Harry (1979 film)

Harry is a 1979 Australian romantic drama film. It was written and directed by Michael Pate, based on the 1974 novel by Colleen McCullough.

It is the story of the developing relationship between an older, middle-class American woman, Mary Horton (played by Piper Laurie) who lives on her own and a handsome, developmentally impaired 24 year old gardener, Harry Jones (played by Mel Gibson), whom she hires. Harry lives with his sister, Dawnie (Deborah Kennedy), who is a year older than him, and their parents Travis (Alwyn Kurts) and Emily (Pat Evison). Dawnie marries her boyfriend, Dustin Shore (David Foster). Dawnie and Dusitn make clear they dislike Mary and oppose her relationship with Harry, but do not state their reason for feeling that way. Emily dies, Harry marries Mary and Travis dies.

The film was one of Gibson's first roles, and was moderately successful in Australia, earning Gibson an Australian Film Institute award for Best Actor. Kurts and Evison also won Best Supporting Actor and Actress awards respectively.

The film was remade for American television as Mary and Harry in 1996, starring Candice Bergen and Thomas McCarthy in the lead roles.

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