"Willie LaHaye (Logan Bartholomew) and his father-in-law, Clark (Dale Midkiff), share a ride to the ranch in this scene from Love's Abiding Joy"
from FoxFaith Movies Used with Permission—photo may not be reproduced, copied, or shared without permission from FoxFaith Movies © 2006
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Review #273 of 365
Film: Love's Abiding Joy (2006) [R] 110 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $9.00
Where Viewed: AMC Westminster Promenade 24, Westminster, CO
When 1st Seen: 11 October 2006
Time: 5:20 p.m.
Directed by: Michael Landon Jr.
Teleplay by: Michael Landon Jr., Douglas Lloyd McIntosh, and Bridget Terry
Television Story by: Michael Landon Jr. and Douglas Lloyd McIntosh
Based on: Janet Oke's novel Love's Abiding Joy
Featured Cast (Where You Might Remember Him/Her From):
Logan Bartholomew (Love's Enduring Promise-TV) • Erin Cottrell (Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde) • John Laughlin (The Pros and Cons of Breathing) • Dale Midkiff (Love's Enduring Promise-TV) • Drew Tyler Bell ("The Bold and the Beautiful") • Mae Whitman ("Arrested Development") • Brianna Brown (Conversations with Other Women) • Kevin Gage (Paparazzi) • Frank McRae (Last Action Hero) • William Morgan Sheppard (Love's Long Journey-TV) • James Tupper (Corky Romano) • Stephen Bridgewater (Texas Rangers)
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DVD |
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word or less review of this film]
Trying something a little different, FoxFaith Movies, the arm of Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC that has attempted to produce, according to their press release, "…high quality home entertainment product for the faith-based marketplace", this time around, is releasing the latest Michael Landon, Jr., on-screen adaptation of Canadian author Janette Oke's novel Love's Abiding Joy simultaneously in movie theatres and on DVD. To find theatres, visit the website for the film. This is the fourth in a series of adaptations of the "Love Comes Softly series" by Oke (pronounced Oak) whose career began in 1979 with the publication of Love Comes Softly. A dual release in theatres and straight to DVD is a bold new experiment being tried by the studios mostly on a smaller scale to judge reaction. There are many pluses and minuses to this strategy. In this particular case, as the previous three films in the series went straight to DVD, the move seems timed to coincide with what some see as a deterioration in the numbers of films appropriate for families and children available in the local movie theaters. Whether families will gravitate to this film in the theatres remains to be seen.
"Love's Abiding Joy, simply did not work on the big screen to its full advantage, and when compared to the power of the major motion picture releases out there now..."
When it comes to the actual film, Oke purists are likely to be highly disappointed with this film as it deviates extensively from the plot of the book. The population who has come to enjoy these Hallmark Classic DVDs also may not mind the less than cinematically thrilling cinematography, soundtrack, and visual effect of the film. From the editing to the scope of the screen, the film seems designed for showing on tv with commercials. It has sort of the opposite look of a theatrical film that's been cut to be shown as an in-flight movie. The story is set in the late 1800s in the wild west. Willie (Logan Bartholomew) and Missie (Erin Cottrell) LaHaye are living in a small home on a ranch they own and run. They have an older adopted son, Jeff (Drew Tyler Bell), a son Mark (Thomas Stanley), and a new baby Katherine. Helping run the ranch and the household they have Cookie (Frank McRae) and Scottie (William Morgan Sheppard). Due to a drought and a cattle plague, the number in the herd has plummeted on the ranch. So, Missie has taken a job in town teaching at the one-room school house. After many years of writing letters describing the family to her father, Clark (Dale Midkiff), and mother, they decide that at least one of the them should finally make the trip—three days by stagecoach.
"Clark (Dale Midkiff) comforts his daughter and Missy (Erin Cottrell)"
from FoxFaith Movies Used with Permission—photo may not be reproduced, copied, or shared without permission from FoxFaith Movies © 2006
He arrives to the complete joy and amazement of the entire LaHaye household. Unfortunately, before he gets to meet the baby Katerine, they find she has not awakened from her sleep and is no longer breathing. Her death marks only the beginning of the bad times the LaHayes face designed to test their faith. Bad guy of the town, who just also happens to be the mayor, Sam Doros (John Laughlin) has his heat set on owning the entire town. So, he's been loaning as much money as possible to area ranchers with promises to help them out and then as times grow worse, stripping them of all possessions when they cannot pay. Without realizing what's happening, and with Missie in too much grief to teach and earn that extra money they need to survive, Willie accepts Doro's offer to become the next Sheriff of the town. Doro's plan, of course, is to use the well-respected Willie LaHaye as his legal strong man—he's got plenty of illegal ones already in his employ.
"Willie LaHaye(Logan Bartholomew) becomes Sheriff LaHaye"
from FoxFaith Movies Used with Permission—photo may not be reproduced, copied, or shared without permission from FoxFaith Movies © 2006
His sense is that people will take eviction from their land a lot easier from Willie's lips than his own and rightfully so. Things get even more complicated when Doros's daughter back from finishing school, Colette (Mae Whitman), decides she needs a Romeo for her Juliette, and that Jeff will do just fine. This enrages her father, and he conceives of an evil plan to end their relationship and rid the town of Jeff forever.
