The River
“He might be able to hold back the river. But could he hold back the greed of man?”
Tom and Mae Garvey are a Tennessee farming couple battling violent floods to save their land. In addition to natural disasters, the Garveys fight to stop a selfish land developer and a local corporation from foreclosing on their farm. While Mae stays at home to care for their children and tend to the crops, Tom finds work as a scab at a steel mill to preserve his family's property.
Where to watch The River in United States
Amazon Video
Apple TV Store
Google Play Movies
YouTube
Fandango At HomeClick a service to open The River there. Availability last verified on June 20, 2026.
Where is The River streaming around the world?
| Country | Streaming on | Rent / Buy |
|---|---|---|
| United States | — | Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies |
| India | — | Amazon Video |
| United Kingdom | — | Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies |
| Canada | — | Apple TV Store, CosmoGo, Amazon Video |
| Australia | BINGE | Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies |
| France | — | Apple TV Store, Sooner, Amazon Video |
| Japan | — | FOD |
About The River
The River is a 1984 English-language drama film directed by Mark Rydell. The cast is led by Mel Gibson, Sissy Spacek, Scott Glenn. It has a runtime of 2h 2m. Viewers rate it 6.4/10 across 100 ratings. In United States, it is available to rent or buy on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store.
The River was produced by Universal Pictures and made in United States of America. It was released on December 1, 1984, and carries a PG certification. Made on a budget of about $18 million, it went on to gross $12 million worldwide.
- Director
- Mark Rydell
- Writers
- Robert Dillon, Julian Barry
- Release date
- December 1, 1984
- Original language
- English
- Age rating
- PG
- Status
- Released
- Country
- United States of America
- Budget
- $18 million
- Box office
- $12 million
- Production
- Universal Pictures
The River cast & crew
The River was directed by Mark Rydell and written by Robert Dillon and Julian Barry.
The cast features Mel Gibson as Tom Garvey, Sissy Spacek as Mae Garvey, Scott Glenn as Joe Wade, Billy Green Bush as Harve Stanley, Shane Bailey as Lewis Garvey, and Becky Jo Lynch as Beth Garvey.
Behind the camera, the score was composed by John Williams, cinematography is by Vilmos Zsigmond, and it was produced by Robert Cortes and Edward Lewis.
Is The River worth watching?
The River holds an audience score of 6.4/10 from 139 ratings, a solidly received drama films.
At 2h 2m, it's a standard feature-length watch.
If you enjoy drama, The River is worth a place on your watchlist.
How and where to watch The River
The River isn't on a subscription service in United States right now, but you can rent or buy it on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, and YouTube.
Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.
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Cast of The River
Mel Gibson
Tom Garvey
Sissy Spacek
Mae Garvey
Scott Glenn
Joe Wade
Billy Green Bush
Harve Stanley
Shane Bailey
Lewis Garvey
Becky Jo Lynch
Beth Garvey
Don Hood
Senator Neiswinder
James Tolkan
Howard Simpson
Bob W. Douglas
Hal Richardson
Andy Stahl
Dave Birkin
Lisa Sloan
Judy Birkin
Larry D. Ferrell
Rod Tessley
The River — FAQs
▸Where can I watch The River in United States?
The River is not on subscription streaming in United States right now, but you can rent or buy it on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies.
▸What language is The River in?
The River is originally in English. Subtitle and dub options vary by streaming service.
▸How long is The River?
The River runs 2 hours 2 minutes (122 minutes).
▸What is The River rated?
The River is rated PG. It holds a 6.4/10 audience score from 139 ratings.
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