The Man from Snowy River is a 1982 Australian Western drama film based on the Banjo Paterson poem "The Man from Snowy River." The film stars Kirk Douglas in dual roles as brothers Harrison (a character who appeared frequently in Paterson's poems) and Spur, Jack Thompson as Clancy, Tom Burlinson as Jim Craig, Sigrid Thornton as Harrison's daughter Jessica, Terence Donovan as Jim's father, Henry Craig, and Chris Haywood as Curly. Both Burlinson and Thornton later reprised their roles in the 1988 sequel, The Man from Snowy River II, which was distributed by Walt Disney Pictures.

Plot

When Jim Craig and his father Henry are discussing their finances, a herd of wild horses called the Brumby mob passes by, and Henry wants to shoot the black stallion leader, but Jim convinces his father to capture and sell them. Jim and Henry are making a yard to trap the mob when they reappear and trample through the area. In the mayhem, the Craigs' horse runs off with the mob and Henry is accidentally killed. Before Jim can inherit the station, a group of mountain men tell him that he must first earn the right – and to do so he must go to the lowlands and work. Henry's old friend, Spur, a one-legged miner, gives Jim a horse. Jim then gets a job at a station owned by Harrison, Spur's brother, on a recommendation by Harrison's friend, Andrew Patterson (a character based on the poet A. B. (Banjo) Paterson). Meanwhile, Clancy appears at Spur's mine and the two discuss their pasts and futures. Clancy goes to Harrison's station to lead a cattle muster. At dinner, Harrison tells Clancy that "he has no brother" when referring to Spur.

Awards