Review of The Man from Snowy River (1982) by Ben R — 19 Dec 2008

I guess this film is under-rated in some ways. For me there is great beauty in the simplicity of the plot. It is wonderful how the story is woven around Banjo's classic poem, with all the sub-plots tying together very neatly- the family secrets in the Harrison household, a young man trying to make it in a solitary man's world, a strong willed young woman breaking free of the control of a domineering father. The cinematography was ahead of it's time, the music very original, beautiful and evocative. Generally I feel that the film really captures the era well with great attention to detail.

Might also note the real honour that it was to have such a great film actor as Kirk Douglas feature in the film. I love how he plays both the role of Harrison and Spur, and is both objectionable and likable with each change of costume. He does such a great job playing both characters that you would not know they were the same person. He had an excellent on-screen presence.