The Last Frontier (1986) (TV)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Simon Wincer

Writer:

Michael Laurence (writer)

Release Date:

3 November 1986 (Australia)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

An American woman's courageous struggle to carve out a new life for herself and her family amid the harsh splendour of Australia's Great Outback [DVD Australia]

Plot:

A single mother from LA marries an Australian cattle rancher following a whirlwind courtship. He returns...

Plot Keywords:

Australian | Ranch | Australia | Courtship | Cattle

Cast

Peter Billingsley	...	Marty Adamson
Tony Bonner	...	Tom Hannon
Beth Buchanan	...	Zoe Hannon
Les Dayman
Linda Evans	...	Kate Hannon
John Ewart	...	Henry Dingwell
Lois Foraker	...	Mary
Peter Ford	...	Phil
Asher Keddie	...	Emma Hannon
Toni Lamond	...	Auntie Dier
Micole Mercurio	...	Judy
Judy Morris	...	Meg Stenning
David Ravenswood	...	Austin
Jason Robards	...	Ed Stenning
Karly Rothenberg	...	Woman on Beach
Meredith Salenger	...	Tina Adamson
Jack Thompson	...	Nick Stenning

Runtime:

180 min

Country:

Australia | USA | New Zealand

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:PG | Australia:PG (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia

Company:

McElroy & McElroy

Great family movie

I absolutely love this movie. Linda Evans was fantastic in her role, playing a single mother, then newly married and suddenly widowed, caretaker of a ranch and stepdaughters, all the while learning to live in the Australian outback. Snakes, drought, heat, unfriendly neighbors, fire and an unexpected new love were written into this story very well. I enjoyed seeing the real Australia (as opposed to a back lot setting), and it made this movie more believable. The nighttime fight scene seemed just so-so until I heard Linda talking about it on a talk show: filmed till early hrs of morning, in very chilly temperatures. This movie has not been on TV in a very long time. I had taped it the last time it was scheduled, but unfortunately the TV film kept messing up and some good parts that I remember are not on my video, like most of the fire that nearly killed her son and the explosion that hurt her friend. Linda's character showed that perseverance (and sometimes stubborness) will get us through some very difficult situations. For me, this is a very enjoyable movie, with a very talented and beautiful actress, and I'd watch it repeatedly if I could.