Where the Lilies Bloom (1974)

You won't be disappointed!

Good movie but grossly overrated

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

I first saw this film about 15 years ago and was so excited to find it playing again on cable. I was surprised when the scenes went from the father's death to the father's burial without all the happenings I remember in between. Am I losing my mind or didn't the children delay burial for quite a while in the original? It was a bit grisly, but I seem to remember a scene in which the father was shown (dead) to a nosy neighbor and said to be asleep. I try to write with as few words as possible and yet this will not be accepted unless it is at least ten lines long. That seems a waste of everyone's time if you can say what you want to say in less.

One of the first films I ever saw in a theater as a teen, in the '70's. Set in the mountains of NC, a young girl leads her siblings in survival after being orphaned. A beautiful setting & good storyline. It has been a long time since I saw it, but it is one of those "feel good" movies. When you get to the end you want the story to continue. The characters are well cast & not that well known as actors for the most part. For a large part the main characters are young, but very good in that the portrayal is believable. As in any movie about struggle there is a "bad guy" & a hero, or heroine in this case. "Where The Lilies Bloom" is a drama that takes you through a good range of feelings, you will laugh & cry & feel victory as well as defeat.

This is a very excellent movie. The book is great, too. I first read the book when I was about 14, loved it, and tried to find the movie but couldn't. That disappointed me and I eventually forgot about it, until I was about 20 and saw it on television. I knew it would be good but it actually exceeded my expectations! Everyone was wonderful, especially the children. I was shocked to learn that Jan Smithers who played Devola was the only one out of the children in the family who made any other films. Helen Harmon was just too cute for words and portrays a perfect precocious little baby sister and really has some funny scenes. Matthew Burril is real good as the brother, perfectly portraying the poor only boy surrounded by sisters! And Julie Gholson was amazing!!! I love the story about the children doing anything possible to stay together and Julie as Mary Call taking charge was intriguing to watch. This is not a well known movie and I would like to get the word out and let people know this is a must-see!! (unless the only movies you like are non sentimental shoot-em-up movies)

This wonderful 1974 film was one I saw when it came out at age 6 and it has stayed with me to this day, 20-odd years later. It is the kind of small, well-written, well-acted, poignant, earnest and meticulously crafted piece of filmmaking that simply does not exist today. Anyone, man or woman, old or young, will truly enjoy watching this great, great film.