Far and Away
A young free-spirited Irish woman from an affluent Protestant family spontaneously befriends a street-smart commoner cheated by her family’s hostile land takeovers. They escape to America, ready to take advantage of the 19th century Oklahoma land rush.
Critics Sentiment
The Oklahoma Land Run of 1893 racing sequence
Kelly takes their money and tosses them into winter streets
The dramatic rise from the Boston street punishment scene to the climactic Oklahoma land race, representing a 3.4 point swing from despair to triumph.
Far and Away follows a classic three-act structure that mirrors the immigrant journey, starting strong in Ireland with beautiful scenery and character setup, struggling through a more problematic middle section in Boston where contrived situations test viewer patience, then soaring to genuine greatness in the Oklahoma finale. Critics consistently praised Ron Howard's visual storytelling and the Cruise-Kidman chemistry while criticizing plot conveniences, but the spectacular land race sequence elevated the film's reputation significantly.
Full cast
Showing 20 of 77
Tom Cruise
Joseph Donnelly
Nicole Kidman
Shannon Christie
Thomas Gibson
Stephen Chase
Robert Prosky
Daniel Christie
Barbara Babcock
Nora Christie
Cyril Cusack
Danty Duff
Eileen Pollock
Mary Kay
Colm Meaney
Kelly
Douglas Gillison
Dermody
Michelle Johnson
Grace
Wayne Grace
Bourke
Niall Tóibín
Joe Donnelly
Jared Harris
Paddy Donnelly
Steven O'Donnell
Colm Donnelly
Barry McGovern
McGuire
Gary Lee Davis
Gordon
Peadar Lamb
Farmer
Mark Mulholland
Peasant
P.J. Brady
Peasant
Wesley Murphy
Landlord
Crew
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