confirms what many accounts about the film convey, that its crew and cast were convinced throughout the filming that they were making a masterpiece. The attention to detail that Cimino devoted to this film became legendary, from or- dering clothes and furnishings from the time period, to actually installing an irrigation system for the field where the opening scene was shot, to ensure that the grass was green. When they went looking for a train for the scene where Kris Kristofferson's character arrives in Wyoming, there was one available in Ida- ho, where they were to shoot the scene, for $15,000. But Cimino found one he liked better in Colorado, and it cost $150,000 to buy and transport that train. He also had the entire town of Wal- lace, Idaho, rebuilt to resemble Casper, Wyoming, in the 19th century. This included paying stores that had to close down for two weeks during filming for their lost income. Robinson also points out that Cimino's perfectionism some- times made the process grueling, particularly the scenes that were shot in a skating rink that was built specifically for the film. "We were all wearing this period clothing, which was entirely wool. Everything was wool, and it got to be close to 100 degrees in that building. But Cimino would still shoot take after take of every scene. I think he did more than 100 takes on some of those shots." Cimino's demands started way before filming began, including his insistence that Isabelle Huppert play the leading lady. Al- though Huppert was a star in her native France, she was com- pletely unknown in the US. Not only were the producers keen on casting a well-known actress, with their top choices being Jane Fonda and Diane Keaton, but Bach was baffled about what Cimi- no saw in Huppert, whom Bach compared to "a potato." She also barely spoke English. But Cimino threatened to go to another B E S T D I S T I L L E R Y I N M O N T A N A M o n t a n a's B e s t V i e w s , M o n t a n a's B e s t S p i r i t s ( 4 0 6 ) 9 2 6 - 2 8 0 3 6 6 1 0 U S H w y 1 2 , L o l o , M T l o l o c r e e k d i s t i l l e r y. c o m The MONTANA HERITAGE CENTER RIBBON CUTTING: DEC. 2 DOORS OPEN: DEC. 3 Opening Hours 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Mon. - Wed. & Fri. 9 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Thu. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sat. 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. Sun.

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