The film, "Far and Away" is about two young people from Ireland who want to move to America. The year is 1892. They want to receive one hundred and sixty acres in Oklahoma. This is in reference to settlers that came from all around the world to be free in America and own land.
Tom Cruise who plays Joseph Donelly is a poor tenant farmer whose father dies. Joseph insists on killing the man who took his father's land away from him. This is how he meets Shannon Cristy who is played by Nicole Kidman. She is the daughter of the man that Joseph seeks to kill. Shannon is an extremely spoiled girl who does not appreciate all that she has and is set on becoming "modern." Shannon decides to run away to America and makes the decision to take Joseph with her as her servant.
Shannon expects to arrive to America and be treated highly because of her parent's wealth.
Nicole Kidman at Cannes Film Festival 2001
Nicole Kidman
English: Shannon, County Clare, Ireland as the pla...She is robbed on the way to America and becomes poor and bitter. Joseph on the other hand is treated with respect because he can box. Shannon is forced to get a job and earn her way to Oklahoma. Shannon becomes the poor and Joseph becomes the rich. Shannon feels that she is earning her money respectfully while Joseph on the other hand is "owned" by the men who wager the bets for the boxing matches. Shannon ends up arriving to Oklahoma with her parents' help, but she wins the land by her own ability to ride a horse. However, her parents cheat to win the land because they have not learned the lesson that Shannon has from Joseph. Joseph has to struggle to get to Oklahoma, but he to earns the land through hard work...