A farming family battles severe storms, while taking a valiant stand against a bank foreclosure and a powerful land grabber.A farming family battles severe storms, while taking a valiant stand against a bank foreclosure and a powerful land grabber.A farming family battles severe storms, while taking a valiant stand against a bank foreclosure and a powerful land grabber.
- Nominated for 4 Oscars
- 2 wins & 6 nominations total
Frank Hoyt Taylor
- Zemke
- (as Frank Taylor)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaMark Rydell has said of this film: "The River (1984) is a tribute to a vanishing America - - the America of the independent farm family. The Garvey family represents the lifestyle that made America work: continuity of generations, the passing on of traditions, and of knowledge and skills, from fathers to sons, from mothers to daughters - a way of life in which every member of the family is unique and necessary for the survival of all."
- GoofsThroughout the movie, the weather seems to go from hot to very cold. In the beginning scenes you see the Garveys out trying to shore up the levee on there land and you can see their breath. In another seen, Lewis is walking behind his fathers tractor (planting seeds and the tractor over heats scene) in what looks like a hot summer afternoon. Same with the scenes wear Tom goes to the steel mill for work and it's very cold out while back at the farm, Mrs Garvey is sweating on the tractor while spraying the corn.
- Alternate versionsThe BBFC cut the original UK cinema release by 10 seconds. Later home video releases were upgraded to 15 and passed with the cuts restored.
- SoundtracksThe Fireman
Written by Mack Vickery and Wayne Kemp
Performed by George Strait
Courtesy of MCA Recordings, Inc.
Featured review
stubborn obsession
Tom (Mel Gibson) and Mae Garvey (Sissy Spacek) struggle to keep their farm afloat after a devastating flood. Joe Wade (Scott Glenn) has a scheme to build a dam to bring water to his land. To do it, he would need to buy out all the farmers including the Garveys. Tom needs a loan but Joe Wade has lined up the bank and political backers against them.
It is the little guy struggling against the big guy. It is also about Tom's single-mindedness. Tom is not necessarily a sympathetic guy. He is stubborn beyond reason. He has a mean streak in him. This makes the simplistic movie structure of small-guy-makes-good not so simplistic. Sissy Spacek is able to soften him image somewhat. There are a couple of great scenes in the mix. The auction scene is the most memorable and heart breaking. The faces in the crowd says it all. The other is the strike. The ending of which is another great scene for a different reason. This starts out yet another small farmer struggle movie. In fact, it's the last of three big such releases of that year. It turns into a man obsessed against the river.
It is the little guy struggling against the big guy. It is also about Tom's single-mindedness. Tom is not necessarily a sympathetic guy. He is stubborn beyond reason. He has a mean streak in him. This makes the simplistic movie structure of small-guy-makes-good not so simplistic. Sissy Spacek is able to soften him image somewhat. There are a couple of great scenes in the mix. The auction scene is the most memorable and heart breaking. The faces in the crowd says it all. The other is the strike. The ending of which is another great scene for a different reason. This starts out yet another small farmer struggle movie. In fact, it's the last of three big such releases of that year. It turns into a man obsessed against the river.
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- SnoopyStyle
- Oct 12, 2014
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Details
Box office
- Budget
- $18,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $11,489,982
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $30,027
- Dec 25, 1984
- Gross worldwide
- $11,489,982
- Runtime2 hours 4 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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