The Thorn Birds

1983

Seasons & Episodes

  • 1
7.9| NA| en| More Info
Released: 27 March 1983 Ended
Producted By: Warner Bros. Television
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Info

The story based on a novel by Colleen McCullough focuses on three generations of the Cleary family living on a sheep station in the Australian outback.

Genre

Drama

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The Thorn Birds (1983) is currently not available on any services.

Director

Daryl Duke

Production Companies

Warner Bros. Television

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The Thorn Birds Audience Reviews

Pluskylang Great Film overall
Limerculer A waste of 90 minutes of my life
Nayan Gough A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.
Kinley This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows
severine rubis Ah the Thorn birds saga..i was 12 the year it aired on TV in 1984 in France for the first time because it had many reruns after.I love this saga and miniseries and loved Richard chamberlain the fine priest Ralph who took care of Meggie like a father when she was a child,a very lovely little girl but rejected by her mother and in need of love and affection because of Frank's departure and many deaths in her life..She was a child when she arrived at Drogheda first at Mary carson's property,a bitter and wicked old lady ,the sister of Paddy Cleary who wanted to leave in Australia to see his sister..And through the years Meggie grew up and she fell for Father ralph knowing he was a priest,this poor young red haired girl with grey eyes,in the book the character of Meggie is red and it's very different in the series but it is good though. She madly falls in love with Ralph who at the death of Mary carson will have to choose between Drogheda or the Vatican..and he will choose both of them.He is an ambitious man actually and won't break his vows not even for Meggie..We 'll see his torments and visits at Drogheda after the fire,the kiss the reject then later the coming at the Mueller's then Matlock island where he and Meggie will live three weeks of passionate love like wife and husband but not for long..the birth of Dane who is the son of Ralph,the lies,the betrayals..in fact this saga is the story of different feelings,love ,hatred,jealousy,betrayal and the forgiveness at the end.It is also the story of a love that is IMPOSSIBLE UNATTAINABLE because Ralph is a priest and the internal conflicts in a family which are better described however in the Novel ,the family secrets especially like Fee's secrets which will have a big influence on Meggie's life..As a 46 year old woman now i still love this miniseries but i would kick Ralph if i were Meggie more than once.He is so ambitious and so self centered and full of ambiguity..How can Meggie love a man like him? Ralph isn't the nice man after all when Meggie grows up and more in the book ,he is detestable sometimes and selfish.I feel sad for Meggie now as a woman because i think that if she loved Ralph he didn't love her the same way. SHE SACRIFIED HER LIFE FOR HIM. She didn' love Luke but could have loved another man than Ralph and luke..well ,i won't change the story but Ralph is the man to avoid.He only gave Meggie 3 WEEKS OF HAPPINESS ON AN ISLAND AND A SON but when she said proudly"I have beaten God.I have a part of Ralph that the church will never have"she lost! Moreover a priest that runs after a woman like Meggie on an island is a bit unrealistic..The series is nice but it is just a romance! As a teen it made me dream but not now..
Maddyclassicfilms One of the best TV mini series ever made.Father Ralph(Richard Chamberlin)arrives in Australia and becomes the local priest in a small town.He meets the wealthy Mary Carson(Barbara Stanwyck)who falls in love with him,when he does not return her feelings she spends the rest of her life trying to destroy him(she only succeeds from beyond the grave).Ralph falls in love with Meggie Cleary(Rachel Ward)who he has known since she was a child.The series follows their relationship throughout the years and shows Meggie's pain as she loses Ralph to the church. As Meggie tries to cope with her situation Ralph becomes the assistant to a Cardinal called Vittorio(Christopher Plummer)who becomes a father figure to Ralph and makes it his mission to try and find out why Ralph is so unhappy despite his hard work and dedication to the church. Featuring a star studded cast including Jean Simmons and Christopher Plummer with some beautiful locations this is a well made series made with a great deal of care and effort this is well worth watching.Well worth buying on DVD.
edwagreen Wow! Best describes this brilliant film.No wonder Richard Chamberlain was known as the king of mini-series. He etched one unforgettable character after another.This time, he is Father Ralph Di Bricissart, who is loved by the town's wealthy Mary Carson. Barbara Stanwyck turned in a brilliant performance as Miss Carson. Her love for Father Ralph had no bounds. When he spurned her, she decided to fix him but good, even if it meant hurting her own family. That's exactly what she did by leaving her fortune to Father Ralph, thereby creating an embarrassing situation for him as well as the church.That being resolved, years pass and we are now finding out that a niece of Carson is romantically involved with Father Ralph. Dane is the result.The Australian outback is beautifully realized here. Jean Simmons, as the sister-in-law of Mary Carson is wonderful as well as the gentleman who portrayed her husband.A story of heartbreak and of the human spirit, "The Thorn Birds" is well recommended.
an_irfan I have read the novel of "The Thorn Birds" and i love this novel a lot, just i wish to have the chance to see the movie or the series.i advise every one to read the novel. and i than Colleen McCullough for her genius brain. so if any one knows where i can find this series i will be thankful. please send me the link and i will download it. and any news about this novel tell me about it i wish Colleen McCullough all the best.i have to talk about the TV series but i didn't see it, please some one tell me what to do. it is difficult to talk about something you didn't see, but i will try my best and i will write about this TV series when i see it in the future so enough talking about it.thanks