Complete credited cast: | |||
Glenn Close | ... | Sarah Wheaton | |
Christopher Walken | ... | Jacob Witting | |
Lexi Randall | ... | Anna Witting | |
Malgorzata Zajaczkowska | ... | Maggie Grant (as Margaret Sophie Stein) | |
![]() |
Jon DeVries | ... | Matthew Grant |
![]() |
Christopher Bell | ... | Caleb Witting |
James Rebhorn | ... | William Wheaton | |
Woody Watson | ... | Jess Stearns | |
![]() |
Betty Laird | ... | Mrs. Parkley |
![]() |
Marc Penney | ... | Ticket Agent |
![]() |
Kara Beth Taylor | ... | Rose |
Set around the turn of the century. Jacob, a widowed farmer with two small children, places an ad in a paper for a new wife. The ad is answered by a spinster in Maine, who writes letters to them and describes herself as "plain and tall." And she takes a trip to Jacob's farm to see if she can make a difference. Written by Kathy Li
I had always heard good things about this film but never got around to seeing it. My 8 year old daughter loves books on the prairie life and we saw the video at the library so we watched it and we were both so moved, so impressed. A lovely film, wonderfully acted - Walken is a nice surprise - after a long, Hollywood career playing weirdos and sickos - he gives a fully realized, delicate, heartbreaking performance as a widower Kansas farmer. The children stay away from cliched, hammy acting and the whole thing is touching and sweet.