L'affaire Noah Dearborn

Sidney Poitier is still a great actor and this film is a demonstration of his skills. Here he is a carpenter touched by his tough life, which taught him to work as much as possible without hurting anyone. But one day some people wanted to take him away of his land and the tragedy started for him. However he took it as part of life and fought against it with patience and showing himself calm. The morale of the film is simply excellent.

I run a small video store in North Carolina. I had never heard of this movie until we got it on VHS. I decided it looked like a nice film so I watched it. I have seen it 15 times since then. Everyone I recommend it to either calls or leaves a note to tell me how much they LOVED this movie. So go to your local video store and rent it. Stop by the store and get some wine or hot cocoa, put on the most comfortable clothes you own and kick back and enjoy this movie.

Noah Dearborn, Sidney Poitier (Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, To Sir with Love) is a carpenter who is very good at his craft. He lives on a farm by himself. He loves being left alone, and loves his work. That has kept him young. He lives in a small town and Sarah McClellan, Dianne Wiest (The Horse Whisperer, Practical Magic) is his best friend. She also bakes very good pies, which the entire town likes, especially Noah. The developer Christian Nelson, George Newbern (From the Earth to the Moon) wants to purchase Noah's land. Noah does not want to sell it. The developer dates a psychiatrist, Valerie Crane, Mary-Louise Parker (The Client, Fried Green Tomatoes). Developer, Christian Nelson, wants his girl friend to declare Noah incompetent in order to get the land. In the process, the psychiatrist decides that people should have a life style as simple as Noah. She defends Noah and in the process they become friends. Valerie Crane goes to the farm where she was born and raised to get the feeling for the simple life, and dumps her boyfriend. I watched the movie and enjoyed it very much, perhaps because I have made the decision to live a simple life and do what I love to do. Sidney Poitier portrays a simple man but charming and elegant man.

Didn't know what this movie was about, but if you ever lived in the country or small town, and longed to go back, This movie is a delight. The movie had a simple story line that kept you wishing that you were there. I commend the writers and producers for the film.

Sidney Poitier is perfect as the reclusive Noah Dearborn, with all support cast doing what they needed agreeably. As might be expected within this genre, the script tended to be a little heavy on the 'bad' guys (but thankfully not all). Some changes in certain character developments might have played out better if it was just a bit longer in running time (?) There were also a couple of dramatic situations that seemed to be perhaps underdeveloped or not followed through enough. All that aside, this is an agreeable story with enough interesting situations, and good relationships to keep most viewers engaged throughout. Mary-Louise Parker does surprisingly well with her important, pivotal psychologist character. Diane Wiest was nominated for an Emmy. & it's all very good to look at photographically. A thoughtful Afternoons watch.