SECRETS FROM THE SET!
SADDLE UP AND CELEBRATE 40 YEARS OF THE AUSSIE CLASSIC
It’s hard to believe it’s been four decades since Tom Burlinson, Jack Thompson, Sigrid Thornton and Kirk Douglas starred in one of the most iconic Australian films ever made, The Man From Snowy River.
But while you likely remember it’s based on Banjo Paterson’s poem and can hum along to the famous main theme music, here are 10 facts you might not know about the making of the sweeping epic... 1
Leading man Tom Burlinson is actually Canadian. Tom, who plays the movie’s hero, Jim Craig, grew up in both Canada and the United States before his family made Australia home. The Man From Snowy River was his first movie role! 2
While ruggedly handsome Tom looks like a natural in the saddle, it turns out he had barely ridden before. “I’d sat on a horse a few times in my life!” he laughs. “But I jumped in literally boots and all, had somewhat of a natural ability and I was able to do much of the riding in the movie than an actor normally would.” 3
Tom ended up performing many of the stunts in the movie, including the famous gallop downhill when he took his horse, Denny, over the cliff to go after the brumbies. He was asked numerous times if he was sure he wanted to do the scene and he didn’t think twice! 4
Sigrid Thornton starred as Jessica, Jim Craig’s love interest and the daughter of landowner Harrison. “Snowy River marked a definitive turning point in my career,” says Sigrid, who has since become one of the nation’s most-loved actresses. Of course, there is no Jessica in Paterson’s original poem, which made things a little tricky for the Seachange star. “There are no women in the poem,” she told Mike Walsh in 1982, “so I couldn’t base my research on it!” 5
Jack Thompson plays the famous role of Clancy – and although he had a lot of riding experience in real life, he got injured while filming. “I’d been a station hand, a drover and worked with them as an actor, but I came to grief when making this picture,” he said at the time. Jack severely damaged his left leg when the horse he was galloping on fell into a rabbit hole. The actor turned up at rehearsals for his
next movie in a wheelchair! “I got a secondary infection and nearly ended up with osteomyelitis. When you see the shot in Snowy, it could have been done in [Sydney’s] Centennial Park!” 6
Hollywood great Kirk Douglas was one of the few international names in the film. However, he wasn’t the first choice for the roles of twin brothers, Spur and Harrison – both Robert Mitchum and Burt Lancaster were considered first for the roles. 7
It was never intended that one actor would play both brothers in the film, but once Kirk got the idea in his head, apparently there was no turning back. 8
Although the setting is the breathtaking Snowy Mountains in NSW, they never filmed it in that location at all. In fact, the movie was filmed in the Victorian High Country. 9
The movie was met with acclaim around the world. The music was composed by Bruce Rowland – who also composed the soundtrack for the sequel of the movie – and it won him an AFI and an APRA for Best Score. Snowy River was also nominated for Best Foreign Film at the Golden Globes. 10
Tom later said that Kirk wasn’t easy to work with. “I was 25, but I looked about 17. Kirk apparently said to the director early on, ‘The kid’s too pretty.’ He was not an easy person.” Tom also says, “But I know The Man From Snowy River would not have been the movie it became had Kirk Douglas not been on it.” Indeed, Sigrid said Kirk was a good mentor. “You can certainly learn a lot from someone who is so generous with his knowledge.”