Product Details

• Actors: Mel Gibson, Sissy Spacek, Shane Bailey, Becky Jo Lynch, Scott Glenn
• Directors: Mark Rydell
• Writers: Julian Barry, Robert Dillon
• Producers: Edward Lewis, Robert Cortes
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Original recording reissued, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Universal Studios
• VHS Release Date: June 2, 1994
• Run Time: 122 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6300183963
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #188,622 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "The River", August 21, 2002

By 

Ray Saif (Northwest Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: River [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The art of farming is by far the oldest, most time-honored tradition. It is the ideal way to make an honest living, raise your family away from the madness of the city and gain self-satisfaction by doing something that really matters. "The River" effectivly portrays the plight experienced by many American farmers during the 1980's economical recession. Flooding, forclosure and overdue bills were just a part of life for those most discouraging and undeniably frightning of years. Farm-friendly legislation has been passed in recent years so farmers can apply for disaster relief, equipment loans and bankrupcy loans. The goal is to keep the Family Farm as part of American culture. "The River" was shot in Northwestern Tennessee near Kingsport, Bristol and Johnson City and also in Birmingham, Alabama. A 400-acre parcel of land alongside the Holston River, in Tennessee was cleared and turned into a real working farm in just four weeks. The flood scenes were produced in conjunction with the Tennessee Valley Authority using a dam upriver which was slated for repairs. The scenery in the movie is absolutly breathtaking. The mountains, fields and river all seem to blend into one big beautiful picture. "The River" was the third in a trio of farming-based movies that year. The other two are "Country", with Jessica Lange and "Places In the Heart" with Sally Field.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The River, August 15, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: River [VHS] (VHS Tape)

A heart-land tragedy relived annually by the rain and consequential flooding of the family farmland by the adjacent river. Mels' character is sullen and cold. He is the quintessential traditional hardworking farmer. He loves his family and works almost pointlessly to keep them on their doomed property. It's difficult to watch him sulk and suffer inwardly. His character is extremely introverted and stubbornly independent. Sissy Spacek is great as the wife who tries to keep her family's head above water literally. She portrays a strong, willful and faithful person. This is a good rainy night movie. The kids are great actors and contribute a lot to the traditional values and family bonding.

The onscreen chemistry between Spacek and Gibson underscores the uncomfortable aura of the marriage in the movie. There's something strange about the couple, something that just doesn't click; a feeling of looming doom regarding their relationship. Scott Glenn's character does not help the uneasy tension.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mel Gibson fights The River all through this one!, January 18, 2011

By 

Tyler (Orem, UT) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The River (Widescreen Edition) (DVD)

The movie is top-excellent and of great quality with the acting throughout the entire film. I read the reviews before buying this flick and I was astonished at some of the feedback on this movie. One four-star rating attacks Gibson's character, especially due to his nonreaction to being spat on by a striking worker due to his part as a "scab" at a factory. Did you really expect Mel Gibson to act like his character on "Braveheart" and try to impale the character that spat on him? He's playing a character that obviously has little tolerance to fight back because of it. Obviously, his family is at hard times and he simply saw that there was little difference between himself and the strikers. They're all just trying to keep their families afloat, is all. Mel Gibson played a terrific part in this movie and he was brilliant in every scene.
The movie has a lot to do with the 1980's recession that is plaguing farms throughout the state of Tennessee, not to mention the constant flooding of the river that is threatening to wash away everything that the farmers worked hard for. The movie was very realistic and I could easily watch it a thousand times over. 5 stars all the way!