Far and Away

Ron Howard's 1992 epic adventure Far and Away stars Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman as a mismatched pair of Irish emigrants chasing the American dream during the Oklahoma Land Rush. Cruise plays Joseph Donnelly, a fiery tenant farmer's son, while Kidman is Shannon Christie, the headstrong daughter of a wealthy Anglo-Irish landlord. When Joseph's family is evicted by Shannon's father, they form an unlikely alliance and flee to Boston, then join the thousands racing to claim free land in Oklahoma.

Shot on a $60 million budget, the film earned nearly $138 million worldwide. John Williams composed the sweeping score, and the movie blends romance, western adventure, and historical drama. Critics were mixed, but audiences embraced its old-fashioned spectacle. The real-life marriage of Cruise and Kidman added extra chemistry to their on-screen romance.[edit]

Joseph Donnelly is a hot-tempered Irish tenant farmer's son in 1890s County Galway. When his family is evicted by the wealthy Anglo-Irish landlord Daniel Christie, Joseph vows revenge. He sneaks onto the Christie estate and picks a fight with Daniel's spirited daughter, Shannon. After a scuffle, Joseph escapes but is later captured. Rather than press charges, Shannon proposes a deal: she will help Joseph escape if he takes her to America. Desperate to leave her stifling aristocratic life, Shannon dreams of owning land in the free territory of Oklahoma.

The pair stow away on a ship to Boston, where they face harsh realities. Joseph finds work in an underground boxing ring, fighting bare-knuckle for money. Shannon struggles as a maid in a wealthy home. Their relationship oscillates between bickering and growing affection. When Joseph's boxing earnings are stolen, they decide to head west for the Oklahoma Land Rush. Along the way, they join a caravan of hopeful settlers, encountering harsh weather and dangerous characters. Shannon's former suitor, Stephen Chase, reappears, complicating their journey. Joseph and Shannon's bond deepens as they overcome obstacles, but their differing visions of the future cause friction. The Land Rush arrives, and thousands race on horseback and wagons to claim plots. Joseph and Shannon stake their claim, but their victory is threatened by Stephen's scheming and a violent confrontation over the land.[edit]