A Place to Call Home

Points for plucky Linda Lavin, especially at the end when she gives her eunuch of a husband the heave ho--she should have thrown HIM into the rushing water and gone back to the sheep station with her kids!!! How ironic that he wanted to move there because he thought the kids were going' soft, yet he didn't have the *Beep* to divorce his wife before he forced her to move to the other side of the globe. What a catch he was, eh? Meanwhile, ya gotta admire Lavin's character in this role, though I found her acting a bit understated--like she was holding back. And the kids, though equally plucky (and the little ones were cute) had their annoying moments. Still, it was a good "fish out of water" story.

I have also been looking for this movie all these years. I loaned it to a friend and she lost it. I would very much like to know where I can get a copy. I do not care if it is used either. Please respond ASAP. I enjoyed this movie so much and would love for my son to see it. Any help would be appreciated. Linda Lavin was wonderful in this movie. She had a daunting experience ahead of her. She must have felt very lonely and forgotten, yet she and her children overcame and endured. It was funny, heartwarming, sad, scary and very intense. It had all the emotions and drama anyone could hope for. If anyone has a copy I would love to get this movie. Thanks, Vickie

As noted below, this was somewhat familiar territory for Linda Lavin. She is an actress with very distinct mannerisms, and due to that I forgot she wasn't playing Alice yet again. Yet, she is also an actress of emotion and intensity, and she does her best with the material.

The movie veers between cornpone and genuine feeling. The children seem too good to be true; the Christmas sequence is particularly sugary. Only Matt and Michael are interesting in terms of individual personalities.

The only truly bad moment is when Linda has to fling an oxygen-deprived lamb around, and Michael magically catches it just as Linda accidentally lets it go. Very funny for all the wrong reasons.

The best reasons to watch are the first-rate supporting performances of Paul Cronin and Maggie Fitzgibbins as misogynistic ranch hand Bob Jakes and tough-but-fair shopkeeper Alva. They provide true color and flavor for the strange new land which locations alone could not. The movie sensibly avoids any type of romance for Bob and Linda's character, which gives their grudging friendship a greater depth.

I have seen this movie at least 200 times over the years. I just bought a copy of it to watch again. As far as I'm concerned, it's a great movie about a great woman. It's about a family with a father that can't adjust to his life. Right from the beginning, you can see where this is going and I give Liz Gavin all the credit in the world for raising their kids.If my husband, after many years of marriage, announces that the best time of his life was when we weren't married, would be wearing my foot in an uncomfortable place. She is incredibly naive and complacent in her life. But she has an inner strength she never knew she had. Her and her husband plan to move to Australia with the kids, who are all against it. When the time comes to leave, Sam finds every excuse not to go. From here on, it's a battle to succeed. As for the previous comment about her singing a baby lamb to sleep, you lost the point of the movie. That is an extremely poignant part of the movie and shows what Liz Gavin is about. This is based on a true story and I admire the courage of Liz Gavin. I highly recommend this movie to everyone and I hope you'll try to locate it to watch.

I grew up on a farm. We raised sheep, showed them in 4-H (as well as hogs and cattle). This movie is very authentic in how it handles the situations with the sheep and it is based on a true story! Also, when she swings the lamb over her head - - we have had to do that! What you are trying to do it get the lamb to breath and with the lamb having afterbirth all over it, yes it is slippery and could slip out of your hands this is just one of many life or death situations you come across when raising animals. It isn't easy but when you love animals, farming and truly enjoy it - you do what you have to do. Also, her hips wouldn't be wide because some of the children have been adopted. If you haven't seen this movie buy it. It is based on true to life experience, any mother can relate to it, they did an excellent job with this movie!