Christy

This was a nice surprise: a modern-day movie with God actually spoken about in nice terms. It's a simple story of a young woman who goes to be a mission teacher in the back woods of Tennesee, and some of the problems she faces.

A high point of this film is the photography and the magnificent Tennesee fall scenery - some of the prettiest I've ever seen on film. A filter on one of the camera lenses, making the sky purple was a nice touch, too. Without scene after scene of that beauty, I would have enjoyed this as much.

Kellie Martin is the cute young woman who plays "Christy Huddleson." Something is out of whack, however, with her character. She travels to Tennesee to become that mission teacher yet she knows nothing about Christianity! Hello??! That's the movies for you, although it is based on a novel by Catherine Marshall and I wouldn't question her Christian credentials.

At any rate, Tyne Daly, playing a mature Christian ("Alice Henderson") who lives there, helps teach her. "Christie" also winds up a solid young minister as a boyfriend ("Rev. David Grantland, played by Randall Batnikoff.)

The movie was a pilot for a short-lived television series. Despite its flaws, overall it is a nice film and surprisingly interesting for what could have been a bland story. It has a nice ending, too, although not particularly where everything was perfect.

This classic American novel was beautifully turned into a movie and then a television series. This film has it all for charming family entertainment. Cute, perky Kellie Martin in the title role who has the most expressive eyes of any actress around. Tremendously talented actress Tyne Daly playing Christy's mentor, Alice Henderson. Perfectly cast and playing Dr. Neil MacNeill is Stewart Finlay-McLennan who steals nearly every scene he is in. And then the very attractive Randall Batinkoff that does a pretty good job as Reverand David Grantland. Also outstanding in the cast is Tess Harper as mountain woman Fairlight Spencer and Mike Hickman playing the moonshiner Birds-Eye Taylor. Between MacLennan, Hickman and Daly, it's a wonder any other performances get noticed. But nearly every scene is compelling.

Cute children, beautiful location scenery, moving spiritual themes, unforgettable characters, and a budding romance triangle, these are all found in this film that you will watch over and over.

Christy was by far the best series to ever hit television. It is great for anyone who likes history based films. Kellie Martin did an excellent job as Christy Huddleston, and if you haven't seen this film than you need to. The book by Catherine Marshall was excellent too!

Aside from all the cinematic, photographic, casting, editing, and ambiance compliments I could lavish onto this lovely film, the thing that got me most was the balance of polarized realities and how they meshed through the conflict into a workable resolution. That all comes from superb directing.

This entire scenario is exactly like an Appalachian school house would have been in that era. My grandfather taught in one exactly like that. But they were often taught by men, in order to deal with the ruffians (both in the classroom, and the community.) Now comes this delicate girl of a school marm, played by Kellie Martin, who shows that virtue, ability, and dedication to principle can indeed rule over brutal opposition. In that sense, it is an inspiring movie.

Direction and filming are excellent, and scenes are edited together very smoothly. There is contained, all within this one film, a sense of adventure, fear, hope, rage, love, uncertainty, confidence, conflict, resolution, individuality, and community. It also reflects realistically a genuine era in the history of remote Appalachia. This is a film my family and I will never tire of.

This two-hour TV movie served as the pilot to the 1994 series starring Kellie Martin in the title role. This movie may be a little hokey and cheesy, but it's good wholesome entertainment. I think the show failed when trying to deliver comedic scenes and worked much better as straightforward drama. Tyne Daly, Tess Harper and Emily Schulman also shine here.