Customer Reviews

The Shiralee

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

In the same awesome landscape beauty of "Rain Shadow" this DVD, "The Shiralee", will touch your senses and then your emotions. Again, like "Rain Shadow", the action takes place down-under, in the Australian outback. This time the story lead is a rough Aussie bloke, rather than a female vet. Byran Brown (from the recent 2008 movie "Australia") plays "Mac" Macauley. His manner is backwoods-bush, but his performance is 5-star. He will evoke just about every emotion from hatred to love as he takes on life wildly and eventually the responsibility of a 9-year old daughter. Don't cross Mac, he packs a mean punch, often.

Lily (Noni Hazlehurst)is his true love, from first sight, but alas, do you know how hard it is to hang on to good love in the outback? Tough, like the country, like the men. Lily is tough too.

The wonderful star and joy of "the Shiralee" is Buster, the child of Mac, played by Rebecca Smart. What a great job by a young girl. Buster is the Pollyanna of the Outback. Like Dorothy of Oz, she takes on life in her own way, tough if needed, sweet often, and in love with her dad--no matter what. Her smile is as wide as the Australian bush horizon. How dare Mac consider Buster a Shiralee (burden).

What a delight to find this story on film. Acorn has done a wonderful job of presentation. OK, one negative, no English sub-titles for us blokes that can't catch all of the down-under slang and dialect. But it's not a huge problem. Use reverse if needed. It is sure not worth turning your back on this delightful and heartwarming tale of father and daughter.

It's not your normal "Father Knows Best" 40s/50s story of Dad and girl. Actually, Mac has a hard time taking care of Buster since his desire and ambition is walking the road and roaming for work and a livelihood. He takes his daughter to spite his wife, and has to learn parenthood on the road. Many time he relates to Buster miserably. At these points, Mac deserves the viewers rage and hate. Mac is just to tough on Buster, to lacking of empathy. Mac shows almost no love or tender emotion to the young child. Boo, Hiss, for the dad. Then, Buster will chew on him a bit, smile wide, and all is well for a few more dusty kilometers on the road.

Before the 3+ hours are over, you will begin to wonder why you bothered watching the nasty, beastly-dad, Mac. But don't give up, enjoy the drama, the scenery, and eventually you'll come to find out why this is a 5-STAR film, worthy of the $$$ and time.

There is absolutely no reason why someone can't write a sequel. D'Arcy Niland wrote the novel. "Siralee" (Aussie slang for "burden") leaves the viewer with their own Siralee. No more segments of hardships to overcome for this "Odd-couple road pair".

I recommend buying. Then, consider "Rain Shadow."

I've searched for this movie for years. Couldn't even get it on VHS. It's a wonderful story and Bryan Brown is at his best. M. Fuller

Saw this film when it aired in the US on Masterpiece Theater in the late 80's/early 90's. Superb performance by Brian Brown and his child co-star, Rebecca Smart. Story had so many unexpected turns while maintaining a powerful central plot. I would love to own it, so it is quite frustrating that it is not available on DVD in US format.

Ever since I saw this film which was released as a mini series many years go it has remained in my memory as something I would love to see again. I searched the web many times for a copy of the series and was thrilled to find it finally available. Bryan Brown who is the lead plays a complicated but rather typical male chauvanist Australian man with a heart of gold and very high standards for himself and the women he will let into is life. The child Buster is brilliantly played by Rebecca Smart who almost steals the show but without each other this story would have no meaning. It is an "on the road again" story, tramping over the dusty country side the father looking for work and his daughter walking along side him. It is an adventure story in a way but does leave you hanging as you wonder how in the future the life of both will develop. This is not a fast paced movie but rather it slowy compells you to read on or as in this case watch on.

Lived in Australia for 11 1/2 years. Found this movie depicts the Australian outback very well.
Had seen this while living there, and was delighted to have the opportunity to purchase it now.

Good movie 2 disk covering father and daughter and how they need each other with hard times. Heartwarming family movie.

I ordered this movie as the Peter Finch 1957 version but I got this. And Amazon claims this is always what was advertised. I've got no way to prove any different. But I was searching and searching and searching for the Peter Finch version. I already had this thing, I certainly didn't want it again.

And I found it! And I ordered it. And this turned up. So what's the conclusion? If they're right then I must be going insane, suffering from hallucinations and dementia.... But I don't think so.

Anyway, this movie: it's okay. But it is not a patch on the original (black and white, 1957) Peter Finch version. Just the characters - Bryan Brown is an entirely different character to Peter Finch. And the Shiralee entirely different.

I'd say join me in my search for the original.

We love this movie and were so happy to find it. We appreciate it arriving so soon after ordering and in mint condition too. Thank you very much.

No criticism of the product, just the cost. The product had to be delivered to the UK. I paid Amazon a $6.48 Shipping & Handling fee. When the package arrived in the UK I was asked to pay a further £12.76 (approx. $20.00) made up of VAT & Royal Mail International Handling Fee, before I could take delivery of the package. This means in total I paid $62.47 for the DVD - too much & not worth it !

Quick delivery but had problems viewing - had to enlist an IT colleague to convert to uk compatibility.