The Thorn Birds - The Complete Miniseries
 | Directed by Daryl Duke Starring: Richard Chamberlain, Rachel Ward, Barbara Stanwyck, Christopher Plummer, Jean Simmons Warner Home Video, 1983, VHS Tape Customer Rating: 192 reviews Recommend This product is currently not available and cannot be purchased. It means that we have no merchant offers for this product at the moment or it was discontinued by the manufacturer. |
|---|
The second most-watched miniseries (after Roots) of all time, The Thorn Birds was originally broadcast in 1983 and captivated viewers with its story of a lifelong conflict between the spirit and the flesh. Adapted from the bestselling novel by Colleen McCullough, the production stars Richard Chamberlain as a Catholic priest named Ralph de Bricassart, whose life in Australia between 1920 and 1962 is one long torment as he pines for his lover, Meggie Carson (Rachel Ward), while seeking advancement in his clergyman career. The passion and the guilt make for compelling drama, but a stellar cast of supporting players adds muscle to the proceedings: Barbara Stanwyck (who won an Emmy for her work as Meggie's tough grandmother), Jean Simmons, Richard Kiley, Christopher Plummer, Bryan Brown, and Mare Winningham. Chamberlain, who was something of the king of the miniseries form at the time, is very good in the lead, as is the often-underrated Ward. Their affair is indeed irresistible to watch, which proves to be true, too, of the story's thick weave of church politics, forbidden desire, social change over decades, and family secrets. — Tom Keogh
Title: The Thorn Birds - The Complete Miniseries
Sales Rank: 76 in VHS
Actor: Richard Chamberlain, Rachel Ward, Barbara Stanwyck, Christopher Plummer, Jean Simmons
Director: Daryl Duke
Studio: Warner Home Video, 1995-09-26, Theatrical Release: 1983-03-27
Format: Box set, Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC
Languages: English (Original Language)
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Running Time: 477 minutes
Package Dimensions: 7.9 x 4.5 x 4.3 inches, 1.95 pounds
- THE ENDING MADE NO SENSE
- Overall well produced TV series and I watched intently with many emotions of passion, heartache, compassion, and joy for characters portrayed. The Stanwyk character was deplorable esp. with the line: on my mouth! YIKES!!! The aging process was well done for Cardinal Vittorio, Ralph, Grandma Fi, BUT Meggie looks more gorgeous every year, esp. the… More reviews
- A enjoyable ride but watch out for the accents
- A classic miniseries and reasonably faithful to the book, but - ouch! Those accents are distracting if you've an ear for them. American viewers probably won't notice though. … More reviews
- TAWDRY
- One word best describes this blatanly immoral sex soap opera scandalizing all and that is: Tawdry! It is as sinful as the movie "Titanic" and equally pathetic! Why one would watch this garbadge - I do not know. More reviews
- In Defense of Rachel Ward
- Although most agree that this was a gripping storyline and a classic miniseries, there were some people that criticized Rachel Ward. I would like to point out the following:
1) She was extraordinarily beautiful, hard to look away from when she was on-screen. It was plausible that a priest or any other man would be drawn to her. I can't… More reviews
- great
- I first saw this series when I was a child and found it to be wonderful. It still stands as a terrific miniseries, even if it is melodramatic. Ward is radiant, Chamberlain is excellent, Stanwyck and Simmons are remarkable. Incredibly tragic and romantic.… More reviews
