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All the Rivers Run
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Wikipedia article
'All the Rivers Run' is an Australian historical novel by Nancy Cato, first published in 1958.
It was adapted as a 1983 Australian television mini-series starring Sigrid Thornton and John Waters. The mini-series is marketed with the tagline 'A sweeping saga of one woman's struggle for survival'. A sequel, 'All the Rivers Run II', was produced in 1989.
Story
'All the Rivers Run' follows the life of English girl, Philadelphia Gordon, from the time when she is shipwrecked and orphaned off the coast of Victoria in 1890. She spends most of her life around Echuca, on the Murray River, and invests some of her inheritance in the paddle steamer called PS 'Philadelphia'. Her life is changed forever when she meets paddle steamer captain Brenton Edwards. She is torn between the harsh beauty of life on the river with its adventures, and the society life in Melbourne with her blossoming career as a painter. It is an adventure and a love story: between her, the men in her life, and the river.
Miniseries
Main cast
* Sigrid Thornton Philadelphia Gordon
* John Waters Brenton Edwards
* Charles Tingwell Uncle Charles
* Nicholas Brown Gordon
* Dinah Shearing Aunt Hester
* Adrian Wright Alistair Raeburn
* Diane Craig Miss Barrett
* Gus Mercurio Tom Gritchley
* John Alansu Ah Lee
* William Upjohn Adam
* Frank Gallacher Mac
* Constance Landsberg Bessie Griggs
* Darius Perkins Ben
* Caroline Gillmer Mabel Blackeney
* Kirk Alexander Jim
* Celia de Burgh Imogen
* Chantal Contouri Julia
* Nick Waters Mr. Slope
* Carol Burns Mrs. Slope
* Vivean Gray Alicia Raeburn
* Betty Lucas Janet Raeburn
Production
Both mini-series were shot on location in Echuca,Scott Murray, 'Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995', Oxford Uni Press, 1996 p171 as well as locations in Melbourne.
The paddle steamer PS 'Pevensey' was filmed as the PS 'Philadelphia'. Today, visitors to Echuca can take short trips on it.Echuca Paddlesteamers, http://www.echucapaddlesteamers.net.au
Release
Versions
The first series comprises four two-hour episodes first broadcast in October 1983, the second series comprises two two-hour episodes first broadcast on 18 March 1990. In the US, the mini-series was shown on the premium channel, HBO, premiering on 15 January 1984.'HBO program guide: January 1984[https://web.archive.org/web/20101223114736/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/60224/All-the-Rivers-Run/overview 'The New York Times: All the Rivers Run (1984)'] Retrieved 3 September 2011
'All the Rivers Run: The Definitive Collection' DVDs contains both mini-series, as Parts I and II.Crawford Productions Pty Ltd, 'All the Rivers Run 1 & 2', DVD The Part 1, 'All the Rivers Run I', is on 3 DVDs, with 8 episodes of approximately 48 minutes each (even though they are advertised as one-hour episodes). Disc 1 contains episode 1 (51 minutes 28 seconds) and episode 2 (45:58). Disc 2 contains episode 3 (46:25), episode 4 (47:37) and episode 5 (48:57). Disc 3 contains episode 6 (50:14), episode 7 (48:01), episode 8 (48:30), a three-minute interview with John Waters, an eight-minute interview with Sigrid Thornton and a trailer/promotion for the mini-series. The Part 2, 'All the Rivers Run II', is on 2 DVDs. The first disc contains episode 1 (1 hour 36 minutes 34 seconds) and the second disc contains episode 2 (1:37:47). It also includes an audio CD with the soundtrack from the mini-series.
Reception
The series was a massive ratings success in Australia and was sold to over 70 countries, including the US, where it was screened by HBO premiering on 15 January 1984 on the network.Albert Moran, 'Moran's Guide to Australian TV Series', AFTRS 1993 p 53 and in USSR where it ran in 1988.
'All the Rivers Run II'
The sequel follows on with the same main characters, but with actress Nikki Coghill replacing Sigrid Thornton in the leading role. New characters include Cyrus P. James, a handsome American, and Arthur Blackwell (Tim Robertson), a rich villain who wants to buy out the PS 'Philadelphia'.
Main cast
* John Waters Brenton Edwards
* Nikki Coghill Philadelphia Gordon
* Parker Stevenson Cyrus
* Charles Tingwell Uncle Charles
* John Jacobs Sid
* John Alansu Ah Lee
* Sudi de Winter Gordon
* Tim Robertson Blackwell
* Alan Fletcher McLean
* Kahlie Sneddon Meg
* Eric McKibbin Brenny
* Gil Tucker Hopkins
* Jon Concannon Bates
* Michele Fawdon Ruth
* David Cameron Enright
* Peta Toppano Eunice Pyke
References
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