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285 of 292 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
The Thorn Birds 2 - The Missing Years Should have stayed that way, MISSING!!!, December 25, 2006
This review is from: The Thorn Birds 2 - The Missing Years (DVD)
The Missing years should have remained MISSING. The one part that really bothers me in the original, at the time of Dane's death Meggie says to Ralph, "Do you think I could ever go back to Luke or any other man after you." The meaning of course being that he should have known Dane was his. The missing years completely blows the whole meaning of the line, along with it the premise of the show. The acting was good, and all in all well done except for Julia Blake who played Fee Cleary. I don't think she did justice to the character created by Jean Simmons whose presence was sorely missed. Amanda Donohoe did a great job. She's a fine actor. Richard Chamberlain was his usual charming and talented actor he has always been. Simon Westaway, who played Luke, did a fine job as well. The story itself was lacking all the way around. The only decent part was when they made love. Yet, another inconsistency. When he goes back to her years later, Meggie says, and I paraphrase "It's not been that long just 20 years since I've seen you." There are just all sorts of inconsistencys through out the whole movie. Henry Mancini's music was also missed. All in all a BAD picture. I would have given this film a 1/2 a star or zero had they been available choices. If you liked or even loved the original you'll be greatly disappointed. Spend your money for the real deal and just imagine what might have been, instead of this very poor attempt to recapture the EXCELLENCE of the first one. Believe me anything you think up and will be far better than this movie. I'll say it again; except for Julia Blake who played the Fee character the acting was very good, including Olivia Burnette who played Justine O'Neill, another fine actor. DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY!
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31 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
If you want the "real missing years" read the book, January 26, 2004
I can sympathize with TV producers who wish to make "prequels" or "sequels" to Mini Series but not "in betweeners". In this film Ralph de Bricassart (played again by Richard Chamberlain) comes back to visit Meggie (now played by Amanda Donohoe) while Justine and Dane are growing up (something that never happened in the novel). She also gets a visit from Luke (who also never resurfaces in the book except in a letter) years after she told him off. Meggie and Ralph are as distant as they were before Matlock Island in it, making the first "19 years later scenes" irrelevant (even before Ralph helps Dane tell Meggie he wants to enter the priesthood). There is also a place where Justine discusses Ralph with Dane though they don't see him, and Justine hints that Meggie must have fancied him, and the like which again ruins the book text/sciptwriting from the forementioned "19 years later segment". Since the original series is hitting DVD next week, and they decided not to include this (being the DVD is gonna sell a lot less expensive than the VHS copy), you are much better off buying it (the DVD of the original that is). If you really wanna know what happened in the time between Dane's birth on Drogheda, and the "19 years later" segment that comes next in the Original, then read the book, there is more story there, none of which is covered by this very "brief" miniseries. If THIS in betweener ever hits DVD, I will debate ALL Pros and Cons before buying it.
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21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Thorn Birds-The Missing Years-Misses the Mark, January 27, 2002
This sequel departs from cannon of the original story so, one wonders if the creators actually viewed the original mini-series. It was a shame to see Colleen McCullough's carefully detailed characters (some of them) bent to suit the plot of this contrived piece of work. Oddly, Feonna Cleary (an a-vowed atheist in the original mini-series) has suddenly found faith and speaks about "God's greatests blessings" a multitude of times through out the film. To-wit, also, after years of running Drogheda, she is relagated in this sequel to knitting and a "cheery attitude". Amanda Donahoe does a reasonable job of potraying Megan Cleary-O'Neil. Richard Chamberlain seems to work very hard at keeping the characterization of Fr. (now Arch Bishop) Ralph D'Brickesar authentic. A portion of the original mini-series is totally ignored in respect to the character of Luke O'Neil (in respect to Meagan's ending her relationship with him) And Lastly, this is really the nineties (well now the millinium) Does anyone really sigh with relief when Luke O'Neil arrives on the scene because (as "Fee" puts it) "We need a man around the place"? I say rent or own the original and leave the missing years missing in action!
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