Secret of Giving

Reba McEntire is not one for holding back on the sentiment and emotion as any who witness her polished and slick stage shows can aver.Here she goes for the emotional jugular vein in a Christmas themed TV Western.She plays a single mother struggling to raise a child and keep up payments on her ranch in a small,economically depressed Oregon township She is heavily in debt-to the doctor for the medication required by her ailing son ;to the bank and the local hotelier.The banker -played well by veteran Ronny Cox-is employing rustlers to run off her cattle so she will default on the loan and he can get his grasping avaricious hands on the property The movie relates her struggle to overcome all odds by dint of hard work and enterprise not to mention a handsome stranger with a past and some helpful Chinese. Its all a bit rosy-hued and soft centred but Reba clearly believes in the message and looks comfortable in the role which may have evoked some memories of her own ranching childhood in its theme of redemption through goodwill its a bit Dickensian but not in the same class naturally

A perfectly adequate time passer.

Review Date 7/7/2018

I Have Reviewed OVER 500 Christmas MOVIES. On all Christmas movies BEWARE OF FAKE REVIEWS & REVIEWERS. Many reviewers have only have ONE REVIEW. When it's a POSITIVE REVIEW chances are that the reviewer was involved with the production. If its a negative review then they may have a huge grudge against the film for whatever reason. I am fare about these films.

The major flaw in this film is that at the time of filming Reba wass 44. Since "Reba" help produce this film (and it is just tv-film) the makers of the film let it slide. Had the the screenplay made her a "Woman on her own in the early 20th century" they would have had a better film. Although her age is never addressed in this film she has a child around eight. years old. So the part was written for a woman in her twenties. In all Reba makes fool of herself (again).

Based on Jack Curtis' novel Christmas in Calico, this sentimental TV movie is set in Oregon in the early 1900s. Reba McEntire (who also produced) stars as widowed farmer Rose Cameron, who struggles to save her home from foreclosure, and to make enough money to pay for the medicine necessary to keep her sickly son Toby (Devon Alan). Nor is Rose the only person in town weighed down by problems: a well-organized gang, clearly bankrolled by someone with a lot of political pull, has been systematically stealing cattle, threatening to bankrupt everyone in the community. Enter a mysterious man on horseback named Harry Withers (Thomas Ian Griffith), an ex-outlaw determined to atone for his past by performing random acts of goodwill throughout the west.

This film should be remade. The premise and overall story is good but this was a "Vanity Star Trip" for Reba.

Only people that will love this film is the "Diehard fans of Reba McEntire". I am not one them

This film's first and only advantage is the one, the only, Reba McEntire. I think she has a lot of acting talent which is truly evident in this film - it's also very evident in Tremors. She is also a very gifted singer. I got the chance to view an advanced screening of this yet-to-be-released film and I must say, that Reba's acting blew me away. She was superb, her performance is just as incredible as "Forever Love". Her acting in that movie was just so amazing, course it's no surprise...I'm talking Reba here. A lot of people think that singers who act, should just stick to singing. Well Reba, Madonna, and ALANiS can all prove you wrong. This is truly a wonderful film, worth a watch or two. To tell you about the plot would just spoil it all, you'll have to wait till you see it. Great film...thanks to REBA. ~Despite the fact that any relation or connections to the above mentioned subject regarding her are completely irrelevant...Rock On ALANiS!!!(Her name is ALANiS, she's a white chick singer, the drums are a smokin' and so's the bass. Shake your thing, while you sing, she was just sixteen, wasn't no disco queen. Oh ALANiS!)~1991 ALANiS says "Love"!!!

This is one of the most unique and enjoyable Christmas movies I have seen. It is VERY well written and the cast is just perfect. This heart warming story is interesting from the very start and keeps you interested to the very end. Reba is outstanding in her role. Her acting is superb and makes her character extremely likable. Her son is just adorable. This holiday story has something for everyone: adventure, holiday music, friendships, loss, romance and a plot turn that warms the heart. The way this movie was filmed makes you feel like you are there with them. The town is just what you would expect to see in 1903. You will want to watch this fun movie more than once.

I guess I'm just too sentimental when it comes to the holidays. This film was on TV Thanksgiving Night and it brought the day to a close just perfectly. I do hope that it will be repeated at some time or another. My family and I really did enjoy it. If you get a chance to view it; please do so, you won't be sorry.