Skylark

MPAA Rating:

; Made for TV

Reviewed by: Brett Willis
CONTRIBUTOR

Moral Rating:

Good

Moviemaking Quality:

Primary Audience:

All Ages

Genre:

Family / Drama

Length:

1 hr. 35 min.

MPAA Rating:

Starring: Glenn Close, Christopher Walken, Lexi Randall, Christopher Bell, Margaret Sophie Stein, Jon DeVries, Tresa Hughes, Lee Richardson, Lois Smith | Director: Joseph Sargent | Writer: Patricia MacLachlan

In this sequel to “Sarah Plain and Tall”, Jacob and Sarah Witting (Christopher Walken, Glenn Close), now married and continuing to farm in Kansas, face the challenge of a drought so severe that some neighbor families give up their farms and move away. Sarah, wanting to return to Maine for a visit anyhow, eventually goes there and takes the children with her. The separation has nothing to do with the family breaking up, it’s primarily a safety measure for the children. In fact, the film gives a good object lesson that true love is not destroyed by physical separation.

Everything that was true of the first film is also true of this one. There is realistic portrayal of the hardships of life, but no morally objectionable elements. It is suitable for viewing by the entire family, and is not just neutral but worthwhile in content. They don’t make many films like this any more, so let’s appreciate it when they do.

Year of Release—1993

I have seen this movie a few times and every time, I still find its sweetness. The cast is great, the acting is great, the scenery is lovely, and throughout the movie there is the constant theme of love under the pressures of life. (ie. the drought, Sarah and Jacob’s separation for time during the drought). But love conquers and lives on in the end of the movie after Sarah discovers that she is pregnant. I enjoyed this movie because it was filled with real-life experiences, pains and pleasures without all the usual garbage you discover in other “two thumbs up” films. My Ratings: [4½/4½]
—Amber, age 19