Costume Drama Whore-A-Thon Day 15

Day 15 'Sarah, Plain & Tall: Winter's End' (1999)
Jacob's father reappears in his life after 30 plus years of being a no show, a dead beat. Jacob's upset, doesn't trust his father.It makes for a difficult relationship with the two. Though his father is trying to make amends for his past mistakes, especially with his son. After a serious accident were Jacob is injured and can't work the farm, his father steps up. Anna is working in town as a nurse worrying about her fiance who's fighting in World War 1. Sarah of course is the bridge that keeps her family together.

Well, it's a good movie. Is it as good as the previous two, no, but it's an okay way to end the series. Glenn Close is always good.

Costume Drama Whore-A-Thon Day 14

Day 14 'Skylark' (1993)
The highly acclaimed sequel to the beloved Hallmark Hall of Fame's Sarah, Plain & Tall. Boy that was a mouth full right there. In all seriousness, I love this, just as much as the original.

Sarah, Jacob, Caleb and Anna are all back. It's been two years, (the story take place in 1912) since Sarah was, essentially, a mail order bride. The Witting's are a happy family. But there's a drought and the farm is suffering for it. The drought is effecting everyone and close friends sell farms and move away. You can't live without water now. When fire breaks out and destroys the barn and no water left, Jacob sends Sarah and the children back to Maine until rain comes. While in Maine, Sarah stays with her family and finds out she's prego. Soon it rains in Kansas and the farm is saved, ya. Jacob travels to Maine to get his family back together. Of course it ends well.

It's just as good as Sarah, Plain & Tall, if not better. See it, it's awesome. I still remember the first time I saw it. I missed out on Sarah, Plain & Tall when it first aired on TV, so I was unfamiliar with the story. Flipping threw the channels one night, I saw Glenn Close was coming on and decided to give it a chance. It was the premiere and I was hooked. I just remember sitting in my room by myself watching this charming story. It actually made me love Hallmark movies. I'm such a sucker for them.

Costume Drama Whore-A-Thon Day 13

Day 13 'Sarah, Plain & Tall' (1991)
A much beloved Hallmark Hall of Fame production based on the classic children's novel by Patricia MacLachlan. Sarah Wheaton (Glenn Close) travels from Maine to Kansas after exchanging letters with a widower, Jacob Witting (Christopher Walken). Jacob has two children, Anna and Caleb, who are still morning the lose of their mother. Sarah must adjust to her new surroundings and her new family. A very compassionate and devoted person, Sarah bonds with Anna and Caleb and teaches the children it's okay to morn and move on. Sarah also works her magic on Jacob, and a love story is born.

I love this movie, in fact I've never come across anyone who doesn't. I highly recommend it. The production is top notch, the acting is excellent and it's freaking Glenn Close and Christopher Walken. I never get tired of watching, it's always enjoyable no matter how many times I see it. It's a sweet movie, it's a family movie, but it's such a great TV movie. I love it. Everyone should watch it, I'm serious. It has all the great elements of a good love story. Hey, it's a television classic now.

Costume Drama Whore-A-Thon Day 12

Day 12 'The Courage to Love' (2000) (as seen on Lifetime)
The true story of Henriette Delille, a new New Orleans creole living in the 19th century. Creolos were children born from relationships between wealthy European white men and African American women. Even though there was love in most of those relationships, marriage was not allowed. Henriette was a very religious woman, she spends her days helping people, educating children and various church duties. Henriette's father, leaves her mother after years of living together to marry a white woman of his class, it has a profound impact on the family, which now has to struggle for money. Henriette defies her mother and tradition by refusing to an arranged situation, basically like an arranged marriage but not a marriage, a glorified mistress is a better way to put it. Henriette soon meets a French Doctor Gerard Gaultier, and they soon fall in love. He wants to take her to France so they can get legally married. Henriette is torn, her mother has gone mad, her sister who was in a very loving relationship has be left penniless due to the death of her partner and rejection from his wealthy family. Henriette is also conflicted by her feelings for the church. In the end she follows her heart and becomes a nun. She later becomes the founder of the Sisters of the Holy Family.

