"Sarah, Plain & Tall"

Apparently I have a love-hate relationship going on with the Hallmark Channel. I hate loving their many tear-jerker movies. I hate crying (I hate being a softie) and yet willfully subject myself to watching movies I know are going to make me cry. What is up with that?

Sarah, Plain and Tall and its two sequels, Skylark and Sarah, Plain and Tall: Winter's End are three such movies (from 1991, 1993 & 1999). Glenn Close and Christopher Walken star in these 1910-1920 Kansas farm romance-dramas based on novels by Patricia MacLachlan. Remember back a bit when I had some thoughts on "The Love Saga"? These are the same and yet different and overall, I will say I liked these better because they weren't religious and had so much less melodrama - again having everything to do with my not preferring things too touchy-feely or feel-good.

These movies are about a widowed Kansas farmer, Christopher Walken looking pretty durn attractive (sexy even - in a smoldering sort of way) and not creepy in the least, who posts an advertisement for a wife to help him with his kids. Glenn Close is the single woman from Maine who answers the ad. Struggles, love, hardships, and a drought carry the family through the three films. I did cry in each and every one, but I also really enjoyed them. They had terrific acting, the kids were not irritating, and were not so syrupy that I was put off in the least. Plus, everyone wasn't either dying, getting married, remarried, or giving birth habitually. My thought then is that I'm glad I watched them, and sorry I waited so long to do so, but better late than never. Check 'em out.