Christmas in Maple Hills

Ok, despite what I perceived as "professional" reviews preceding this one, I was very impressed with the real life message that probably went over the heads of the other reviewers.

My wife when she was in HS was given an assignment to interview her grandparents about the WW 2 era, she chose her grandfather.

As it turned out, her grandfather had been awarded the SILVER STAR for an action vs Natzi Germany over a bridge battle. He had never talked about anything form that war with any of his kids or relations. No one knew this had happened, he wanted nothing to do with that war

Whoever scripted this movie, was completely aware of this behavior in actual warfront vets, the entire movie revolves around this theme.

I was not overly impressed with the acting, there was very little if any actual farm activity with our hard working farmers. I'd give this thing maybe a 5 or 6, except that the central theme is so powerful, and so overlooked.

7.6 stars.

A wonderfully nostalgic and memorable story of two interwoven romances spanning 80 years in the town of Maple Hills. It's an account of a family on the verge of losing their maple farm because the bank discovers the deed is not in their name. The true owner is a mysterious person who signed it sometime soon after WWII.

In the present day, a doctor and a young woman whose family runs the farm are falling in love. The mystery of the farm is occupying their time more than anticipated and soon becomes an impediment to the romance. In the past, we see her grandmother longing for a man to return from the war. He is not much more than a stranger to her, but she is in love with him and he with her. There are other men involved both in the past and present, and we are left trying to solve the mysteries of unrequited loves and how they all began. Who owns the farm, who will discover the identity of the stranger and the mystery deed owner?

First of all, there are way too many commercials, so this film must have a runtime of 80 minutes. That's fine, but with a story so rich with so much potential, more is better. Nevertheless, it's very easy to get lost in both the back story and the present one, both so fascinating, it's difficult to pick which is better.

It's a very intriguing mystery that keeps us guessing who, when, and where. Enjoy it for the excitement, the romance, or both, but either way this is two stories unconventionally rolled into one short film.

This was my favorite Christmas movie of the 2023 season on the Great American Family network (and in my top 5 overall of the 2023 Christmas movies on both Great American Family and Hallmark). It was not your typical predictable GAF/Hallmark Chritsmas movie. It had much more to the plot and I really enjoyed the storyline solving the mystery of the lead character's grandmother's love story via flashbacks to the WWII era. There was good chemistry between the actors in both the modern day timeline as well as the historical timeline of the grandparents. Each year there are only a few movies I would rewatch the following Christmas season and this movie will be one of them.

Christmas in Maple Hills starts out as another save the farm movie, but quickly turns into a search for family roots, and then a love story within a love story.

When a farm girl goes to the bank to fund an expansion to her business, it is discovered that her farm is not in her family's name, but a mysterious organization no one has ever heard of. The search is on, assisted by the doctor who has designs on our lovely farm girl.

Flashbacks reveal a WWII romance involving her grandmother, and the mystery continually deepens.

Emily Alatalo and Marcus Rosner do a nice job as farm girl and doctor, but gorgeous Amanda Jordan, with her amazing blue eyes, and Adrian Spencer as a soldier she encounters are perhaps the real hilight of the movie.

I'm a sucker for 40's and WWII era nostalgia, so I really like this kind of movie and I'm happy to say it was quite well-done.

The nurse was particularly appealing as the best friend who always has a sparkle in her eye.

Nicely done.

Marcus Rosner and Emily Alatdo knock it out of the "farm" with chemistry in this well-written, excellently cast movie!! Supporting cast is outstanding also!! Love Amanda Jordan and Adrian Spencer, Zarin, Thom, Bukola, Daneilla, Andrew and the man who played Emily's brother----they all do a FABULOUS job in their respective roles!! Thank you to them for being willing to bring this AMAZING STORY to life!

Celebrate Christmas present with mystery from Christmas's past to uncover the family not talked about secrets. Sheds light on relationship challenges in the main romance as well as the supporting romance and dad/son relationship. I love how this movie incorporates honor to our Military who sacrified for our freedom and exposes what the military personell go through during battle.

Once again score BIG for Great American Family for being willing to show this on their channel.