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Heaven's Gate

  • 19801980
  • RR
  • 3h 39m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
15K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,331
173
Heaven's Gate (1980)
Three Reasons Criterion Trailer for Heaven's Gate
Play trailer1:23
2 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Adventure
  • Drama
  • Western
During the Johnson County War in 1890 Wyoming, a sheriff born into wealth does his best to protect immigrant farmers from rich cattle interests.During the Johnson County War in 1890 Wyoming, a sheriff born into wealth does his best to protect immigrant farmers from rich cattle interests.During the Johnson County War in 1890 Wyoming, a sheriff born into wealth does his best to protect immigrant farmers from rich cattle interests.
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
15K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,331
173
  • Director
    • Michael Cimino
  • Writer
    • Michael Cimino
  • Stars
    • Kris Kristofferson
    • Christopher Walken
    • John Hurt
Top credits
  • Director
    • Michael Cimino
  • Writer
    • Michael Cimino
  • Stars
    • Kris Kristofferson
    • Christopher Walken
    • John Hurt
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 254User reviews
    • 140Critic reviews
    • 57Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 2 wins & 9 nominations total

    Videos2

    Heaven's Gate: The Criterion Collection
    Trailer 1:23
    Heaven's Gate: The Criterion Collection
    Sneak Previews Season 3 Episode 27
    Video 29:09
    Sneak Previews Season 3 Episode 27

    Photos107

    Isabelle Huppert and Kris Kristofferson in Heaven's Gate (1980)
    Isabelle Huppert and Kris Kristofferson in Heaven's Gate (1980)
    Kris Kristofferson in Heaven's Gate (1980)
    Christopher Walken, Isabelle Huppert, and Kris Kristofferson in Heaven's Gate (1980)
    Christopher Walken, Isabelle Huppert, and Kris Kristofferson in Heaven's Gate (1980)
    Christopher Walken, Isabelle Huppert, and Kris Kristofferson in Heaven's Gate (1980)
    Heaven's Gate (1980)
    Christopher Walken, Isabelle Huppert, and Kris Kristofferson in Heaven's Gate (1980)
    Christopher Walken in Heaven's Gate (1980)
    Christopher Walken in Heaven's Gate (1980)
    Heaven's Gate (1980)
    Heaven's Gate (1980)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Kris Kristofferson
    Kris Kristofferson
    • James Averillas James Averill
    Christopher Walken
    Christopher Walken
    • Nathan D. Championas Nathan D. Champion
    • (as Chris Walken)
    John Hurt
    John Hurt
    • William C. Irvineas William C. Irvine
    Sam Waterston
    Sam Waterston
    • Frank Cantonas Frank Canton
    Brad Dourif
    Brad Dourif
    • Mr. Egglestonas Mr. Eggleston
    Isabelle Huppert
    Isabelle Huppert
    • Ella Watsonas Ella Watson
    Joseph Cotten
    Joseph Cotten
    • The Reverend Doctoras The Reverend Doctor
    Jeff Bridges
    Jeff Bridges
    • John H. Bridgesas John H. Bridges
    Ronnie Hawkins
    Ronnie Hawkins
    • Maj. Wolcottas Maj. Wolcott
    Paul Koslo
    Paul Koslo
    • Mayor Charlie Lezakas Mayor Charlie Lezak
    Geoffrey Lewis
    Geoffrey Lewis
    • Trapper Fredas Trapper Fred
    Richard Masur
    Richard Masur
    • Cullyas Cully
    Rosie Vela
    • Beautiful Girlas Beautiful Girl
    • (as Roseanne Vela)
    Mary Catherine Wright
    • Nellas Nell
    • (as Mary C. Wright)
    Nicholas Woodeson
    Nicholas Woodeson
    • Small Manas Small Man
    Stefan Shcherby
    • Big Manas Big Man
    Waldemar Kalinowski
    • Photographeras Photographer
    Terry O'Quinn
    Terry O'Quinn
    • Capt. Minardias Capt. Minardi
    • Director
      • Michael Cimino
    • Writer
      • Michael Cimino
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Sir John Hurt spent so long waiting around for something to do that he made The Elephant Man (1980), then came back to shoot more scenes for this movie.
    • Goofs
      Despite music and a yard full of waltzing couples, several 360-degree panning shots at the Harvard commencement ball show that there is no orchestra.
    • Quotes

      Frank Canton: Mr. Champion, my grandfather was the Secretary of War to Harrison. His brother was the governor of the state of New York. My brother-in-law is Secretary of State. And to you, I represent the full authority of the government of the United States and the President.

