Chautauqua Girl

This movie contains one of the more touching moments in movies, in my mind. An elderly Scottish woman is home on her farm on the barren prairie and is unable...can't remember if she is too ill or poor or what....to go to town to see the Chautauqua performances. Suddenly outside her farmhouse is a bagpipe player and he plays a song...or two for her, for which she is emotionally grateful. A simple and poignant moment. I tried to describe this scene to my family and was surprised that it choked me up enough that I couldn't properly tell them about it. It's been a long time since I saw this movie on CBC but the scene burned itself into my memory.

Set in the Canadian prairies in the 1920's, this TV movie depicts the setting and life of the times quite accurately.

A little slow moving, but anybody who appreciates folksy movies set in the early years of this century should appreciate many aspects of this drama.

This is a wonderful film that has attributes with some similarities to Gentle Persuasion, although the persuasion voiced by "Sally" is blunt and forthright at times. Sally's crusade is for the betterment of others. Hers is a fight against the natural prejudices of men and of the time and place. In its time it was a film for thinking people and contains superb music.

Unfortunately, the title, lack of a premium cast, and the films origin would have mitigated against the wider audience and popularity that this film deserved. It is a film for music lovers who comprehend prejudice.