Redux: The Man from Snowy River.

Redux Review #032: The Man from Snowy River.

Cast: 
Tom Burlinson (Jim Craig), Sigrid Thornton (Jessica Harrison), Kirk Douglas (Harrison / Spur), Terence Donovan (Henry Craig), Tommy Dysart (Mountain Man), Bruce Kerr (Man in Street), David Bradshaw (Banjo Paterson), Jack Thompson (Clancy), Tony Bonner (Kane), June Jago (Mrs. Bailey), and Chris Haywood (Curly) Directed by George T. Miller.

Review: 
On March 26, 2011, I reviewed this film as part of Season Two of Movie Night. Over seven years later, I have decided to do a Redux Review as part of a venture to revitalize certain reviews of the past and make them better in terms of their words and rating, which has evolved in some part since I was 14 as opposed to now. The original review wasn't even 100 words when I wrote it, so it is evident that this film deserves a re-look. Enjoy.

It is interesting to watch this film again, having not touched it since watching it with my dad in 2011. I described it as a film that had good acting (particularly from Kirk Douglas) that worked as a family film being comfortable being what it is. The film is an adaptation of the 1890 poem of the same name by Andrew "Banjo" Paterson, who is held in esteem to where he is on the Australian ten-dollar note, among other honors (including even being depicted in the film). This was the second adaptation of the poem, with the first being a 1920 film that also was an Australian production, although this movie is now lost. Obviously the film added aspects in its transition from poem to film, namely by having more characters and giving the title character a name - but that doesn't hurt the film in any sort of discernible way. This was filmed near the Victorian High Country in Australia, and the imagery is certainly beautiful to look at due to the cinematography by Keith Wagstaff. On a technical level, the film is wonderful, with the sets certainly selling themselves well. The horse action, particularly in the climax, is mesmerizing to watch, with Burlinson doing his own horse riding stunts. The most famous shot is one where he and the horse go over a cliff at a full gallop down, and that is something to behold, particularly since horse action isn't something you can't really fake. In any case, the chase at the end is exciting to watch. The main theme by Bruce Rowland is a particular standout, having a grace to it that I appreciate very much. The theme has been utilized for golf events and Rowland himself composed a special version of the theme for the 2000 Summer Olympics opening ceremony held in Sydney, Australia.

The acting performances are fairly well-done. Burlinson proves to be capable in his performance, having a fair sense of determination to him in his pursuit that comes off pretty convincingly. Thornton also proves pretty fair in her role; the romance between the two isn't too passionate, but it is at least convincing enough to make for a few interesting moments. It should be noted that Burt Lancaster and Robert Mitchum were considered for the dual role prior to Kirk Douglas signing on to portray Harrison and Spur. In any case, Douglas pulls it off pretty well, handling both characters with their own kind of personality without being too hammy. The rest of the cast do alright in their time on screen. As a Western, it has a plot structure that follows along the lines that you might expect (particularly with the romance), but the film earns its adventure and triumph through its execution and how it handles its story with enough care. At 102 minutes, the run-time is fairly paced, having a decent pace that never becomes too boring. Sometimes it feels a bit like a TV production, which makes a bit of sense given the TV background of some of the filmmakers such as Miller and John Dixon (who served as writer for the movie), but it all stays consistent enough to feel authentic enough without much distraction, whether for oneself or for families. This is a fair gem in a frontier of dramas and Westerns.

Thank you to you fellow readers who took the time to read this review. The decision to revise the rating is one made out of honesty and care for the system of doing rating decisions. Thank you for your consideration.

Next review: The Man from Snowy River II.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.