"The Thorn Birds" (1983) TV mini-series

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Daryl Duke

Writers:

Carmen Culver (writer)
Colleen McCullough (novel)
(more)

Release Date:

27 March 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Romance | Drama

Tagline:

Desire. Passion. Scandal.

Plot:

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...

Plot Keywords:

Vatican | Forbidden Love | Unknown Child | Cardinal | Nun

Awards:

Won 4 Golden Globes. Another 10 wins & 17 nominations

Cast

Richard Chamberlain	...	Ralph de Bricassart
Rachel Ward	...	Meggie Cleary
Barbara Stanwyck	...	Mary Carson
Christopher Plummer	...	Archbishop Vittorio Contini-Verchese
Jean Simmons	...	Fiona 'Fee' Cleary
Richard Kiley	...	Paddy Cleary
Ken Howard	...	Rainer Hartheim
Piper Laurie	...	Anne Mueller
Earl Holliman	...	Luddie Mueller
Mare Winningham	...	Justine O'Neill
Bryan Brown	...	Luke O'Neill
Philip Anglim	...	Dane O'Neill
John Friedrich	...	Frank Cleary
Stephen W. Burns	...	Jack Cleary (as Stephan Burns)
Brett Cullen	...	Bob Cleary
Dwier Brown	...	Stuart Cleary
Sydney Penny	...	Young Meggie Cleary
Allyn Ann McLerie	...	Mrs. Smith
Richard Venture	...	Harry Gough
Stephanie Faracy	...	Judy
Barry Corbin	...	Pete
Antoinette Bower	...	Sarah MacQueen
John de Lancie	...	Alastair MacQueen
Bill Morey	...	Angus MacQueen
Vidal Peterson	...	Young Stuart
Holly Palance	...	Miss Carmichael
Chard Hayward	...	Arne Swenson
Rance Howard	...	Doc Wilson
Lucinda Dooling	...	Martha
Aspa Nakapoulou	...	Phaedre
Meg Wyllie	...	Annie
Wally Dalton	...	Fair Barker
Nan Martin	...	Sister Agatha

Directed by
Daryl Duke

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Carmen Culver		writer
Colleen McCullough		novel
Lee Stanley		writer

Produced by
Irving Paul Lazar	....	associate producer
Edward Lewis	....	executive producer
Stan Margulies	....	producer
Lee Stanley	....	co-producer
David L. Wolper	....	executive producer

Cinematography by
Bill Butler

Film Editing by
Carroll Timothy O'Meara		(parts 3 and 4)
David Saxon		(part 2)
Robert F. Shugrue		(parts 1 and 4)

Casting by
Lynn Stalmaster

Art Direction by
Robert MacKichan

Set Decoration by
Jerry Adams

Costume Design by
Travilla

Makeup Department
Del Acevedo	....	makeup artist
Lee Crawford	....	hair stylist
Marina Hart	....	hair stylist
Sharleen Rassi	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Henry Kline	....	unit production manager
George Taylor	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
James Gardner	....	first assistant director
Warren Gray	....	second assistant director
Eric Jones	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Ray Pedler	....	scenic artist
Victor E. Petrotta Sr.	....	property master (as Victor Petrotta)

Sound Department
Don Crosby	....	sound effects editor
Al Kajita	....	sound effects editor
Larry Kaufman	....	sound effects editor
Richard Wagner	....	sound

Special Effects by
Doug Hubbard	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
David Stipes	....	visual effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Kim Kahana	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Colin J. Campbell	....	gaffer
Dave Friedman	....	still photographer
Adam Glick	....	set lighting technician
To Lee	....	camera assistant trainee
Johnny Walker	....	first assistant camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Thomas S. Dawson	....	costume: men (as Tom Dawson)
Jerry Herrin	....	costumer
Donna Roberts	....	costume supervisor: women

Music Department
Henry Mancini	....	composer: song "Anywhere the Heart Goes"
Jay Alfred Smith	....	music editor

Other crew
Carol Green	....	unit publicist
Mary Ann Newfield	....	script supervisor
Father Terrance Sweeney	....	technical advisor
Elise Ganz	....	studio teacher (uncredited)

Production Companies

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

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC)
• TV1 (1997) (Estonia) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Toni Howard & Associates  casting

Runtime:

Israel:460 min | USA:477 min

Country:

USA | Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Big Sky Ranch - 4927 Bennett Road, Simi Valley, California, USA

Company:

David Wolper-Stan Margulies Productions

Trivia:

Kim Basinger was interested in and considered for the role of Meggie.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The name of the farm is mispronounced. It is named after the Irish town Drogheda. The American cast did not know that 'gh' in Irish is pronounced like an 'h' in English. The cast said Drow-Geeda whereas the proper pronunciation is Dro-huh-duh, where Dro is pronounced like in "drop".

Quotes:

Anne Mueller: Oh, Meggie! You've the face of an angel and the body of a goddess, and what you mean is, you don't know how to make a man get you pregnant? What you need is a good education. Lady Chatterley's lover! And Henry Miller, definitely Henry Miller!

Movie Connections:

Features Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down the Line (1997) (TV)

Presentation of how a true love can last forever

I saw this movie first time when I was 16. I didn't understand it at first, but after that I got the novel and read it all over in 3 days. I have a VHS copy of this movie at home and I usually watch it twice a year (It means that I have nearly watched it more than 20 times). Every time I watch it I can't give any breaks! Last night I watched it till the end again until 6am... It always makes me sad and I can't stop my emotions, I cry (together with smiles) for a forbidden love.... especially the last 30 minutes of the movie.

Very great movie with a wonderful music, the best movie I have ever seen in my life, I always have recommended it for all my friends and the people who believe in existence of a true love. I am going to buy the DVD version of this movie for myself, although I have VHS version of it.

I always adore the acting of both Richard (Ralph) and Rachel (Maggie). Both of them have done best in this movie and I have become to love Rachel Ward since I saw this movie.

I hope the people who read my comment have seen the movie. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend you to hire it and watch it till the end at least once in your life time.