The Thorn Birds

I Could Probably Recite the Dialogue by Heart
Ok... first, I have to say that Tom Keogh, whose review sits above as the standard review for Amazon, needs to actually watch the movie. Opinion is one thing, but at least get the facts correct. Rachel Ward plays Meggie Cleary (not Meggie Carson) and Barbara Stanwyck plays her greedy, manipulative, devil-incarnate aunt.... not her grandmother. That aside...this still stands...for me at least, as the greatest mini-series ever! And, considering all the recent scandal surrounding the Catholic Church today, it is as relevant and thought provoking today as it was in 1983 when so many were incenced not only by the content and plot of the movie, but by its time of airing (holy week-the days leading up to Easter). The cast is perfection and makes an already engaging story about the inner battles of an ambitious Austrailan Priest (played by Richard Chamberlain who never looked more gorgeous)even more amazing. Not a single miscast here. The performances are phenomenal. This is a movie...

Simply Unforgettable, Magnificent
I first saw this mini series in 1983 when it first aired, I was 13! I watched each subsequent rerun and taped it. Even though I had it on tape I would always watch it again if it's on, like on the Love Stories channel.

In a word, "unforgettable". If you are into romance novels, this is the ultimate romance. Forget the sappy, brainless, shallow Harlequins, this is the real thing. If you are into romance but haven't read this book or seen the movie, you are missing out on something magical. Trust me, buy the book, rent the movie or buy it. You won't regret it.

You won't ever forget it.

The acting is first rate. I disagree with the previous reviewer about Rachel Ward, she does fine, in fact once you watch it you'll want these people to be real. You'll want to visit Drogheda! Barbara Stanwyck is amazing as the vindictive Mary Carson. The birthday party is one of many high points. Richard Chamberlain, Rachel Ward, Piper Laurie, Christopher Plummer, Mare Winningham, Earl...

Very entertaining, very inexpensive.
4.5 stars. There is really only one glaring flaw in this production, and it is that at the end of each section (there are 4 in all) there are snippets of foreshadowing taken from what will happen in the next section that are shown in montage form as a teaser to get the viewers to come back and watch. It made sense when showing it on television to try and sustain the viewers' interest in this way, but on DVD it was a little annoying to see major plot elements revealed before I saw them unfold in due time. I wish that someone would have edited these snippets out for the DVD release. However, that is my only gripe. The story, acting, immense production value, and the romance all combine to create a fine show. The sheer size of this production is impressive, but it is the characters that are eventually the most memorable aspect of the story. It wasn't until the end of the show that I realized I had formed an emotional connection to the characters that transcended the time in which...

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