Far and Away (1992)

Director:

Ron Howard

Writers (WGA):

Bob Dolman (story) &
Ron Howard (story) ...

Release Date:

22 May 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Romance | Western

Tagline:

They needed a country that was big enough for both of their dreams.

Plot:

A young man (Cruise) leaves Ireland with his landlord's daughter (Kidman) after some trouble with her father...

Plot Keywords:

Ireland | Oklahoma | Train | Boxing | Historical

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Tom Cruise	...	Joseph Donnelly
Nicole Kidman	...	Shannon Christie
Thomas Gibson	...	Stephen Chase
Robert Prosky	...	Daniel Christie
Barbara Babcock	...	Nora Christie
Cyril Cusack	...	Danty Duff
Eileen Pollock	...	Molly Kay
Colm Meaney	...	Kelly
Douglas Gillison	...	Dermody
Michelle Johnson	...	Grace
Wayne Grace	...	Bourke
Niall Toibin	...	Joe
Barry McGovern	...	McGuire
Gary Lee Davis	...	Gordon
Jared Harris	...	Paddy

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some violence and sensuality.

Runtime:

140 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby SR (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Canada:14+ (Ontario) | UK:12 (original rating) | UK:15 (video rating) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Chile:TE | Finland:K-14 | France:U | Germany:12 | Norway:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Ardmore Studios - Herbert Road, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland

Company:

Imagine Films Entertainment

Trivia:

The dress that Shannon admires in the shop window in Boston is the same dress worn by Clara Clayton (Mary Steenburgen) in the last scene of Back to the Future Part III (1990).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The night before the race, as Joseph talks in the tent about how he'll win his land, the tent wall behind him has clearly visible seams that he is supposed to fall through. When he falls and gets up again, the tent isn't ripped, as if someone fell in, it's parted, as if they were sewn that way.

Quotes:

Shannon Christie: Stop right where you are! Don't flutter an eyelid! Or I'll stab ya! I'll stab ya through!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Directors: The Films of Roger Corman (#1.5)" (1999)

Soundtrack:

BOOK OF DAYS

Not too original, but Tom and Nicole heat up the scenes

While the whole rich girl falls in love with the poor boy routine is a little over done, Far and Away is actually a very romantic and wonderful movie starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. I think because they had such great chemistry, they made this movie into a tear jerker. Not to mention how great the story was, a part of our history that has always been ignored, the Irish immigrants coming over to America to have land and settle down. At a time when America was the new world and very exciting, where anyone could be free, Joesph and Shannon were two very lovable characters and you just keep hoping that their dreams come true.

Shannon is a very upper class lady in Ireland with her controlling mother who wishes her to marry a snobbish land owner, Stephen. Joesph is a farm boy who has just lost his father and his home has been burned by Stephen, Shannon's father owns the land, so Joesph goes to kill him, but fails. His punishment is a duel, but he and Shannon see each other and have an instant connection but won't admit it of course, but Shannon offers for him to come with her to America to claim some land with her. He accepts her offer and goes with her. They claim to be brother and sister to survive, but soon they can no longer resist each other's love, but their family may be too strong to let them be together when Shannon's family comes to get her in America.

Far and Away is a very charming film that I'm sure you will be impressed with. It's just a very romantic film, has fun comedy to it, good drama, and has terrific pictures and sights. Ron Howard is just a fine director, he got the whole feel of the old days and that race for land at the end was just shot so beautifully. Tom and Nicole did a great job, they were so beautiful to watch and made this into a great film. I highly recommend this movie, I think you'll love it.

8/10