Vanessa Williams does an incredible job. It's an inspirational film and heartbreaking all at the same time. Though Henriette did truly love Gerard, she makes the hard decision to follow her heart, which she doesn't regret in the end. A great film, I saw it when it first aired on television and have seen it several times since. Well worth a watch. It's not preachy, it's just a story about a woman choosing the right path for her life and not letting others choose her life for her.

Costume Drama Whore-A-Thon Day 11

Day 11 'Hidden in Silence' (1996) (as seen on Lifetime)
Based on the true life story of a Catholic teenager, Stefania Podgorska (Fusia for short) who lives in Przemysl, Poland during the second world war and hides 13 Jews in her attic, with Nazi soldiers living in her house at one point.

I remember back in 1996, when Lifetime was airing an original movie every month, back in their glory days of original TV movies. It was around March, I was watching Sisters (Lifetime was airing the repeats then) and was intrigued by the commercials for the movie. I'm a sucker for movies about the second world war. I also loved Kellie Martin. I still love her, ever since Life Goes On. A few days later I was watching a morning talk show, I don't know why I was, but Kellie Martin was a guest and she was talking about her new movie. So, had to watch now.

It's a great story, it's a true story. Fusia was a brave woman who maintained she didn't do anything special. It's a TV movie, so it doesn't have the budget a major film would but still it hits home and it looks good. The feel of despair, the atmosphere, the cloths, the anxiety, was all there. Watch it, Fusia was and is a true hero for being what everyone should be, decent human beings.

Costume Drama Whore-A-Thon Day 10

Day 10 'Cold Mountain' (2003)
Let's see, Nicole Kidman is in love with Jude Law. She waits for him during the civil war. Bad stuff happens. Um, I just don't care. I really don't care.

You know what, I have no words. Wait, yes I do. I wasted my life watching this crap. I can't get that time back ever. I might be the only one in the world who feels this way, but I wanted to die while watching this film. I wanted to die simply to escape the torture my eyes and ears were enduring. I haven't recovered yet, I don't think I'll ever fully recover. I don't understand all the praise it gets. As always, to each there own. For me though, I hate it passionately.

Costume Drama Whore-A-Thon Day 9

Day 9 'The Young Victoria' (2009)
Based on the early life of Queen Victoria of Great Briton. In this film, we see her lonely very strick childhood and upbringing, the death of her uncle the King, her first meeting of Prince Albert, the tough early years of her reign, the drama she has with her mother. All that good stuff that we love to watch about royals.

In all seriousness, it's a good movie. I consider it more of a romantic movie, since it largely focuses on the blossoming love between Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Their love story is one for the ages, they loved each passionately and Queen Victoria mourned Prince Albert fiercely after his death. We do have that image of Queen Victoria, all dressed in black, morning always. It's a fascinating love story, and it's true, what's better than that.

The film also does cover a bit of politics of the day, a few unpopular decisions that the Queen made, her uneasy relationship with her mother, played wonderfully by Miranda Richardson. The hatred that she had for Sir John Conroy who micro managed her and her mother's life. Her criticised very close relationship to Lord Melbourne, who was Prime Minister at the time. It's beautifully shot, the costumes were fantastic. Most importantly I predicted that it would win the Oscar for best costume.

There were a few deleted scenes on DVD/Bluray. It's always interesting to see what they left out on the cutting room floor. There was the storyline about one of her mother's ladies in waiting. Lady Flora Hastings, who became ill but refused to submit to a physical examine. People thought she was pregnant by an affair with Victoria's arch nemesis Sir John Conroy. Since Victoria hated Conroy she believed it, low and behold Lady Flora dies of a tumor. All that's cut, there is even a nice scene where Victoria is asking Lady Flora for forgiveness, of course Lady Flora is on her death bed. They weren't long scenes either, wondering why they were cut. In the end, they weren't really needed. I always feel bad for actors when there stuff gets axed. Really, none of the other deleted scenes were needed either. It's not a long movie, it doesn't drag on, which is a good thing. Is it the best movie ever made, no, but it's not an awful movie. I think people will generally enjoy it. If your in the mood for a nice love story that has a happy ending, and true to boot, then this is a good watch.