The Thorn Birds (1983)

The Thorn Birds (1983) Meghann "Meggie" Cleary, a four-year-old girl living in New Zealand in the early twentieth century, is the only daughter of Paddy, an Irish farm labourer and Fee, his harassed but aristocratic wife. Meggie is a beautiful child with curly red-gold hair but receives little coddling and must struggle to hold her own. Her favourite brother is the eldest, Frank, a rebellious young man who is unwillingly preparing himself for the blacksmith's trade. He is much shorter than his other brothers, but very strong. Unlike the other Clearys, he has black hair and eyes, believed to be inherited from his Maori great-great-grandmother. Paddy has a wealthy sister, Mary Carson, who lives in Australia on Drogheda, an enormous sheep station. One day, Paddy receives an offer from Mary of a job on her estate. In Drogheda, Meggie meets Ralph de Bricassart, a young, capable and ambitious priest. As punishment for insulting a bishop, he has been relegated to a remote parish in the town of Gillanbone, near Drogheda. Ralph befriended Mary, hoping a hefty bequest from her to the Catholic Church might liberate him from his exile. Ralph is "a beautiful man”. Mary goes to great lengths to see if he can be induced to break his vows. Ralph shrugs off these attentions and continues his visits. He cares for all the Clearys and cherishes forlorn little Meggie who makes him the centre of her life....