Love's Abiding Joy Premieres Saturday

In 2003, the made-for-television movie Love Comes Softly premiered on the Hallmark Channel. Based on best-selling author Janette Oke's first book, the film was directed by Michael Landon Jr. and undeniably has a "Little House on the Prairie-esque" feel (I guess it can be said in the area of television production: like father, like son). Due to the movie's success, it was soon followed by small screen versions of Oke's next two books in the series: Love's Enduring Promise (2004) and Love's Long Journey (2005).

This Saturday, Love's Abiding Joy, the fourth movie in the Love Comes Softly series and the first to be released on the silver screen, makes its television premiere on the Hallmark Channel. In October, FoxFaith Movies distributed it to a limited number of theaters across the U.S. and it's scheduled to be released on DVD in early January. While I didn't make it to the theater to see this film, having a husband who's an editor has it's benefits. Ted received an advance copy of the DVD release, which he promptly brought home for me to watch.

When I turned on the DVD, my expectations were low. Although Love Comes Softly moved both me and Ted to tears with it's tender tale of grief, faith, and love, Love's Enduring Promise was, to put it bluntly, barely tolerable. The script was not well crafted and the casting of January Jones as Missie left a lot to be desired. When Love's Long Journey aired in 2005, I was relieved to see Erin Cottrell (who also played Caroline Ingalls in the 2005 ABC mini-series Little House in the Prairie) replace Jones in the role. Not only was the casting better in Love's Long Journey, but the script was an improvement.

Unfortunately, when I started Love's Abiding Joy on Monday night, I only made it through 30 minutes. But not for the reasons you may assume. In the past, I've turned off movies for inappropriate content and even boredom. But before this film, I'd never turned off a film because it affected me so deeply I was unable to keep watching. That's exactly what happened with this movie.

Here's where I should warn you that this review does contain some plot spoilers.

For those unfamiliar with the plot, Love's Abiding Joy is the continued story of Willie and Missie LaHaye as the strive to keep their cattle ranch financially secure and to raise their family in the frontier of the Wild West. About thirty minutes into the film they suffer an unimaginable blow -- the death of their infant daughter, Kathy. One morning she suddenly stops breathing. While I haven't experienced the loss of a child, the memory of seeing my youngest daughter Ava stop breathing for several seconds is still fresh in my memory. Because of this, I simply couldn't handle Kathy's death in this film. Hence, my need to turn it off.

This afternoon I finished the film, although not without many tears. It's a beautiful story of a family who walks through grief -- struggling and questioning in the process -- yet manages to survive it with family and faith intact.

So, for those of you looking for a film worth watching, tune into or TiVo Love's Abiding Joy this Saturday night. Just be sure to have plenty of Kleenex on hand. If you're like me, you'll need it.

To Dream

Whenever the girls and I spend time with my family, I look forward to catching up on movies I may have missed at the theater. During this trip, I had the opportunity to watch The Greatest Game Ever Played and Dreamer, two films that focus on pursuing a dream in the face of fear, ridicule, and all odds. However, that’s not all the two movies have in common. Both stories also look at reconciliation between fathers and their children.

Since it first opened at theaters last fall, I’ve wanted to see The Greatest Game Ever Played. It’s the story of Francis Ouimet, the son of a common immigrant worker. He is far from a gentlemen’s heir and constantly reminded of this by those above him in the social ladder, as well as by his father. However, his social standing does little to discourage Francis from pursuing his dream: to play golf.

A caddy, Francis is offered the opportunity to play as an amateur in a golf tournament. While he has the encouragement and support of his mother, his father is dead set against Francis wasting his time in the chasing of his dreams. He wants Francis to accept that he is the son of a common worker and not try to fit into the world of gentlemen. At one point father and son strike a bargain. If Francis qualifies in the golf tournament, then and only then can he continue to play golf. If he doesn’t qualify, he must give up his dream forever and accept a common job. Francis’ pursuit of what his mother calls a “God-given gift he’s putting a voice to” creates a rift between father and son that, by the film’s ending, is reconciled.

Dreamer is the story of Cale Crane, her father Ben, and her grandfather, who they call “Pop.” Fired from his job for refusing to let them put an injured racehorse, Sonyador (a.k.a. "Dreamer") down in front of his young daughter, Ben finds himself unemployed and nursing a thoroughbred back to health. His goal of breeding Sonyador and selling the colt ends in disappointment when they learn that Sonyador is infertile. Yet, Cale never loses hope. In Sonyador she still sees a champion, despite the horse's once broken leg. Daily, she tells Sonyador how she sees her, reciting,
You are a great champion. When you ran, the ground shook, the sky opened and mere mortals parted. Part of the way to victory, where you'll meet me in the winner's circle, where I'll put a blanket of flowers on your back.

