The Man from Snowy River

Plot synopsis:
When Jim Craig and his father Henry are discussing their finances, a herd of wild horses called the Brumby mob passes by, and Henry wants to shoot the black stallion leader, but Jim convinces his father to capture and sell them. The next morning the mob reappears and Henry is accidentally killed. Before Jim can inherit the station, a group of mountain men tell him that he must first earn the right – and to do so he must go to the lowlands and work.
Jim meets an old friend called Spur, a one-legged miner. Jim then gets a job on a station owned by Harrison, Spur's brother, on a recommendation by Harrison's friend. Meanwhile, Clancy appears at Spur's mine and the two discuss their pasts and futures. Clancy goes to Harrison's station to lead a cattle muster. At dinner, Harrison tells Clancy that "he has no brother" when referring to Spur.
Harrison organizes a round-up of his cattle, but Jim is not allowed to go. While the others are gone, Harrison's daughter Jessica asks Jim to help her break in a prize colt. The mob appears again, and Jim unsuccessfully gives chase to the valuable horse. When Harrison returns, he sends Jim to bring back 20 strays. Later, Harrison learns of Jim's actions and tells Jessica that Jim will be fired and that she will be sent to a women's college. Impulsively, she rides off into the mountains where she is caught in a storm.
Spur, meanwhile, finally strikes a large gold deposit. Jim finds Jessica's horse and rescues her. She tells him that he's going to be fired, but he still leaves to return the cattle. Jessica is surprised at meeting Spur, her uncle, whom she had never been told about. She is also confused when Spur mistakes her for her dead mother and refuses to tell her anything about his past.
After returning, Jessica learns that Spur and Harrison both fell in love with her mother, Matilda. Matilda declared that the first to make his fortune would be her husband. Spur went looking for gold, while Harrison bet his life savings on a horse race. Harrison became rich overnight when the horse he bet on won. Having made his fortune, Harrison wed Matilda, but she died while delivering Jessica. Harrison is grateful to Jim for returning his daughter, but he becomes angry when Jim says he loves her. As Jim leaves, a prized colt is let loose by a farmhand in the hope that Jim will be blamed.
Later, while camping out, Spur tells Jim that he will inherit his father's share of the mine. Clancy joins them and informs them of the colt, but Jim refuses to retrieve the animal. Meanwhile, Harrison offers a reward of ₤100, attracting riders and fortune-hunters from every station in the area. Clancy does eventually show, accompanied by Jim, whom Harrison finally allows to join the hunt.
Several riders have accidents in pursuit and even Clancy is unable to contain the Brumby mob. The riders give up when the mob descends a seemingly impassable grade. However, Jim goes forward and returns the horses to Harrison's farm. Harrison offers him the reward but he refuses. Having cleared his name, Jim would like to return some day for the horses and, looking at Jessica, "anything else that's mine." He rides back up to the mountain country, knowing that he has earned his right to live there.

Tags: tragedy, cult, violence

Review:
The Man from Snowy River is by far one of the best movies about cowboys I have seen.
The scenes of the Australian mountains and the horses along with the musical score make this a very picturesque, romantic, and warm film.
The 2nd movie Return to Snowy River was a worthy sequel and Tom Burlinson as Jim Craig does an excellent job in both films.
I would love to read more technical details about the filming of this movie......especially how Kirk Douglas was able to fold his leg at the knee and put it all in one pant leg.
I go up in the snowy mountains on my horse to drive cattle and love going to the exact places the the movie was made.
The Man From Snowy River (1982) demonstrates the quality of the Australian film industry in recent years.
The film introduces Tom Burlinson as the hero of the story (Jim Craig), Sigrid Thornton (Jessica Harrison) is the love interest, Kirk Douglas plays two roles (Harrison/Spur) estranged brothers with a long history.
The actors, for the most part are good,but no academy performances with the exception of Kirk Douglas, who does an excellent job playing a dual role.However, the story is good, and there is no foul language, nudity, or smuttiness.
True love in all its innocence, great horsemanship, chivalry western style, fun action, beautiful scenery/music, and a sweet ending.
THE MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER ***** An Australian western that centers its story on a coming-of-age mountain man (Tom Burlinson) who's father dies and must go to the lowlands to earn enough money to support the family farm.
