Love's Unending Legacy

The fifth one in the Hallmark's 'Love Comes Softly' movie series. Once again the story skips to a couple of years forward. I remembered last time I said the movie was better than what others thought about it, but this time it was not the same case. It was a little letdown, especially in the first half.

After losing the husband, Willie, in the line of duty, Missie and her son Mattie moves back to be near with her parents and to start afresh life. It is a changed town now, less opportunities and more competitive for everything. Missie decline's her parents offer to help her financially. The mother and son rent a small house and settles down with enough earnings to support themselves. Until one day an orphan girl joins them and changes the course of the narration in a new direction.

"I couldn't save Jenny... And you couldn't save Kathy. But we can save Jacob."

The first three films were so good in the series, but I kind of feeling it beginning to decline as the rest of the movies followed, especially since the previous one. It was so wonderful to introduce some interesting characters, but did not capitalised with the fetchable scenes. In this, the second half was so much better than the first. The movie regained its strength because of what came forth. Otherwise, it would have been the worst in the series, but still it is like the least satisfying film by far.

Eliminating the character, Willie, was severely criticised from all the quarters, that mean the movie is not following the book as it should have been. I think being accurate to the book might have brought the justice. But I won't come to any conclusion comparing with both the format since I have not read the book. They might have thought changes could give a new look for those who have read the book, but seems the idea did not clinch well.

The two new characters and their quest were the highlight. Some of the issues it talked were inspired by the real ones. From the societal perspective that was a good thing. Kind of refreshes from the regular perspective of the storytelling like ranch, school, especially deaths. Yep, so far, the series had deaths in each film, but none in this one. There was one prior to this story commence, which was kind of told in a flashback or from recollecting the memory. Anyway, it was a passable product, like as always hoping to get better in the next.

6½/10

What could have been a good TV movie was weakened by an overdone and unsuitable musical score. I found this was an annoyance during the first half of the movie. Performances overall were not that bad but the this mood music (that didn't seem to suit a western film) played over the actors as they spoke in many scenes and this became a real distraction.

In one scene, which takes place in the church, a pastor is asking a congregation to volunteer to take care of homeless children lined up across the platform behind him. All the dialog in this scene is underscored by this deep emotional mood music which is unnecessary and distracting.

What happened to Marty, that she's ill of sorts, in this movie? I really miss Katherine Heigl in this one!

This is the fifth film in the Love Comes Softly series based on the books by Janette Oke centered around a pioneering family. In this entry Missy LaHaye has been left widowed when her sheriff husband Willie is killed breaking up a bar fight. After two years of toughing it out on her own she brings her son Mattie back home to her home town where she becomes the local teacher and has a small house of her own. Almost immediately she takes in a 14 year old orphan girl named Belinda, from the widows and orphans organization, who was sent with her brother from New York. Unfortunately, her brother goes to a neighboring farm where they are working him hard and not feeding him properly.

It was wonderful to see Erin Cottrell back as Mattie and Dale Midkiff as her father Clark Davis. There was also the introduction of the town sheriff Zach Taylor played by Victor Browne. I was disappointed to see another actress play Marty, I miss Katherine Heigl. Also...what happened to adopted son Jeff LaHaye???? He is not even mentioned in this film.

Overall it was a great story and I think fans of the series will love it.

While I appreciate having decent,wholesome movies to watch, the movies based on the Janette Oke "Love Comes Softly"series are such a disappointment. I know some of the messages suggest "if you can just get past the books" you can enjoy the movies. I cannot seem to do that. I love those books and do not understand why it is so hard to make movies that align more with stories and plots in them. I know some books are hard to make into movies and need some dramatization, but I don't think these books need THAT much help. I watched the first three but by movie number four, I'm reading the back of the DVD and I'm thinking "No thank you!" It really is a shame, these could have been terrific movies.