Hidden Places

I really liked this film about decent people being kind to each other and trying to do the best they could. Kindness and decency are rare things to find in a film these days.

I was very pleased with the cast of this film--Jason Gedrick is one of my favorite actors, who unfortunately doesn't get the roles and recognition he should. He reminds me quite a lot of another actor I really like Anthony Zerbe. Other members of the cast were Sydney Penny--a very pretty young actress, whom I had not seen before, and the wonderful Shirley Jones.

The story revolves around a young widow, with two young children, who is trying to hold things together following the death of her father-in-law.

I quite liked the setting which was a farm (an orange grove to be specific), during the early 1930s. The big old house they lived in was an absolute delight to see-- there are so few houses like that left anymore.

A young man named Gabe Harper (Jason Gedrick), a drifter, arrives in the area and is stopped by the sheriff in questioned. As it turns out, the sheriff is a really good guy and he gets Gabe on at Eliza's farm.

To say too much more would be to give the plot away.

9 stars

I'm a little bias, because this was based on my Aunt Lynn Austin's novel. But aside from that, it was a great, clean, uplifting movie in which they are few and far between. The movie starred Sydney Penny, Jason Gidrick (Iron Eagle), Shirley Jones (Partridge Family), Tom Bosley ( Happy Days)and Barry Corbin (Northern Exposure). Good job to the Hallmark Channel which made and aired Hidden Places, Saturday night, January 28th, 2006. If you liked this movie, you'll love the book by the same name. She also has many other great titles in bookstores. She did a series on the Kings from the Bible in which she used facts and fiction to create a knowledge of just what the old Kings in the Bible had to do the keep their standings.

I watched this movie because Sydney Penny was in it....she never lets us down! How beautifully she portrayed the character, Eliza....Sydney always brings part of herself to her characters (it's underlying, and adds color). Having lived through similar circumstances, I felt a real bonding with all of the characters. Shirley Jones is a real professional...and was totally believable as the aunt. Tom Bosley never fails to please us. He is always "into" his part, and we can feel his emotions. Barry Corbin is one of my favorites, since I first really enjoyed him in The Thorn Birds (he co-starred with Sydney Penny), and various other projects. And last, but not least - Jason Gedrick - he has matured so much in the past few years, and was believable in his role. I feel that this will become a real classic.

Once again Hallmark brings us another good and wholesome movie into our living rooms.

This story is about faith, hard work and determination during their difficulties and trials times that seem to be impossible to turn it around for better, especially during the great depression with a family struggling to keep their farm and home from being foreclosed. Shirly Jones plays Aunt Betty who has strong faith in God to get them through this trial period.

This story reminds me of "Run the Wild Fields" but the ending is different. Great story!

It is refreshing to watch a movie that shows women working with men, rather than women proving to men that they can do everything by themselves.

It takes strength to ask for help or receive help when life gets hard; it also takes strength to have faith that life will get better when living through hard times.

This movie is a comforting reminder that life has ups and downs, and that life can get better with faith, hard work, and working together.