Love's Abiding Joy (2006)
The continued Westward journey of settlers Missie and Willie Lahaye. Their roots now firmly planted as they set up homestead in the far West, Missie begins to realize her passion for teaching as Willie cares for the couple's young daughter Kathy while expanding the family ranch with a little help from sons Jeff and Matthew. When the frontier railroad comes to town, the pleasure of a long-promised visit from Missie's father Clark is suddenly offset by the tragic death of young Kathy. As the untimely demise of their beloved daughter begins to drive an emotional wedge between Missie and Willie, the devastated father unexpectedly accepts an offer made by the powerful Samuel Doros to assume the role of town sheriff. Their faith shaken and their once close-knit bond suddenly torn asunder, Missie and Willie desperately attempt to bring their crumbling family back together as son Jeff faces a series of dangers while hopelessly falling for Doros' beautiful daughter Colette.
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Wow! What a bizarre film! Unfortunately the few funny moments there were were quite overshadowed by it's completely weird and random vibe throughout.
Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.
It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.
It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film
Missie LaHaye is the school teacher and Willie LaHaye is offered the job of sheriff. Clark Davis arrives to visit his daughter Missie. Her daughter Kathy dies. Missie is lost and leaves her job. With the struggling ranch, Willie takes the sheriff job working for ruthless land baron Mayor Sam Doros. His daughter Colette Doros takes a liking to the LaHaye's adopted son Jeff despite her father's disapproval. The LaHayes struggle to overcome their grief. Doros holds a loan on LaHaye friends, the Klines (James Tupper, Brianna Brown) and threatens to evict them.It's the fourth in the Love series. It's a fair continuation of this TV movie series. The lost offers this movie the opportunity for some great acting possibilities. However, it never elevates beyond its TV movie DNA. The young love of Graham Phillips and Mae Whitman is good. It's a fine foil to the somber tone of the LaHayes. Sam Doros is a good villain but it would be better to get a bigger actor. This works for the most part as a TV movie.
"Love's Abiding Joy" is the fourth in a series of movies based on novels by Janette Oke. The Canadian author writes about pioneers in the settling of the West. But her characters have strong Christian faith. The TV movies for the series were produced by Hallmark. In the third movie, "Love's Long Journey," Missie and Willie LaHaye have settled down to build a ranch. They meet neighbors and take on hired hands. They also confront some outlaws. And, they make friends with other early pioneers who are settling their area. This movie has less action and diversity, but starts several years later when they have two children. The drama centers around two events. The first is the loss of their baby daughter who dies in her sleep. The second is a romantic friendship of their adopted son, Jeff, and Colette Doros, the daughter of the town's mayor. I won't give further details. But the drama in this series is about the couple struggling with their loss, drifting apart, and then coming back together with healing. Willie accepts the job as sheriff to provide some income until they can sell cattle the next year. Some surprise twists results in Willie being an unsung hero for friends and neighbors. A good story and nice addition to the series. It's more serious and traumatic with the baby's' death, so it may take some explaining to younger children.
I would just like to say, that no matter how low budget the film is, it needs to be shown throughout this world the point to these movies. We don't read that much anymore, instead people want to see movies. Having this series out on DVD, has made me want to read the whole series, and want more. PLEASE MAKE ALL 8 MOVIES. Please don't change any of the characters either, it ruins the effect. Because I have grown to love the actors who have played the characters. PLEASE MAKE ALL 8 MOVIES. I want to see the message, and watch the message that these books and now movies are here to portray. We don't get that enough anymore. AWESOME JOB!!!
I love all of the movies by Michael Landon Jr. And Michael Landon Jr's casting of Dale Midkiff as "Clark Davis"could not of been any better. Dale Midkiff has the ways to pull off this character.This movie kept me spellbound from start to finish.The death of Missie & Willies baby girl with the timing of Clarks visit was only Gods timing. How they dealt with the death and how Clark helped them do so was that of a fathers love.Although there are 3 movies before this one [ Love Comes Softly , Loves Enduring Promise & Loves Long Journey], I feel you can see this movie and understand it easily. Yet leave and want to see the previous 3 movies due to the history all the characters have behind them.Michael Landon Jr. is an excellent directorI look forward to many more movies from him in the future.