It isn't long before Sonyador rises to the occasion. As a result of a little girl's refusal to stop believing Pop and Ben are reconciled. And the ties between Ben and Cale are strengthened as never before.

Both films are examples of what filmmaking should be. The Greatest Game Ever Played and Dreamer are about the story. Pure, undefiled story. These movies don’t clutter themselves with profanity, with sex, with violence. They are simple, yet at the same time these stories contain a depth that many times is lacking in films.

At the center of both films is the biblical truth that “for as he thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7), or as pop psychology would call it, “the self-fulfilling prophecy.” Both Francis and Cale succeed because they have they don’t allow discouragement and ridicule to influence how they view themselves, or in Cale’s case how she views Sonyador. These movies provide a powerful message for us as viewers. In them we are encouraged to pursue the dreams God has placed in our hearts. And as we do, to never take our eyes off of how God sees us.

I'm looking forward to adding both of these movies to our film collection.

The Movie Vault: Mystery, Hitchcock Style

It's the perfect murder. Or so he thinks.

Retired tennis pro, Tony Wendice (Ray Millard) has taken the time to plan every detail of his wife's murder. He's recruited the killer, stashed away the money to pay his hit man, even timed the phone call down to the exact minute. The phone call that will signal his hired hand to carry out the evil deed. Yet, there's just one thing he didn't account for. One thing that will send all of his planning, all of his plotting, all of his scheming spiraling out of control. That one thing being: she fought back. And, as a result, it's the man he's hired, not his wife, that ends up dead.

In my opinion, Dial M for Murder is one of Alfred Hitchcock, the master of mystery's, best. Set entirely in an apartment, this film gets its strength from story. There are no great locations, no daring stunts, and no low flying crop dusters (sorry, there's no Cary Grant either). Based on a play, it's lack of bells and whistles is far from missed. It is brillantly written, wonderfully directed, and is Grace Kelly in all her splendor.

Released in 1954, it is a must see for any mystery lover. Few movies in this genre compare, or can compete, with Dial M for Murder in all its simplicity and complexity rolled into one.

The Movie Vault: A Classic Chick Flick

Ah, Anabel Sims, a classic chick flick heroine. A character to be admired by women and feared by men. Admired for her go get 'em (or should I say "go get him") spirit and unwavering persistence. And feared for her "go get him" spirit and unwavering persistence. Yes, that's right, when watching Every Girl Should Be Married, the 1948 film starring Cary Grant as Dr. Madison Brown and Betsy Drake as Anabel Sims, most women can't help but giggle in delight at the same story elements that make men shudder. But, it wouldn't be a good chick flick if men really enjoyed the film, now would it?

By today's standards, the most fitting description for Anabel would probably be "stalker." But, not by 1940's standards. No, instead she's merely a very determined woman set on catching the man she knows she's meant to marry. At one point in the film she states, "Do you know something about being a girl? You can just never give up. You have take every single little defeat and twist it around and around until it turns into a great big victory."

But, for those of you who don't buy that and prefer to think of her as a stalker, then at least think of her as a harmless one. After all, it's not like she's sitting outside Dr. Brown's window, watching his every move. Although ... she does manage to find out his shirt size, where he eats dinner each night of the week, what his favorite menu items are there, and just about everything else about him. How's she obtain this information? Why it's simple, through his tailor, the head waiter at his favorite restaurant, his barber, his secretary, and just about everyone else he comes in contact with on a regular basis. Her explanation, "Well I haven't done a single thing that isn't legitimate for a girl." And, she is quite the resourceful woman. Now, who can't admire that?

This movie does contradict the belief that a man should be the one to pursue while the woman the one to respond. Anabel is certainly the pursuer in this film, at one point explaining her actions with, "Well, I know its dreadful. But this is the kind of thing that men force us to do." Dr. Brown, on the other hand, goes from being initially passive and disinterested to down right avoidant. Yet, for every woman that's ever encountered a passive man, this film is welcome therapy.

One of my favorite scenes in the movie is Anabel's visit to Dr. Brown's office. She has already spotted him in her favorite coffee shop and the chase is on. Not knowing that he's a pediatrician, she makes an appointment for herself. Dr. Brown thinks she has a little one at home. Needless to say, the conversation that follows is hilarious line after line of misunderstanding.

Variety magazine's November 10, 1948 issue called the film "one of those rare comic delicacies that are always in good season at the box office," while the New York Times' December 24, 1948 edition described Betsy Drake as "display[ing] a refreshingly natural comic spirit in this fanciful girl-gets-boy lark" while also showing "a surprisingly perseverance in pursuing the dictates of the plot." Every Girl Should Be Married is one of those films I love watching again and again. So much so, that it's set on "keep until I delete" on my TiVo, ready to be enjoyed at a moment's notice.