As Burlinson comes to grips with his new work setting and first love (Sigrid Thornton), he evolves into the man he needs to be to follow in his father's footsteps back home.
We often think of the Western as being a characteristically American film genre, although there have been occasional attempts to adapt its conventions to stories set in other parts of the world.
"The Man from Snowy River" is another Australian film with a plot which could be that of a Western.
Apart from the two brothers, the main character is Jim Craig, the "Man from Snowy River" himself.
The three main strands of the plot concern the relationship between the two brothers, who have been estranged for many years, the growing romance between Jim and Harrison's daughter Jessica, and the efforts to recapture a valuable stallion belonging to Harrison, which has escaped and is running with a herd of wild horses.
The Man from Snowy River may not be the best acting, the best directing or the most exciting movie around, but it is one of the most magical.
These movies tell wonderful stories about hard work,love for people & love for horses.
Very good acting by the great Kirk Douglas in a dual character -a cheap gimmick of casting- , as portraying two battling brothers , one a wealthy land-owner and the other an one-legged prospector .
Perfect because it has amazing horse riding scenes, beautiful cinematography and music, wonderful acting from Jack Thompson who captures the quintessential Clancy of the Overflow of Australian legend, and a great performance from Tom Burlinson, and showcases the skills of the 'real deal' cattlemen of the high country who acted as extras in the horse chase scenes, and finally because it can bring a tear to the eye the way Banjo Paterson's poem has for 120 years.
The storyline also meanders around at times, mostly in relation to one of Douglas's two characters, and it just seems a pity that an otherwise wonderful film has these flaws.This is a movie to stir the heart, and well worth watching, and the horse chase scenes in the movie are now as much a part of Australia's culture as the original poem..
Kirk Douglas is great in two roles and Jack Thompson is there as he is in just about every other Aussie film these two fine actors get star billing.
The real star of the film is a young Tom Burlinson and he not only looks great he gives the most heart warming natural performance.
George Miller's The Man From Snowy River is an old-fashioned Western that features strong acting, stunning mountain vistas, a wonderful score by Bruce Rowland, and an involving coming-of-age-story with characters you can believe in and root for.
The film is based on an 1890 poem by "Banjo" Paterson about the pursuit of a prizewinning racehorse that has escaped from its paddock and is living with the "brumbies" (wild horses) of the mountain ranges, although the issues it raises about feminism, ecology, and animal liberation seem more contemporary than historical.Young Jim Craig (Tom Burlinson) lives with his father near the Snowy River, a real river that flows along the eastern border between New South Wales and Victoria.
After his father is killed trying to corral a herd of wild horses, Jim takes a job in the low country with a rancher named Harrison (Kirk Douglas) to prove himself worthy of living in Snowy River and earn the money to return to the mountains.
When Harrison's men go off on a job to round up some cattle, Jim begins to develop a relationship with Harrison's daughter Jessica (Sigrid Thornton), a down-to-earth young woman who is more interested in horses and ranching than in becoming a "proper" lady.Miller shows the mountains as the most desirable place to be.
At this point Harrison's twin brother Spur (also played by Kirk Douglas) reappears, a man who has been living in the mountains hunting gold for years, and nurturing a dark family secret.
When Harrison's prime colt is let loose by some disgruntled workers and Jim is blamed, his honesty and courage plus his growing love for Jessica are put to the supreme test in a heart-pounding chase of wild stallions through mountainous terrain.The Man From Snowy River was the first Australian film to occupy the number one position in box office revenues in the Australian market and has not lost any popularity or commercial value since, having spawned a brand name of Western gear and numerous yearly bush festivals celebrating the heritage of the high country.
Like the romanticizing of the cowboy of the American West, the film has an appeal to those seeking freedom, closeness to nature, and love of adventure, the life many city people dream about but cannot have.
It was a holiday trip to Craig's hut that really opened my eyes to this film, this landmark alone brings thousands of tourist's a year to the Victorian High Country.One of the positive things about the movie is that I was allowed to watch it as a child, so it is universal and can be watched by anyone.As far as the Film goes, well the acting certainly isn't worthy of an academy award but you have to remember this was the start of a great era for Australian Film/TV, this was made up by a great soundtrack, actioned packed Horse scenes, and a love story.
