A Far Off Place (1993)

The witty Nonni and the stuck-up city-boy Harry are the only ones to survive a massacre of a gang of poachers among the gamekeeper's family on his lonesome farm in the savanna. Now the ... See full summary »

Director:

Mikael Salomon

Writers:

Laurens Van der Post (books), Robert Caswell (screenplay),

Stars:

Reese Witherspoon, Ethan Embry, Jack Thompson

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Reese Witherspoon	...	Nonnie Parker
Ethan Embry	...	Harry Winslow (as Ethan Randall)
Jack Thompson	...	John Ricketts
Sarel Bok	...	Xhabbo
Robert John Burke	...	Paul Parker (as Robert Burke)
Patricia Kalember	...	Elizabeth Parker
Daniel Gerroll	...	John Winslow
Maximilian Schell	...	Col. Mopani Theron
Miles Anderson	...	Jardin
Fidelis Cheza	...	Tracker
Taffy Chihota	...	Warden Robert
Anthony Chinyanga	...	Doctor
Brian Cooper	...	Store Keeper
Magdalene Damas	...	Nuin-Tara
John Indi	...	Bamuthi

Storyline

The witty Nonni and the stuck-up city-boy Harry are the only ones to survive a massacre of a gang of poachers among the gamekeeper's family on his lonesome farm in the savanna. Now the ruthless murderers are after them as the only witnesses. Without a means of transportation, the only way to escape is to walk through 2000 kilometers of Kalahari desert with the help of the African bushman Xhabbo. On the months-long journey ahead they not only become good friends against their differences, but also realize that every one of them has strength and skills that are required to survive.

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Plot Keywords:

bushman | kalahari | farm | gamekeeper | desert | 

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Taglines:

A far off land. A far off journey. A far off adventure.

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Family | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for violence and mild language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 March 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

A far off place - äventyret i Kalahariöknen

Filming Locations:

Namibia

Box Office

Gross:

$12,890,752 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walt Disney Pictures, Amblin Entertainment, Touchwood Pacific Partners 1

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ethan Embry and Reese Witherspoon also starred together in Sweet Home Alabama.

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Goofs

After the dog was in the fight with the pack of hounds he had multiple wounds. In the next scenes he has none.

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Quotes

Paul Parker: [on what's to be done regarding the poachers] ... I've got the border guard on full alert, and I'll take these audits to the Minister of the Interior first thing in the morning.
Col. Mopani Theron: And what will he do? Form another committee?
Paul Parker: What would *you* suggest? Shooting every poacher we trip over?
Col. Mopani Theron: That's *exactly* what I would suggest.
Paul Parker: He who lives by the sword...
Col. Mopani Theron: [cutting him off] Stays alive a day longer.
[leaves]

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Soundtracks

"ZEPPOMANIA"
Written and Performed by Wesley Plass

User Reviews

The cleanest desert

There's only so much disneyfication one can stomach -- even with the best of intentions. This story of two teenagers and a bushman trekking 2000 km across the Kalahari when the young people survive a massacre that kills their families way exceeded my tolerance. The young man, a city slicker who appears to have never walked further than from his TV to his skateboard, endures the ordeal in hiking boots without so much as a swollen foot. The bushman happily takes a month or two off from feeding his own family to escort the duo across the desert. Of course it goes without saying that everyone remains completely chaste, nobody smells bad, and coiffures get only minimally (and artfully) messed up. Ethan Embry and Reese Witherspoon, both of whom have have continued and advanced steadily as actors up to the present, do the best they can with an impossible script. With just a wee bit of realism, this could have been a worthwhile adventure.