The narrative of Robert Redford is captivating, uplifting, and graceful.  'On the banks of the Big Blackfoot River....' a place I've been, and long to return.  Nothing, el zippo, tops the splendor and majesty of Montana, nothing even comes close!  It's timeless valleys, raging aqua-tinted torrents, and green alpine towns and villages dispersed all throughout its western landscapes define 'National Treasure.'  Missoula, Montana, home to the Maclean family, is a good old fashioned town of turmoil and unsetteldness squaring off against an unmistakable serenity with nature's works and ways.  'To the beat of a four count rhythm....' might not be the most instructive of flyfishing casting approaches (I've lost many a woolybugger in willow trees climbable only by the most inane of flytiers), but it makes for undulating cinema.  'Oh I could never leave Montana brother...' is a line beckoning truth; after visiting Montana on several occasions (first was an Amtrack train ride in '94... ok a person could easily get up and go from Havre, MT) getting to catch sights of Glacier to the north, the Bitterroot range in the south, and all that lies in between (e.g. Flathead Lake)....there are no fleeting instincts.  A geologist could be lost in paradise in, say, Yellowstone for ages, not even taking into consideration the abundance of mountain ranges lining Montana's western front - stretching north to south, from Great Falls to Anaconda.  Redford's directing brings along the viewer through every imaginable trace of landmark - riverbanks, pubs, train stations, backyard fields with forest and mountain top afar, and even a couple sunburned rawhides!  Not a favorite still shot.  Boats are stolen, category 'forget about it' white waters are paddled through, unpaid gambling wagers bring conflict wrought with misunderstanding, dinner table discussions of Calvin Coolidge's fishing secret '...what are they bitin on?....The end of my line!' and job satisfaction are brought up, shortcuts winding their way through train tunnels are taken, and in the end, reflection and memories are revealed in honest fashion.  Verdant pastures and picueresque backdrops steal the film's premise, offering more than just basic storyline.  But the moment of closure is why I adore Robert Redford's film set in Missoula....in addition to the melancholic violin intermezzos.