And the scene were Jim Craig jumps his horse off the cliff and cracks his stock whip has to be one of the most Fantastic scenes ever in a film.This movie proves to the world that Australians can make movies and there is Snow and Hills here, and helped remind us of our Folklore, and has stood the test of time very well, all though there was a couple of scenes that proved otherwise.It is a great film and worthy of buying on DVD, which contains the sequel, also worthy of a mention, a western we can call our own..
Never viewed this great 1982 film with so many talented actors, especially Kirk Douglas who played a double role as Harrison, a cattle baron and Spur a mining prospector and also brother to Harrison.
Tom Burlinson,(Jim Craig),"Return to Snowy River",'88, plays a boy who's father dies and he has to find work at the Harrison Cattle Ranch and gets involved with Sigid Thornton,(Jessica Harrison), who loves horses and has problems getting along with her dad, because she never knew her mother and there was a dispute as to who really is her father throughout the picture.
The photography and a great cast, makes this a movie you will not want to miss, especially if you liked Kirk Douglas in 1982..
I must confess that I watched this film because I am a Kirk Douglas fan and I certainly was not disappointed in the dual performance he gives as two brothers, one an owner of the Australian equivalent of the Ponderosa and his hermit brother who lives up in the mountains among the wild horses and befriends young Tom Burlinson who becomes the man from Snowy River.The film is a dramatization of a wild horse roundup such as you would have seen in the American West although American fans might be first thrown by use of the Aussie term 'brumbies'.
That poem has a nice style and hopefully the poem The Man From Snowy River will be come as known in the western world at large as say Tennyson's Charge of the Light Brigade or Kipling's Gunga Din. In fact like in this film, Rudyard Kipling appears as a passing character in George Stevens's Gunga Din and fulfilled the same function there.If the Australians felt they needed someone with the international star status of Kirk Douglas to open up the foreign market for this film, all well and good.
I watched this movie growing up, and it was by far the best love/life story I have seen.
I love horses, and this movie shows a lot about them, and how they played a big part in people's life some time ago.
My favorite Australian movie is Man from Snowy River.
All the actors in the movie were the best people that you could have in the movie.listening to the poem read by Frank Holden it seems to me that the screen writers wrote the movie pretty much word for word from Banjo Pattersons poem.My other favorite Aussie Movies are:- "The Castle" and "Muriels Wedding".It amazes me all the time that the Australian Movie Industry can make really good movies on one tenth of a budget of a Hollywood Blockbuster.
But you'll find here a great coming-of-age romantic tale, with some stirring action sequences never seen before on film, all in the midst of some gorgeous location footage of the Snowy Mountains, which John Ford would have envied for his western films.
This film ranks with The Black Stallion as my favorite 'horse movie' of all time, though (like that film) it very much transcends the genre.
It was so good that I made a mental note to search for it again and found it.The earth tones, the rich colors, the story line all brought me into the movie and it was one that I had to see all the way through.The beautiful country sides, the action movies with the horses, the complex interaction between the characters was fascinating.I must admit, though, I had trouble suspending disbelief with the "second" Kirk Douglas.
this movie tells the coming of age story of a young man, who is forced to leave the only home he's known for 18 years to prove that he deserves to live in the mountains.
What more can you ask for.Tom Burlinson and Sigrid Thornton do an excellent job, with riveting action scenes you will not find in any other movie.
If you like Australian outdoor films "Phar Lap" (a horse film) and "We of the never never" are superior movies compared to "The man from the snowy river" particularly in direction, screenplay, photography and editing.What was good about the film?
Kirk Douglas is a good actor when directed by good directors (Elia Kazan, for one) but this film gave you the feeling that you were watching a soap opera on TV!I am a great admirer of good Australian cinema but this film is certainly not one that represents the rich talent from Down Under.
Jim goes into town and finds work at the ranch of Spur's wealthy brother Harrison (Kirk Douglas).
"The Man from Snowy River" has some magnificent horse riding and some action.
An Ideal film for a horse lover.It has a bit of a love story and a great film for its time.
If you have young kids or you love horses or family films I recommend it.
They should have called this movie, "The Horse from Snowy River";  it's the only thing this plot could claim to wrap around..
