The basis for AMC cable network's first original production starring Robert Duvall and Thomas Haden Church. During the late 1800s two unique events were taking place in the American West. The British were deep in the throes of the Boer War and were coming to the U.S. to purchase horses for their military campaigns. Meanwhile, another trade was taking place. Chinese women were being kidnapped from the West Coast and brought to the interior west to serve as prostitutes. In Broken Trail, the story unfolds upon these historical facts, following the story of five Chinese women, kidnapped and destined for a life of misery, whose fate becomes intertwined with two horseman wrangling horses for sale to the British Empire. In the process, Print Ritter transitions from lonesome cowboy to father figure. Unlike most Westerns, Broken Trail 's focus is on the female characters, making the story unique, compelling, and timely. In Duvall's own words, "Broken Trail completes a personal trilogy for me of Lonesome Dove and Open Range."
This movie was based on true life events. The grandchildren of Thomas Haden Church and Gwendoline Yuo's characters reside in Wyoming today.
I have read that a sequell to this movie is in the works along the story lines of the Cameron House in San Francisco where Doneldina Cameron rescued many Chinese girls from a life of prostitution and provided refuge for them. The Cameron House still exists this day.
Sadly, this problem still exists in our country today in the modern day form of Human Trafficking.
This movie really hit home with me since I have witnessed victims of Human Trafficking first hand.
From the sweet grass to the packin' house
Birth 'till death
We are travelers in this world
Robert Duvall from the movie " Broken Trail "
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Comments: 11
The Chinese illegal immigration is a bit more complicated. I've done a lot of research on the subject.
There was some very real history behind this movie. The yellow slave trade and Human Trafficking, all of it actually happened. This movie was also based on a true story, though the Chinese more than likely spoke Cantoneese instead of Mandarin during that time period because they came from the Canton area of China( Hong Kong area for example ) where Cantoneese was their language.
He said
We are all travellers in this world
From the sweet grass to the packin' house
Birth 'till death
We travel between the eternities.
I loved the movie - watched it twice. The second time I took in more details. I have always been a fan of Robert Duval - the Lonesome dove was another fine movie. I am not a huge western movie fan without a story line. These two movies touched upon the numerous ironies of our life.