Addie and the King of Hearts (1976 TV Movie) User Reviews

Growing up, Addiee has and learns about affairs of the heart

[SimonJack · 7/10 · 25 December 2020]

"Addie and the King of Heats" is the last of four TV movies about a girl growing up in a small Midwestern town in the 1940s and 50s. The series began with "The House without a Christmas Tree" in 1972. The stories are by Gale Rock, and tell of her experiences growing up with her widower father and grandmother in Clear River, Nebraska. Her real hometown was Valley, Nebraska.

Although all of the stories are good, none of the three that followed the original could match it. This one has a different twist in that Addie is now 14 years of age, and her views about aspects of life have changed considerably (maturated, for one thing) from those she displayed as a 10-year-old.

In this film, her father, Jamie Mills, is dating a widow who recently moved back to their town and set up shop as a beautician. At the same time, Addie's regular teacher is getting married and going on leave for two weeks for her honeymoon, and when the substitute teacher shows up the next day, Addie has a crush for Mr. Davenport.

At the end of the first story, Addie was at arm's length with her dad and in voice-over implied that while cordial for the rest of their lives, they would still not be very close. But this film, clearly implies otherwise. After initial teenage jealousy about her dad's affection for another woman, Addie implies that she and her dad would be closer together from this time forward. When Addie attends the King of Hearts dance, she meets her teacher's fiancé. By this time she has accepted her dad's new lady friend, but after her teen heartache, she vows again, as she had in her first film, that she would never marry.

The regular cast were all on board for this final film, with Diane Ladd added as Irene Davis, and Richard Hatch as the substitute teacher, Mr. Davenport. This film doesn't have anything to tie it to the Christmas or holiday season, but it's a type of family movie that many people like at those times of the year.

Watch 'em all...

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 31 December 2011]

In the 1970s, four wonderful specials were aired concerning the Mills family in rural 1940s America. What was nice about the specials is that they were so well written but what was even better was that the cast remained constant--with Mildred Natwick playing the grandmother, Jason Robards playing the VERY gruff father and Lisa Lucas playing the very bossy but likable kid. Like all the other films, the main character in them was Addie. As I said before, she was very bossy and yet you couldn't help but like her. Sadly, "Addie and the King of Hearts" is the last of the films--and it kept me wishing they'd made more.

While I will freely admit that this film is probably the worst in the series, it is still quite good. It's not great, however, because Addie is more insufferable in this installment--and a bit harder to like. I understand that this film is about a girl's difficult adjustment to womanhood, but Addie was, at times, pretty annoying.

The film begins with the teacher telling her class that she'd be taking a leave of absence. The kids are sad, but Addie is thrilled when the long-term sub turns out to be the very handsome Richard Hatch (of "Battlestar Gallactica" fame--not the nude guy from "Survivor"). Addie, at 14, is quite smitten and spends much of the episode feeling cranky. Her crankiness increased when she learned that her father was seeing a woman on the side. How considering that Dad is a widower, you can understand him dating...but Addie struggles with this. By the end, everything is straightened out--though you never learn what becomes of Dad and his new sweetie.

Overall, decent but clearly not in the same league as the first two films in the series. But, still worth seeing.

If you are interested the films (in order) are: "The House Without a Christmas Tree", "The Thanksgiving Treasure", "The Easter Promise" and this film, "Addie and the King of Hearts".

Another Superb Offering last in a series

[ktbarton3 · 10/10 · 4 March 2004]

This Television Special broadcast in 1976, was the last (sob) in the series. It is an adaptation of the last of 4 books writen by Gail Rock.

The central character, Addie Mills, is an adult artist recalling her childhood in the 1940s. Addie, in the series, is skinny and awkward, with long brown hair and glasses. Her mother is dead, and her father is very strict. Addie's sympathetic grandmother lives in the household, but Addie's stern father is clearly in charge, denying Addie many of the privileges enjoyed by other girls.

In this last episode Addy and the King of Hearts, Addy has grown to a young teen.Addy has a crush on her Teacher, and does everything she can think of to gain his favorable attention. In the end, she settles for a boy her own age at the Valentine Dance.THIS HAS NEVER BEEN PUT ON VIDEO

THE VIDEOS IN THIS SERIES ARE:

The House Without a Christmas Tree (1974)(Book-same name) Addie's father won't let her have a Christmas tree, because it is a painful reminder of happier Christmases spent with his wife.

Holiday Treasure(1974)(Book called Thanksgiving Treasure),Addie befriends an elderly recluse at Thanksgiving time.

Easter Promise(1974) (Book called A Dream for Addy) This had Addie befriending an actress who is fighting alcoholism.

EPSIODE BY EPISODE, THIS SERIES DEALS WITH THE FOLLOWING: GRIEF,ALCOHOLISM, TEENAGE CRUSHES, AND GRUDGES