The Thorn Birds (1983– )

This mini series covers 60 years in the lives of the Cleary family, brought from New Zealand to Australia to run their aunt Mary Carson's ranch. The story centers on their daughter, Meggie,... See full summary »

Stars:

Richard Chamberlain, Rachel Ward, Christopher Plummer

Won 4 Golden Globes. Another 10 wins & 17 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Richard Chamberlain	...	Ralph de Bricassart (4 episodes, 1983)
Rachel Ward	...	Meggie Cleary (4 episodes, 1983)
Christopher Plummer	...	Archbishop Vittorio Contini-Verchese (4 episodes, 1983)
Bryan Brown	...	Luke O'Neill (4 episodes, 1983)
Brett Cullen	...	Bob Cleary (4 episodes, 1983)
Stephanie Faracy	...	Judy (4 episodes, 1983)
Barry Corbin	...	Pete (4 episodes, 1983)
John de Lancie	...	Alastair MacQueen (4 episodes, 1983)
Barbara Stanwyck	...	Mary Carson (4 episodes, 1983)
Jean Simmons	...	Fiona 'Fee' Cleary (3 episodes, 1983)
Piper Laurie	...	Anne Mueller (3 episodes, 1983)
Earl Holliman	...	Luddie Mueller (3 episodes, 1983)
Philip Anglim	...	Dane O'Neill (3 episodes, 1983)
John Friedrich	...	Frank Cleary (3 episodes, 1983)
Stephen W. Burns	...	Jack Cleary (3 episodes, 1983)
Bill Morey	...	Angus MacQueen (3 episodes, 1983)
Holly Palance	...	Miss Carmichael (3 episodes, 1983)
Allyn Ann McLerie	...	Mrs. Smith (3 episodes, 1983)
Ken Howard	...	Rainer Hartheim (2 episodes, 1983)
Richard Kiley	...	Paddy Cleary (2 episodes, 1983)
Mare Winningham	...	Justine O'Neil (2 episodes, 1983)
Richard Venture	...	Harry Gough (2 episodes, 1983)
Dwier Brown	...	Stuart Cleary (2 episodes, 1983)
Antoinette Bower	...	Sarah MacQueen (2 episodes, 1983)
Chard Hayward	...	Arne Swenson (2 episodes, 1983)

Storyline

This mini series covers 60 years in the lives of the Cleary family, brought from New Zealand to Australia to run their aunt Mary Carson's ranch. The story centers on their daughter, Meggie, and her love for the family's priest, Father Ralph de Bricassart. Meggie tries to forget Ralph by marrying dashing stockman Luke O'Neill, but she and Ralph are soon reunited, with tragic consequences for them both.

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Plot Keywords:

priest | ranch | australia | 1960s | sheep ranch | 

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Taglines:

Desire. Passion. Scandal.

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 March 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

Die Dornenvögel

Filming Locations:

William Andrews Clark Memorial Library - 2520 Cimarron St., Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

David Wolper-Stan Margulies Productions, Edward Lewis Productions, Warner Bros. Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

477 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Bryan Brown, who played Luke O'Neill, was the only Australian on set.

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Goofs

Through out the miniseries you see cars driving on the right-hand side of the road. This story takes place in Australia where they have always driven on the left side of the road. Additionally, the cars in the film are left-hand drive instead of RHD.

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Quotes

Meggie Cleary: You complacent, conceited, self-centered *bastard*! *You* can't make love for toffee!

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Connections

Followed by The Thorn Birds: The Missing Years (1996)

User Reviews

The "Gone With The Wind" of the Australian outback

Upon my initial viewings, this moved me. It is an emotionally charged drama of forbidden love, scandal and tragedy that teaches a very powerful lesson...that we, as a human race, are all doomed to destruction, each generation repeating the mistake of the one before (remember Rev. Jim Jones himself said "those who cannot remember history are doomed to repeat it").

This miniseries was the Australian outback's answer to "Gone With The Wind". Only this time it's Cardinal DeBricissart (Richard Chamberlin) that's the Scarlett O'Hara and Meggie Cleary (Rachel Ward) that's the Rhett Butler. And yes, it cries for a sequel that can never be made. And yes, not all love stories have happy endings.

And there are some sequences that do not depend on a music score, such as the touching climactic scene with Meggie and Justine in the barn.

But that's just what makes a miniseries a classic. This is not some cheap-skate adaptation of a best selling book...this is the way novels should be made.