Sarah, Plain and Tall (1991): The most-watched made-for-television movie of the 1990s (50 million viewers upon first broadcast in 1991), this fine adaptation of Patricia MacLachlan’s novel stars Glenn Close as Sarah, a Maine schoolteacher who responds to a Kansas farmer’s newspaper ad seeking a bride. Set in 1910, the story follows Sarah’s trial run as stepmother to the children of the widowed Jacob Witting (Christopher Walken). The tough part of the experiment is the conflicting expectations the would-be couple have over Sarah’s role in the household.
Skylark (1993): The beloved family from “Sarah, Plain and Tall” is reunited in a heartwarming sequel to the turn-of-the-century love story that captured the heart of America. It’s been two years since Sarah came to Kansas as a mail-order bride; time enough to draw her ready-made family together, and for Jacob and Sarah to fall deeper in love. But a terrible drought is ravaging the land, and as crops fail and friends leave, the simple fabric of their lives is torn apart by the struggle to survive. When a fire threatens their home and their lives, Sarah and Jacob are forced to make a difficult decision. Now a painful separation will test their courage, try their faith and teach them that home is not just a piece of land, but a place within the hearts of those who love.
Winter’s End (1999): The third and final episode of the Sarah, Plain and Tall series is a 1999 production reuniting stars Glenn Close and Christopher Walken with original director Glenn Jordan. Taking the story eight years beyond the original tale, Winter’s End is set in a harsh Kansas winter of 1918, with the specter of death everywhere: soldiers are dying overseas during World War I, influenza is at epidemic proportions in the U.S., and an old man has returned to the Witting farm with an uncertain reception. He’s John Witting (Jack Palance), father of Jacob (Walken), and the two men have not seen each other since John abandoned his son years ago. Reconciliation comes hard, punctuated by cliffhanger disasters (Jacob breaks his leg and burns with a fever, Sarah almost dies in a heavy snowstorm), but this most brutal of trial periods for the Wittings still invites a viewer to yearn for a more innocent–perhaps mythical–time in America. A worthy and rewarding finish to a trilogy fit for families yet sophisticated enough for all ages, Winter’s End may be one of the last network television classics in an era of audience relocation to multichannel cable. –Tom Keogh
Close has made this role her own, and Hallmark Hall Of Fame continues to present engrossing, uplifting material. At first, the TV-film seems a bit talky. Then you realize that there is a lot to be said. The people of Kansas have taken many a shot from Hollywood over the years, but here they are portrayed as hard-working, God-reverencing, decent people. At one point in the story, Jacob’s son goes to his father and tells him that all he wants for his birthday is for his father to forgive his grandpa. It’s a very effective scene, and the central theme of the movie. This production will touch many who are struggling to forgive family members for past infractions. – Dove
Starring Glenn Close, Christopher Walken, Lexi Randall, Malgorzata Zajaczkowska, Jon DeVries.
Dove Family approved for all ages.