The Man from Snowy River (1982); Director: George T. Miller; rated PG for Western violence Screenplay: John Dixon; Cinematography: Keith Wagstaff; Editing: Adrian Carr; Music: Burce Rowland Starring: Tom Burlinson (Jim Craig), Sigrid Thornton (Jessica Harrison), Kirk Douglas (Harrison / Spur), Terence Donovan (Henry Craig), Jack Thompson (Clancy), Tommy Dysart (Mountain Man), David Bradshaw (Banjo Peterson), Tony Bonner (Kane), June Jago (Mrs. Bailey), Chris Haywood (Curly), Gus Mercurio (Frew), Lorraine Bayly (Rosemary Hume) Plot Summary: Following the death of his father, young Jim Craig leaves his mountain home to work on a cattle ranch in the lowlands where he falls for the wealthy rancher's daughter. Treated poorly by the other ranch hands, Jim must prove his worth and integrity when he is wrongly accused of setting a valuable horse free. He joins a thrilling pursuit to recover the horse, hoping to clear his name and earn the right to the woman he loves, all against a backdrop of breathtaking Australian wilderness.
There is an incredible moment in the film where the host of Harrison's men, including young Jim Craig, are in hot pursuit of the wild horse mob. Through the wild Australian mountain lowlands the chase barrels on. Man riders have accidents and must drop out. The cinematography of these scenes is incredible. The wild horses head down a mountainside too steep for the riders, stopping them atop a scenic ridge. Below the mob escapes. Suddenly from behind the cowboys emerges Jim, astride his sure-footed mountain horse, and down he goes. It's a treacherous, 45 degree descent over rocks, logs and sliding dirt. It is at this point, Jim proves to be a capable rider, while taking a step forward in his ascension to manhood. Something subtle you might have missed: Star Tim Burlinson, who portrayed Jim Craig, had limited experience riding horses. For this film to succeed, Jim could not look fake while riding. They hired mountain cattleman, Charlie Lovick, who owned the buckskin horse, Denny, that Tim rode in the film, to take the lad under his wing and show him how to stay atop his steed. There were some scenes that required a stunt rider, and that task was handled by stuntman Gerald Egan. However, Tim did a lot of the dangerous riding himself, including the profile shots of the dangerous downhill descent. Luckily, he did not sustain a serious injury. Oh, to be young again. Memorable Quotes: "Yep, that's how it can be up here. But, uh, if it was easy to get to know it, there'd be no challenge. You've got to treat the mountains like a high-spirited horse; never take them for granted.- Jim Craig, agreeing that the beautiful mountains can kill you. "It's the same with people, too." - Jessica Harrison, responding to Jim's quote above "Don't throw effort out to foolishness!" - Spur "Male company will be a pleasant relief in this hothouse of female emotions."- Rosemary Hume "There are a dozen good brood mares in that mob. I'll be back for them... and for whatever else is mine."- Jim Craig Dad's Review: That's right. One of my top 100 films is an Australian Western. This film is not The Searchers (1956) or Once Upon a Time in the West (1965), but it is a very, very good film and obviously one of my favorites. Like a lot of my film discoveries, this came to my via my sister, Reba. We both grew up on the farm and, to a small degree, rode horses as part of that experience. This is a horse film. The entire story is built around a herd of wild horses called the "brumby mob" (brumby is defined as a free-roaming feral horse in Australia), and the rugged outback mountain men of 1880 who interact with these beautiful creatures. This is also a coming-of-age story of a boy who is forced to become a man much sooner than expected when his father is accidentally killed while building pens to catch the unruly stallions. On his own, Jim is forced off his land until such a time that he's man-enough to run the ranch like his father did. And finally, it's a love story. As young Jim comes down from the mountains he takes a job on the Harrison ranch and encounters beautiful, headstrong Jessica Harrison. For her to fall for a mountain man is strictly forbidden by her stern father, the ranch's owner. All these plot point are brilliantly interwoven in ways that we do not initially see or understand, but by the film end, make perfect sense. When a film accomplishes that, it's near perfect. So, specifically, what are this film's strong-points:
Cinematography - The film was shot in the Victorian High Country near Mansfield, Victoria in southeastern Australia. The vistas are breath-taking, showcasing a large mountain system and gentle rolling plains. It was a perfect setting. The key to this film success was realistic western riding. By that I mean men on horseback moving through rugged terrain at high speeds. It also includes filming wild horses as they are pursued and captured. This required a skilled horse trainer, incredible many highly skilled riders and incredible tracking shots. The results are jaw-dropping. The danger feels real. It's a wide-eyed adventure, you won't believe. Romantic Chemistry - It is a rarity a the film's romance showcases true chemistry. Here, the two young leads, Tim Burlison and Sigrid Thornton, convey a love that is earned during its onscreen duration. At first, she looks down on the young ranch hand, assuming that he's just like the rest of her father's hirelings, crude and immature. Yet Jim has a quality she cannot ignore, a gentle way, one that he utilizes when breaking horses, and one that wins her skeptical heart. In the end, a deep relationship is born, and we are certain it will be seen to its fruition. Musical Score - The film's musical score is a thing of emotional beauty - This was Aussie Bruce Roland's first major film soundtrack and talk about beginner's luck! His incredible arrangement gives this Western a weight that elevates it to match the greatest of film Westerns. The soundtrack became larger than the film. When we hear it, we see the mountains, the horses running through the highland snow patch, faces looking at the sunset. It is thematic grandeur in song.
This Australian Western film was inspired by the 1890 A. B. "Banjo" Paterson poem of the same name. That short bit of prose is an Australian national treasure, as the film nicely pays homage there. This work one of fifty films selected for preservation as part of the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia's Kodak / Atlab Cinema Collection Restoration Project. Yet it's impact is global and it certainly a Romantic Western through and through. While on vacation in Washington State, and much to my delightful surprise, my beautiful daughter uttered these words, "Hey Dad, let's watch a movie of your choice. Pick one from the DML!" We had limited access to movie streaming options, but I dug around a bit and found Snowy River. My thought process was simple: it's a romance nicely tucked into a great Western... and it's in color. She said she loved it and that's all I ever ask. There is a sequel and it's well-done, however Kirk Douglas did not reprise his portrayal as Harrison/Spur, which made me a tad sad. The role was taken over by the towering Brian Dennehy, and he renders a nice performance. I do invite you to check it out and it's preview is coming, I promise. G'day On to No. 91... Bustle in Brazil
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Defining
Moment: the terrible descent
Kirk
Douglas - The 65-year-old Hollywood legend was still going strong,
and It was thought that an American actor would attract American
audiences. It worked. Here Douglas takes on dual acting
responsibilities. He portrays the film's primary antagonist, Mr.
Harrison, and the reclusive, unshaven, peg-legged miner known simply as
Spur. These are two very different men. One is a wealthy, tyrannical
ranch owner who pushes his men hard and demands perfection, especially
with regard to his daughter Jessica. He loves her deeply, but seeks to
control the determined lass. Spur, on the other hand, prefers seclusion,
and never quite recovered from losing the love of his life. The jovial
old-timer prefers to dig within the mine on his stake, hoping to strike
it rich someday. The versatile actor gives this film much of its soul in
both pivotal roles. 
Wrap-up