MOVIE REVIEW
An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving:
a Hallmark Channel Holiday Movie.
CAST:
Jacqueline Bisset ... Isabella
Helene Joy ... Mary
Tatiana Maslany ... Tilly
Vivien Endicott-Douglas ... Prudence
Gage Munroe ... Solomon
Kristopher Turner ... Gad
PLOT:
from the Hallmark Channel-
"An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving" is the story of a young woman searching for her true path amidst a holiday season of desicions and discoveries and is based on an 1881 short story by American author and poet, Louisa May Alcott.
Disturbed by the financial strains her family has endured following the death of her father, 17 year old Tilly (Tatiana Maslany), a headstrong young woman, with a keen intellect, writes a letter to her grandmother Isabella Caldwell (Jacqueline Bisset), whom she has never met. In fact, Tilly's mother Mary (Helene Joy), has rarely spoken of her. In the letter to Isabella, Tilly pretends to be Mary, and begs for financial assistance. Mary is soon shocked to come face-to-face with her estranged, high society mother from New York. Isabella recounts the letter, which Mary immediately realizes has been written wholly out of Tilly's imagination and concern for the family.
The family reunion is far from ideal, as Mary has long resented the lack of love and moral support she received from her mother, and Isabella has not forgiven Mary for abandoning her life of privilege to marry her "vagrant" husband years earlier.
In the midst of this family drama, Tilly is torn among love and duty to her mother and siblings, a deepening romance with her boyfriend, Gad (Kristopher Turner), and the wonderfully textured life offered by her wealthy, wise grandmother. Perhaps Tilly won't have to choose. She can have it all.
Movie Review:
This is a very decent family movie.
As mentioned in the plot information above, this movie is based upon the writings of Louisa May Alcott, whose most popular work is Little Women. I am rather fond of period movies… and pioneer settings. This reminded me of a mix of Little House on the Prairie, Anne of Green Gables, and of course, Little Women.
I enjoyed the story of this sweet little family, who had recently lost their father and was trying to make it through the winter and life. The main character, Tilly, is an aspiring writer – and each new scene begins with her writing and journaling her thoughts on the events happening in her family.
It’s a beautiful story of family reconciliation as the Grandmother and Mother forgive one another of mistakes made in the past. It’s precious how the little boy is determined that they celebrate Thanksgiving no matter what… and the Grandmother asks him why it is so important, and he replies in his sweet child-like manner, “It’s how we know we’re okay.”
The family knows they won’t have much for Thanksgiving dinner, so the Mother puts more emphasis on the family sewing together a lovely Thanksgiving tablecloth. It is sweet to watch them work on it throughout the movie, and it turns out to be so beautiful – they display it proudly at the end of the movie.
Tilly becomes engaged to Gad, (their romance is so sweet!)... but is hesitant at first, at the idea of leaving her family. Their Mother becomes terribly ill and is near death. It is touching how the family cares for her… and it is a precious moment when she is able to join family and friends for Thanksgiving dinner.
See or Skip:
See, with your family!
It's a Wonderful Movie. com Approved!
