"What Sin Did You Commit?" ~ Necessary Sacrifices On The Journey To Becoming The Perfect Priest
The `70's and early `80's were the "Golden Age" of the television mini-series producing such excellent films as; `QB VII' ('74), `Rich Man, Poor Man' ('76), `Roots' ('77), `Shogun' ('80) and of course `The Thorn Birds' ('83).

`The Thorn Birds' boasts an excellent cast of well-knowns and lesser-knowns along with some bright, new faces that for the most part delivered the most memorable performances of the production. Of course if you've seen the film you already know that when I speak of bright new faces I'm primary referring to the enchanting, adorable Sydney Penny in the role of little Meggie Cleary as the child who steals the heart of Father Ralph de Bricassart (Richard Chamberlain), the ambitious Catholic priest who is to become trapped forever between his desires for both divine and human love.

The first half of the film featuring Sydney Penny is by far my favorite. Her relationship with the adoring Priest is innocent and nurturing and Sydney's smile lights up the screen with such warmth and love you can't help but fall in love with both her and the storyline.

Eventually Meggie grows up and is replaced by the stunning Rachel Ward, definitely not a bad swap but unfortunately from that point onward the film takes on the mood and texture of a harlequin romance dominated by Father Ralph's inability to act decisively and choose who he loves more, God or Meggie. The portrayal of his constant "inner struggle" made the plot a little too redundant at times. I think if I had heard him say "but I love God more" just one more time I might go mad.

Of course what irritates one viewer is quite often just what other viewers are looking for and I'm certain that some of what I've written will be preceived as a lack of sensitivity and experience in the ways of the heart (such is the fate of men). Be that as it may, the long enduring popularity of this film certainly cannot be denied, nor dismissed and its long overdue release on DVD is without doubt going to find a large, passionate audience anxiously awaiting to have their hearts broken all over again.

My Rating: -4 ½ Stars-.

Excellent no matter what version its in (The first one,anyway)
I bought the video version years ago. I remember when The Thorn Birds first aired on broadcast TV. It was of such good quality. I thought the acting was excellent. I saw it multiple times on TV, and then bought the video when it first came out and was very expensive. I still cry when I watch it. It continues to be hard for me emotionally to get through it, but I watch it at least once a year. But I have to get the DVD, because the video is going the way of the dinosaur...

Excellent series
This is the best serie I have ever seen, I cried a lot. Richard Chamberlain and Rachel Ward are the best actors

Those female stars - mmmmmm:-)))
Back in 1984 I was 16 and this miniseries was the new "Gone With The Wind" all over the world. Even then I was speechless by the magnificent performance of Jean Simmons as Fee....

Seeing it again now, I must say that this is a glossy soap opera and some lines have dated badly. Back in 1983 I felt the same....

But now I feel a disturbance over the relationship father Ralph has with young Meggie("Why do you fill the gap God can`t fill???").... Stories of frolecking catholic priests comes to mind and the "friendship" is to me on the unhealthy side...

Rachel Ward is visually stunning and right for the role of Meggie, but her vocaltraining leaves someting to be desired. She should have taken vocal lessons; her voice is much too often flat and colorless....

The women are the stars of this miniseries; Barbara Stanwyck freezes my blood when she confronts her lust for Father Ralph, Jean is good - as are Mare Winningham as Justine...

Richard Chamberlain and Christopher Plummer has good chemistry, but the church politics is never a commercial for the non catholics...

Nevertheless; like "Gone With the Wind" - this is an all-stops-out tearjerker and with the performances - is quite watchable fro that sake.

follows the book well
The DVD was in excellent condition and arrived promptly. I enjoyed it and it followed the book very well.