Young Pioneers' Christmas

Molly Beaton (Linda Purl) and her husband, David (Roger Kern) have come to the prairie in South Dakota, expecting to work hard to fulfill their dreams. The first year, as presented in an earlier film, has passed. But, the joy in the birth of their first child, Davey, turns to sorrow at the beginning of this one. A fever caught hold of the little lad, he has died, and they are holding his funeral. Their closest friends and neighbors have come to attend the service. Dan (Robert Hays) a bachelor with a close homestead, conducts the ceremony. The other party, a widower and his three children, help comfort the couple. But, are they truly comforted? No, as both are suffering greatly. Yet, instead of clinging to each other and crying their eyes out, they both withdraw into themselves. Molly can't stand the site of Davey's toys or cradle while David has no idea how to go on. Unexpectedly, the get a new direction when the railroad sends a bad messenger to tell Dan they are confiscating his place for the train's tracks. Dan wants to fight to the end but David aids him in finding a new plot of land. Also, new saplings arrive to help relieve the landscape of the barren prairie and Molly eventually gets more involved in the motherless trio of children near her. Will there be a celebration at Christmas? This somber story of life on the harsh, treeless South Dakota prairie has rich benefits for the viewer. Based on memoirs by Rose Wilder Lane, it examines the courage, determination, and love for the land which the pioneers had. It also presents a time when presents for Christmas were homemade and heartfelt and folks counted their blessings in a real way. Suitable for the whole family to view, YPC would make a fine film for a night when all the relatives are gathered together in the spirit of the holiday.

'Young Pioneers' Christmas" is an ABC TV film that aired in 1976. It's set in the Great Plains of South Dakota in the 1870s. "Sodbusters" are settling down with claims granted by the government in the prairie land. But the railroad is now coming through and threatens some of the settlers. Most of these people live in sod houses because there is no lumber. Indeed, true to history, the scenes show nary a tree on the land.

A young couple, David and Molly Beaton have lost their baby son. They each keep their grief bottled up inside. In the meantime, neighbors have their own problems, including a widower, Mr. Peters, whose oldest daughter, Nettie, is now the woman of their home with two younger children - a boy and a girl. And, a single friend, Dan Gray has his property taken for the railroad. Nettie has eyes for Dan, but he's a little stand-offish - for the time being..

This is a story about them all weathering the tough year of 1874 among friends, and finding love and peace together. The acting is fair, nothing special and wooded in a couple of places. The small town and country settings look authentic enough. The one thing that is clearly not right is the several teenage-looking boys in the cavalry unit with the government agent. There isn't a sergeant or even a corporal there in charge of them. Nor are they properly uniformed.

This will do as a Christmas story if one has nothing else to watch. It's a family film but one for which most with young children may find it hard keeping interested and watching.

Here's a favorite exchange of dialog from the film.

David Beaton, "You know I'm all for a man marrying. Why, I made up my mind when I was only 10 that you were gonna be my wife when I got to marrying age." Molly Beaton, "Ah, well I decided that when I was only eight."

"The Young Pioneers" was based on a novel written by Rose Wilder Lane. Not many people realize Rose Wilder Lane is the daughter of Laura Ingalls Wilder who wrote the books which led to the TV show "Little House On The Prairie". In fact it was Rose who helped her mother polish the books so they could be published.

The movies are corny to be sure but they are the good kind of corn. I suspect the reason it didn't last one season is there was already this kind of show on TV (Little House) so the story was already being told and the era of the TV western was winding down.

Who knows? If the novel had been adapted for TV before the Little House stories, it might have worked.

If you can find the movies, I recommend them.

I saw this on TV when I was 14 years old and loved it. Years later I was lucky enough to be able to get a VHS copy that I watch several times over the course of the holiday season. There is no high drama here, just a very sweet and corny, old fashioned story of a young pioneer couple trying to survive on the prairie. If you enjoy the Little House series then this will delight you.

The acting can be a bit over the top, there is a very young Robert Hayes and Linda Purl in the starring roles. One thing that strikes me every time I see this is the way they were able to make so much with so little. Living in this time would have been quite a challenge.

I would hope someday they would release all the Young Pioneer movies in a box set.