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The Thorn Birds - The Complete Miniseries from Warner Home Video Our Price: $79.92 Availability: This item is currently not available by this merchant. Check prices from third-party sellers.

Starring: Richard Chamberlain, Rachel Ward, Barbara Stanwyck, Christopher Plummer, Jean Simmons, ... Director: Daryl Duke Rated: NR (Not Rated) Run Time: 477 minutes Average Customer Review: Based on 189 reviews. Amazon.com Sales Rank (Video): #1092

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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

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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 imagine a better-cast Meggie than Rachel Ward.

2) Ward did a remarkable job of portraying convincing love scenes with a gay actor (Richard Chamberlain). I do not know if the cast was aware of his proclivity. If nothing else, Ward's gaydar may have signaled her to the truth of Chamberlain's orientation. Both actors deserve credit for pulling this off.

3) The reality on the set was that Ward had found her "masculine counterpart" in Bryan Brown. They would marry, raise a family, and see one of their daughters act on screen. Kudos to Ward for convincing the camera (and everyone else) that Richard Chamberlain was the love of her life.

4) Unforgettable goodbye scene #1: Meggie parting ways with Ralph on Matlock Island. I admit I was rather young when I first saw this, but I felt terribly torn and grieved watching this scene. The only comparably wrenching scene that comes to mind is Debra Winger saying goodbye to her kids in Terms of Endearment.

5) Unforgettable goodbye scene #2: the riveting portrayal of Meggie telling Luke their marriage was over. She was a commanding presence, lancing Luke's ego with surgical precision. Don't feel badly for him. He had it coming.

6) Ward was a former model with limited acting experience at this point in her career. That she could pull off items 2 - 5 so beautifully was remarkable. Item number one just added icing to the cake.

Thank you Rachel Ward for a once in a lifetime portrayal. All the better that you met your true man (Bryan Brown) on the set.

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.

The Thornbirds

Its been almost thirty years since the novel The ThornBirds was Published and this miniseries captures the feel,depth,and asepect of this Novel by Colleen McCullough. I recommend though reading the novel first and then watching the miniseries .

I got this movie, Beautiful movie, My daughter got out of work around 5pm I asked her to look at some of the movie with me around 10pm I went to sleep, Around 3 PM I heard my daughter who is 22 yrs old crying and crying I thought something happen bad to her. I run into the TV room to see her still sitting in front of the TV looking at the movie telling me mom it is such a sad movie her eyes puffy red telling me. I love this movie. I had to laugh going back to my bedroom.

The `70's and early `80's were the "Golden Age" of the television mini-series producing such excellent films as; `QB VII' ('74), `Rich Man, Poor Man' ('76), `Roots' ('77), `Shogun' ('80) and of course `The Thorn Birds' ('83).

`The Thorn Birds' boasts an excellent cast of well-knowns and lesser-knowns along with some bright, new faces that for the most part delivered the most memorable performances of the production. Of course if you've seen the film you already know that when I speak of bright new faces I'm primary referring to the enchanting, adorable Sydney Penny in the role of little Meggie Cleary as the child who steals the heart of Father Ralph de Bricassart (Richard Chamberlain), the ambitious Catholic priest who is to become trapped forever between his desires for both divine and human love.

The first half of the film featuring Sydney Penny is by far my favorite. Her relationship with the adoring Priest is innocent and nurturing and Sydney's smile lights up the screen with such warmth and love you can't help but fall in love with both her and the storyline.

Eventually Meggie grows up and is replaced by the stunning Rachel Ward, definitely not a bad swap but unfortunately from that point onward the film takes on the mood and texture of a harlequin romance dominated by Father Ralph's inability to act decisively and choose who he loves more, God or Meggie. The portrayal of his constant "inner struggle" made the plot a little too redundant at times. I think if I had heard him say "but I love God more" just one more time I might go mad.

Of course what irritates one viewer is quite often just what other viewers are looking for and I'm certain that some of what I've written will be preceived as a lack of sensitivity and experience in the ways of the heart (such is the fate of men). Be that as it may, the long enduring popularity of this film certainly cannot be denied, nor dismissed and its long overdue release on DVD is without doubt going to find a large, passionate audience anxiously awaiting to have their hearts broken all over again.

My Rating: -4 ½ Stars-.

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• The Thorn Birds 2 - The Missing Years
• James Clavell's Shogun
• North and South - The Complete Collection
• Gone with the Wind (Four-Disc Collector's Edition) 1939
• Centennial: The Complete Series

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