Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Patty Duke | ... | Sook | |
Piper Laurie | ... | Jennie | |
Jeffrey DeMunn | ... | Seabone | |
Anita Gillette | ... | Callie | |
Julia McIlvaine | ... | Rachel | |
Esther Scott | ... | Anna Stabler | |
Eric Lloyd | ... | Buddy | |
Jimmie F. Skaggs | ... | Haha Jones | |
Robert C. Treveiler | ... | Adult Buddy (as Robert Treveiler) | |
Dan Albright | ... | Grocer | |
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Reynolds Allen | ... | Customer |
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Suzi Bass | ... | Rachel's Mother |
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Dan Biggers | ... | Reverend Dickson |
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Lala Cochran | ... | Lazy Wife |
David Dwyer | ... | Farley Wood |
A boy, Buddy, whose parents have split and whose mother is an actress in New York, has been dumped in the south at the small-town home of some older cousins, all of whom are unmarried. Buddy brings life to the house and develops a close friendship with one of the older, simpler ladies, Sook. Buddy and Sook undertake many adventures together, including the baking of 31 fruit-cakes which they give as Christmas presents, even mailing them to President and Mrs. Roosevelt and Jean Harlowe! Just before Christmas, one of the older cousins begins to wonder if it is best for Buddy to be living with them... Written by Jeff Hole <jeffhole@aol.com>
It's interesting how many reviewers commented on this movie and compared this version to an earlier movie version of the story. Since most people will only see this movie made in 1997, these comparisons mean very little. Tearing down this movie, because they liked the original better doesn't take away from the charm of this one. My family really enjoyed this movie as a warm, loving, well made story. For the most part, it appears people who watched this movie really enjoyed it and rate it highly. The only ones who gave it low marks are those who fancy themselves as movie "experts." And as I have discovered, many times in their attempt to sound lofty, intellectual and smarter than everyone else, they totally miss the point.