      Nathan D. Champion: Fuck him too.

      Billy Irvine: Bravo, sir!

    • Alternate versions
      After its disastrous premiere engagement, the film was heavily edited to 149 minutes for wide release in 1981. Full-length version (228 minutes) later restored for home video and syndicated television.
    • Connections
      Featured in Sneak Previews: Nighthawks/Modern Romance/Heaven's Gate/Excalibur/Napoleon (1981)

    User reviews254

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Flawed Epic
    What ? You expect me to review HEAVEN'S GATE a movie that destroyed the Hollywood studio system and bankrupted United Artists ! Okay then , but mind if I ask where do I begin ?

    I've seen this movie twice . The original cut in 1986 and the short version ( Amazing to think a movie that has a 149 minute run time qualifies as a short version ) last night and I must say that it's a much better movie than Michael Cimino's Oscar winning THE DEER HUNTER if only because it has a much clearer plot : An association of cattle barons hire a mercenary army to kick immigrants out of Wyoming . There that's the plot perfectly explained and I doubt if anyone can clearly explain the plot of THE DEER HUNTER in one sentence . By a bitter irony Cimino then decides to muddy the waters by throwing everything but the kitchen sink into the movie and the film starts with a character set up in Harvard where friends James Averill and Billy Irvine have the party of their life . These scenes are very cinematic and epic as boys and girls waltz on the lawn but as for introducing the characters they become totally redundant later in the film . It's interesting to note that in the shortened version much of this has been edited out and replaced with a voice over where Averill travels to Wyoming on a train . This could easily have been the opening scene without any detriment to the narrative

    HEAVEN'S GATE has four credited editors a ridiculous amount for a movie and while watching the short version you can't help noticing how badly edited it all is . For example we see Averill and Irvine talking in a billiard room . Averill walks away into another room and confronts the association heads and receives applause from Irvine who is now sitting in a chair in the same room which gives the impression that he can teleport ! Even if you have no knowledge about film editing you can't fail to notice that many , many scenes start or finish in a completely unnatural manner but one can't help thinking it's not the fault of the editors since so many scenes should have been discarded from the script at first draft stage which would have led to a better and much more compact screenplay without it losing any epic quality . Having said that it wouldn't have stopped the sound editing being so awful and many sequences are ruined because the background noise drowns out the duologue

    Where the film works best is when it concentrates on the hatred the association has for the immigrants and when it does it is a great film at portraying man's callous inhumanity to man . It also contains some very shocking violence and epic battle scenes and it's a pity that HEAVEN'S GATE is known only for the behind the scenes fiasco than what takes place on screen . So if you watch this movie please forgot that it caused studio bosses to be the driving force on a movie instead of the director or that its production costs ballooned from two million dollars to forty million . Enjoy it for what it is - A flawed epic
    helpful•38
    24
    • Theo Robertson
    • Jan 15, 2006

    FAQ5

    • Why was Ella's name on the death list?
    • How could the cattle ranchers' association get permission to create the death list? Wouldn't they have to go through at least some judicial channels?
    • The 1985 first edition of Stephen Bach's book, what was its original title?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 24, 1981 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Serbo-Croatian
      • Russian
      • French
      • Polish
      • German
      • Ukrainian
    • Also known as
      • Michael Cimino's Heaven's Gate
    • Filming locations
      • Kalispell, Montana, USA
    • Production company
      • Partisan Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $44,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $3,484,331
    • Gross worldwide
      • $3,484,523
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      3 hours 39 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

    Related news

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