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The 1992 movie moment that means more than an Oscar for Ron Howard
Ron Howard says the filmmaking moment he cherishes most was shooting the climactic land-race sequence in his 1992 film Far and Away, rather than winning his two Oscars for A Beautiful Mind. The scene mattered deeply because it recreated an event involving three of his ancestors, allowing him to connect a major Hollywood production with a story handed down through his family.
Far and Away starred Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman as Irish immigrants pursuing free land in Oklahoma, against the historical backdrop of land taken from Native Americans and offered to settlers. Howard used 13 cameras, real horses and large numbers of historical re-enactors to film the sequence without CGI; his father, Rance Howard, also appeared in it. Although none of Howard’s relatives secured land in the original race, their experiences became a family story, making the production feel to him like travelling back in time.
In short
- Howard values Far and Away’s land-race scene above his Oscars.
- The scene recreated an event involving three of his ancestors.
- Thirteen cameras and real re-enactors captured the sequence.
Explained simply
Ron Howard is an acclaimed American film director who has won two Academy Awards for his work, including for A Beautiful Mind. However, he has said that filming a particular sequence in his 1992 film Far and Away holds more personal meaning to him than either of those honours.
Far and Away starred Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman as Irish immigrants seeking free land in Oklahoma. The film was set against the historical Land Run, when the United States government opened territory to settlers, though the land had previously been inhabited by Native American peoples.
The sequence that matters most to Howard is the climactic land-race scene, which he filmed using thirteen cameras, real horses and historical re-enactors. It held profound personal significance because the race recreated an event involving three of his own ancestors, connecting his major Hollywood production to a family story passed down through generations.