Against the Wind (1978)

the audience applauded

Lack of good storyline.

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

Scottish-Australian producer and television and film director George T. Miller and Australian producer and director Simon Wincer's television mini-series in thirteen episodes which was written by Australian screenwriter, producer and director Ian Jones, Australian screenwriter and producer Bronwyn Binns and screenwriters Peter Kinloch, Tony Morphett, Paul Davies, Cliff Green and Tom Hegarty, is inspired by real people and events and an idea by Bronwyn Binns. It premiered in Australia, was shot on locations in Australia and is an Australian production which was produced by producer Henry Crawford. It tells the story about a domestic servant named Mary Kathleen Mulvane who lives on a farm in a county of Cork, Ireland called Rathcurran in the highlands with her father named Francis who is a landowner and teacher, her mother named Cathy who is a housewife and her sister named Elly and brother named Seamus. Mary has a close friendship with a neighbour named Michael Connor whose views on how to protest against the British soldiers differs from those of her father and is part of a group of Irish rebels who calls themselves The White Boys and who are in an ongoing dispute with soldiers of the British Army called Redcoats. During this autumn in the late 1700s when Ireland was under English rule, Mary becomes involved with Michael's rebellion and after being accused of being his accomplice regarding an incident at a parish, she is sentenced to seven years of penal servitude and placed on a convict ship called Britannia with forty-three other women. Subtly and engagingly directed by Australian filmmakers George T. Miller and Simon Wincher, this quietly paced and somewhat fictional tale which is narrated from multiple viewpoints though mostly from the two main characters' viewpoints, draws a comprehensive, involving and humane portrayal of a Roman Catholic woman whom after surviving a long, flogging and draining voyage and befriending another convict from Dublin, Ireland named Polly McNamara is assigned to serve her punishment as a servant for an English family of settlers named Wiltshire at a farm nearby Parramatta, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia and introduced to an English convict named Jonathan Edward Garrett. While notable for its naturalistic, atmospheric and variegated milieu depictions, efficiently grained cinematography by Australian cinematographer Dan Burstall and fine art direction by art directors Clive Jones and Tracy Watt and costume design, this character-driven and narrative-driven story about colonialism, emigration, oppression of Catholicism in Ireland and Australia, British-Irish relations, human exploitation, political anarchy, defiance of tyranny and the preservation of human dignity where an Irish prisoner whom is set on returning to her homeland finds herself dictated by an anti-Catholic middle-class wife and mother, persecuted by a characterless English ensign named Maurice Greville from the New South Wales Corps and separated from her friend who starts a new life with an English innkeeper named Will Price, depicts multiple dense studies of character and contains a memorable score by composers Mario Millo and Jon English. This historic, at times humorous, conversational, multi-dimensionally atmospheric and epic though commendably understated period drama from the late 1970s which is set in Ireland during the reign of King George III of Great Britain and Ireland in the late 18th century and mostly during the European settlement in the then newly established colony of New South Wales, Australia in the early 19th century, which lasts more than nine hours, which reverently reconstructs historical events and where life in a penal colony becomes a struggle for an unfree labourer in a foreign country much due to an officer in The Rum Corps and his sadistic partner-in-crime named Jonas Pike, and bearable much due to her own strength of character and education, a fair-minded English captain named Charles Wiltshire, a fellow countryman and United Irishman from Toongabbie prison farm named Dinny O'Byrne who shares her father's dream and an aspiring farmer from Essex, England, is impelled and reinforced by its cogent narrative structure, substantial character development, subtle continuity, contradictory and endearing characters, emphasis on the characters, the social segregation, lasting friendships and the distinction between human decency and human cruelty, engaging and informative dialog, virtuous depiction of Irish, English and Australian history, extraordinary scenes between Jonathan and Mary, distinct acting performances by actress Mary Larkin and English musician and actor Jon English and the noteworthy acting performances by actress Kerry McGuire and actors Frank Gallacher, Gerard Kennedy, Fred Parstow and Warwick Sims. A heartrendingly biographical, authentically romantic and pervasive love-story.

I remember anticipating the next night when this mini ran back in the day, rare for me. I thought it was realistic like an Aussie "Centinial". I'd love to see it digitally remastered and released on DVD, and I don't buy the arguments about the length being prohibitive. Please, a lot of crap less worthy and lengthier is already for sale. Like many others, I've looked for it to get re-ran to no avail. Was it as good as I remember? The only complaint I've seen was it was too long. Hello, it was a mini. If a mini is good, who cares if it is long and spread over multiple nights, anticipation is part of the experience. Has anyone heard about this becoming a reality?

I still remember it after a passage of more than 20 years. I had wondered why I never saw it again - a question that was answered by another person commenting on it. Well, it is really too bad, because it was an enthralling look at the early settlement of Australia. I was particularly amazed at how small a misdeed or misunderstanding could send an Irish man or woman off to Australia. Once in the land down under, the chances for ever returning home were pretty much nil, even after time was served for the offense. People simply made the best of it and worked hard to live in an environment - both physical and social - that was often difficult. I hope the barriers to a DVD recording are dealt with so that many more people can view this worthwhile mini series, and I can see it again, as well. Memorable characters and a fascinating plot - a good reason to make the effort to put it on DVD.

I saw the series Against the Wind and have always maintained that it was the best mini series ever produced in Australia. The acting was brilliant which enabled the viewer to acquire a real empathy for what it was like for the convicts in our history. The drama and the romance throughout this unique series kept me coming back to the screen for the next part, every night it was screened right up until the last episode. I have often scanned the T.V guide just to see whether it was being screened again. I have had no success searching for an available video or DVD. I would definitely buy this if available. My children have learned about these times in primary school. I would love to share this magnificent mini series with them.