Far and Away *** (1992, Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Thomas Gibson, Robert Prosky, Barbara Babcock, Colm Meaney, Cyril Cusack) – Classic Movie Review 3333

Director Ron Howard’s stirring 1992 epic period adventure Far and Away is remembered for pairing the then real-life husband and wife Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman as a poor Irish farm labourer called Joseph Donnelly and the archetypal rich girl called Shannon Christie.

Shannon’s father Daniel Christie (Robert Prosky) is Joseph’s landlord, and the young couple fall for each other and decide leave their turn-of-the-last-century Irish homeland and elope to the new world of the US, where the land in Oklahoma around 1893 is up for grabbing. Improbably, Joseph becomes a bare-hands boxer to make money to buy their dream of land, but the odds seem stacked against them…

The movie presents a plush, warm-hearted, old-style love and adventure story in glorious widescreen images in which, at the start, Ireland’s beautiful scenery, and then later America’s, vies for attention with the handsome star couple.

Though essentially likeable and appealing, the film has its considerable downsides. Cruise’s dodgy Irish accent, improbabilities in Bob Dolman’s and Howard’s story, clumsiness in Bob Dolman’s screenplay, the long-seeming running time of 140 minutes and director Howard’s slack handling are among the main problems that make the going tough.

However, the Super 65mm widescreen cinematography by Mikael Salomon is eye-catchingly handsome, there’s a bright and nimble John Williams score, and there are some fine set pieces, including a splendid climax with a battle for land, while the attractive star couple show just about enough zest, charisma and acting talent to see it through.

In real life, three of Ron Howard’s great-grandparents rode in the Great Land Rush of 1893, as seen in the film, so you can see why is was attracted to the story. The re-creation of the Great Land Rush involves, as well as the actors and crew, 400 horses, 200 wagons and 800 extras recruited from a re-enactment society called The Re-enactors.

Also in the cast are Thomas Gibson, Barbara Babcock, Colm Meaney, Eileen Pollock, Michelle Johnson, Cyril Cusack, Clint Howard, Rance Howard, Jared Harris, Niall Toibin and Bernard Gleeson.

Kidman was taught by dialect coach Tim Monich to speak in an educated Dublin accent and does well by it. It is the star pair’s second movie together, after Days of Thunder (1990). They appeared together in Eyes Wide Shut before their divorce in 2001.

Rod Steiger was angered to be asked by Howard to audition for the role of Daniel Christie, but he did, and still failed to win the part. Richard Harris was also asked, but refused.

Cruise and Kidman attended the film’s press conference for 400 journalists at the Cannes Film Festival in 1992. English journalist Kevin Wilson was handed the microphone, gave his name and said he was accredited at the festival by the Irish Independent newspaper. Tom grinned and joked: ‘You don’t sound very Irish!’ Baz Bamigboye, of The Daily Mail, took the microphone and said: ‘Well, neither did you in the movie!’

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3333

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