Without meaning to insult the excellent quality available on television today, especially the cable stations such as FX, HBO, Showtime, Sci-Fi, TNT, etc., this film probably should have gone the same route as its predecessors and stayed out of the theatre. It's the first wilderness expanse film I've ever seen that takes no advantage of the spectacular settings with with cinematic shots of the mountains and the prairies. The acting is uneven between characters with Logan Bartholomew, John Laughlin, and Drew Tyler Bell, standing as among the best. Yet, in each performance there is a lack of ease with the script, the characters, and the intentions, despite, at least for some of the actors, having played these characters before. The sound design did not carry well on a big theatre sound system. Meanwhile, as previously mentioned, the editing with rising action up to each inserted commercial break at exact intervals was completely out of place. Director, Michael Landon, Jr., son of the Michael Landon who was most famous for his role in "Little House on the Prairie" of course, has learned well how to deliver a very good Hallmark Special with lots of moments and tears. Some spots are genuinely moving. Unfortunately, no matter the great intentions of FoxFaith and all of the people involved in translation of the book to the film, it's difficult to imagine anyone below the age of 45 sitting through this film in the theatre and enjoying the experience. It proves there is something to be said for the teleplay with its commercial breaks that permit diversion, snack breaks, and family discussion in between segments, all of which are not possible during a screening at the theatre. In this case, the experiment was a nice try, however, Love's Abiding Joy, simply did not work on the big screen to its full advantage, and when compared to the power of the major motion picture releases out there now with which it has to compete on the technical levels: sound, cinematography, set design, costumes, make-up, etc. the film falls far short.
Without meaning to insult the excellent quality available on television today, especially the cable stations such as FX, HBO, Showtime, Sci-Fi, TNT, etc., this film probably should have gone the same route as its predecessors and stayed out of the theatre. It's the first wilderness expanse film I've ever seen that takes no advantage of the spectacular settings with with cinematic shots of the mountains and the prairies. The acting is uneven between characters with Logan Bartholomew, John Laughlin, and Drew Tyler Bell, standing as among the best. Yet, in each performance there is a lack of ease with the script, the characters, and the intentions, despite, at least for some of the actors, having played these characters before. The sound design did not carry well on a big theatre sound system. Meanwhile, as previously mentioned, the editing with rising action up to each inserted commercial break at exact intervals was completely out of place. Director, Michael Landon, Jr., son of the Michael Landon who was most famous for his role in "Little House on the Prairie" of course, has learned well how to deliver a very good Hallmark Special with lots of moments and tears. Some spots are genuinely moving. Unfortunately, no matter the great intentions of FoxFaith and all of the people involved in translation of the book to the film, it's difficult to imagine anyone below the age of 45 sitting through this film in the theatre and enjoying the experience. It proves there is something to be said for the teleplay with its commercial breaks that permit diversion, snack breaks, and family discussion in between segments, all of which are not possible during a screening at the theatre. In this case, the experiment was a nice try, however, Love's Abiding Joy, simply did not work on the big screen to its full advantage, and when compared to the power of the major motion picture releases out there now with which it has to compete on the technical levels: sound, cinematography, set design, costumes, make-up, etc. the film falls far short.
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Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Love's Abiding Joy [DVD] (2006)
Love Comes Softly [VHS] (2003)
Love Comes Softly [DVD] (2003)
Love's Enduring Promise [VHS] (2004)
Love's Enduring Promise [DVD] (2004)
Love's Long Journey [DVD] (2005)
Love Comes Softly [VHS] (2003)
Love Comes Softly [DVD] (2003)
Love's Enduring Promise [VHS] (2004)
Love's Enduring Promise [DVD] (2004)
Love's Long Journey [DVD] (2005)
Other Projects Featuring Love's Abiding Joy (2006)
Cast Members
Logan Bartholomew
• Erin Cottrell • John LaughlinDale Midkiff
• Drew Tyler • Mae WhitmanBrianna Brown
• Kevin Benjamin Benjamin • Frank McRaeWilliam Morgan
• James Tupper • Stephen BridgewaterDirector
Michael Landon Jr.
Novelist
Janette Oke
| Book | VHS | DVD |
| Related DVD | Related DVD | Related DVD |
Love's Abiding Joy (2006) Review-lite [150-word cap]
Appearing simultaneously in theatres and on DVD, Michael Landon, Jr.'s, on-screen adaptation of Canadian author Janette Oke's novel Love's Abiding Joy will disappoint purists expecting a reproduction of the book and viewers who go for big screen cinematography and sound which they cannot get at home on a DVD. Willie (Logan Bartholomew) and Missie (Erin Cottrell) LaHaye are living in on a ranch they own and run. Missie's father visits just in time to find his new grand daughter has died, probably from SIDS—which wasn't known at the time. Meanwhile, Mayor Doros (John Laughlin) hires Willie to be his Sheriff with his real intention to use his integrity to enforce the evictions of other ranchers from their land. With all good intentions, this adaptation would have been best left for DVD release. It makes for a great Hallmark Special, but doesn't work as well on the big screen.
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