I was hoping to get a chance to read "A River Runs Through It" before seeing the film version. I had been warned that Robert Redford's cinematic version of the Norman Maclean novella might not be quite as clear as the waters that run through Missoula, Montana.

At its most shallow level, "A River Runs Through It" is the story of two brothers growing up and fishing God's country--early 20th century Montana.

Unfortunately, it is difficult to get past the beautiful scenery and period sets to the true meaning underneath. With narration by Redford, the film opens with sepia-tone photographs of turn-of-the-century main street contrasted with the Montana wilderness. It's clear that Redford wishes Maclean's childhood had been his own.

For some reason, the famous first line of the novel is relegated to the second line of the film. Nevertheless, when Redford speaks, "In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing," it becomes obvious that fishing is meant to be some kind of lyrical metaphor for life.

But while the audience is puzzling that out, "A River Runs Through It" happily recounts the Huckleberry Finn-like childhood of Norman Maclean (played by Craig Sheffer) and his brother Paul (Brad Pitt). Their father (Tom Skerritt) is both a preacher and a fisher, sermonizing from the pulpit, the study and from the river banks. The Reverend Maclean teaches them equal respect for God's word and God's fish. As he is happy to remind his children, the apostles were all fishers - and fly fishers at that.

I'm afraid that it might be impossible to understand "A River Runs Through It" without a good understanding of fishing, especially the variety of fishing that relies on tricking the fish with a fly rather than simply baiting it. (For these Presbyterian fishermen, using bait is as bad as being a Methodist.) Fortunately, Redford frequently comes to the rescue, carefully explaining the complexities of fishing from on high.

There is a real art to fly-fishing. The Reverend even uses a metronome to teach his children the rhythm of casting. It's an important turning point in the film when Norman notices that his brother has developed a new rhythm, independent of their father. Of course, few would notice this development without Redford's narration.

With its solemn narration and nostalgic tone, "A River Runs Through It" resembles that sub-genre of the "American tragedy" that seems to be very popular in high school literature courses - stories like John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men" or S.E. Hinton's "The Outsiders." A pall hangs over much of the film as the audience tries to guess which of the two brothers will meet an untimely end.

And this is not immediately obvious. Paul, is the daring one who likes to prove how tough he is, constantly putting himself in danger, starting fights with a smug grin on his face. There's more than a hint of the seductive hustler Pitt played in "Thelma and Louise." With good-natured bravado he can always convince his brother to do anything.

On the other hand, Norman, the one with a future, is nicknamed preacher. Craig Sheffer plays him with the naivete and broad smile of an F. Scott Fitzgerald character. An east coast education, a few Montana speak-easies, and a flapper wanna-be for a girlfriend (Emily Lloyd) round out the roaring 20s atmosphere.

The parents of Paul and Norman turn in a good performance as well, despite somewhat limiting roles. Kind-hearted Mrs. Maclean (Brenda Blethyn) plays off the stern father, both demonstrating their love in the way best suited to their sex--she dotes while he purses his lips. It might be a little stereotypical, but Redford is trying to recreate the ideal America.

For Redford, "A River Runs Through It" is a labor of love. If he doesn't fly fish, it's clear that he wishes he could. When Redford speaks for Norman Maclean as the narrator he wishes Maclean's life had been his own.

Visually, the directing is sublime. Director of Photography Philippe Rousselot makes every fishing line shine in the sun and every river glint with promised fish. Some of the fishing sequences are absolutely spectacular as the camera goes from fisher, to fishing line to fish. How do you direct a fish? I guess if you're a good enough fisherman, you can make a fish do anything. Some mention should be made of the film's four "Fly Fishing Consultants."

But pretty pictures are not enough to make a movie and Redford's explanation of the metaphysics of fly fishing comes straight from the book, making the film little more than a collection of illustrations for the novel. It would be hard to visualize the beauty that Maclean describes in the pages of A River Runs Through It, so Redford's interpretation serves some purpose. But for those of us who haven't read the novel, something is missing.

The meaning of A River Runs Through It is somewhere just beneath the surface, like a fish waiting to be caught. My grandfather was a fisherman and I admired him much the same way that Norman and Paul admire the Reverend Maclean. But I never really understood the lure of fishing and though I watched my grandfather attentively, I never learned anything. Without that knowledge of how a fish thinks, I don't think I could ever really comprehend "A River Runs Through It," at least not without the help of Maclean's prose. Redford's illustrations are incredibly beautiful, but if you've never been there, you can't really understand.

"A River Runs Through It"

Directed by Robert Redford

Based on the story by Norman Maclean