After his widower father dies in a horsing accident, young Tom Burlinson (as Jim Craig) is left to manage his Australian "Snowy River" farm, with only wizened, peg-legged prospector Kirk Douglas (as Spur) to help.
When a big job comes up, the silver-haired (older?) Douglas feels Burlinson is too young and inexperienced to go along; so, Burlinson stays behind, and falls in love with the boss' daughter, Sigrid Thornton (as Jessica Harrison).The least satisfactory aspect of director George Miller's "The Man from Snowy River" is a weak storyline.
The main attraction, herein, is the Australian scenery.**** The Man from Snowy River (3/25/82) George Miller ~ Tom Burlinson, Kirk Douglas, Sigrid Thornton.
The Man from Snowy River (1982) is a film by George Miller.
Watch this movie if you like horses, and Kirk Douglas..
This movie 'The Man from Snowy River,' was good.
I highly recommend anyone who likes a good movie with horses to sit back and enjoy..
Combined with a pot-boiler romance and a ludicrous plot - Kirk Douglas plays two brothers estranged over a long lost love - the whole thing hits all the right spots for dewey eyed romantics.If you are a nostalgic Australian horse lover you will be in ecstacy.
this is a decent western about a young man,living in the mountains of Australia who finds himself alone and must make his own way.it's a well done movie.i think it's suitable for the whole family.there is one mild swear word in the whole movie.Kirk Douglas plays the dual role of two brothers,one a mountain man,who has been searching for gold,the other a rich man,who appears to have everything he needs.Tom Burlinson plays the title character,while Sigrid Thornton plays the woman he loves.there's some beautiful scenery in this movie,and a great musical score.there are some exciting moments too.the only things i didn't like was that i felt the movie was a bit too melodramatic at times,and there were a few slow moments.for me,The Man From Snowy River is a 6/10.
The Man From Snowy River is a poem that is probably one of the most Australian stories ever written and there were 2 successful film adaptations and this is the first one and the other being it's sequel.
By the end I don't care, the thing tying it all together is a group of wild horses that has his father die in the process Jim works at a stable and falls in love with the daughter of the rich guy there, that's almost entirely it.I'm also going to say that these characters are awful.
I know there are fans of this movie but I personally think if someone attempted to remake this, I personally would like to see what happens as opposed to having this be one of Australia's most popular films amongst Australians..
Kirk Douglas plays a dual role in The Man from Snowy River, as both estranged brothers, and while that's fun to watch, you're probably not going to like this movie unless you're really in love with westerns.
This is a romance movie that happens to take place in a "western" setting.).The only two aspects of this movie that had any redeeming qualities were there were some decent shots of horses running in a herd and there were some good shots of the Australian wilderness.
In 1880s Australia when young Jim Craig's father dies Jim takes a job at the Harrison cattle ranch and he is forced to become a man.The screenplay contains numerous references to Banjo Paterson, aside from using his poem "The Man from Snowy River" as the source material and his inclusion as a character in the film.
A young man, Jim Craig, loses his father and needs money to keep the family farm; he finds work on a ranch, where he does odd jobs, and becomes involved with the owner's daughter.
However, Burlinson's love interest is played by Sigrid Thornton, a young actress with dark intense eyes, who bears a striking resemblance to Elizabeth McGovern; unfortunately, her looks are more memorable than her performance.The first feature film by director George Miller, "The Man from Snowy River" shows the director's roots in television; the budgetary constraints are evident, and the staging static.
I'll give the movie credit for being a good-old-fashioned Aussie classic, and i know horse lovers will enjoy it!
His brother Spur - "He went looking for gold".Each character in their own way finds gold in "The Man From Snowy River".
Tom Burlinson (Return to Snowy River, 1988) is perfect as the taciturn Jim Craig, the young mountain man trying to prove himself in a world that expects a man to rise to a challenge before he can really be considered a man.The film's climax is one that stands with the best in cinema, particularly Tom's slow-motion ride down an almost vertical drop.
The film definitely shows a lot of beautiful horses so people that are looking for that will enjoy it.
Kirk Douglas plays both roles as Harrison and Spur really well.Jim meets a wild stallion, and with the help of Jessica, breaks the horse.
The Man from Snowy River is horse enthusiasts dream to watch shot with lots of expansive shots; the music is average with some 80s coming through.