“When their mother dies, two sisters inherit land, then find a tenant on it who has a dramatic story.” From the title alone you know everything is going to work out fine, but it’s the getting there that makes this little tear-jerker worthwhile. This is a TV movie and consequently has mostly TV stars as the lead characters.
Patricia Heaton plays Wanda Briggs, a nurse. She is the sister of Sarah Weatherby. Heaton played the long suffering wife in “Everybody Loves Raymond.” She won 2 Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and won the 1998-99 Viewers for Quality Television Best Actress in a Quality Comedy Award. She was one of my favorite characters in “Raymond” and played a very sympathetic character. She does in “Miracle” as well.
Meredith Baxter plays Sarah Weatherby (sister to Wanda) a seemingly non-caring business woman out for a quick buck. When her mother dies, she’s irritated there was no money coming her way. Baxter graduated from Hollywood High School. She was in numerous films, but is best know for the popular TV show “Family Ties” where she played the mother of Alex Keaton (Michael J. Fox).
Della Reese plays Lilly Cooper, an elderly woman living in an old shack in the pecan grove that was missing from probate after the funeral. Everything in the movie turns on Lilly and her history of grief and loss. Della Reese is probably best known for her appearances in TV’s “Touched by an Angel.” Late in life she became a TV star, but it was her voice that made her famous in her younger days.
Don’t You Know sung by Della Reese
Anna Chlumsky plays Gina, the daughter of Sarah Weatherby and as Field Pea in the confused memory of Mrs. Cooper. Chlumsky scored big in “My Girl” (1991) and “My Girl 2.” She as appeared in films, TV, and Broadway.
Gina goes from earbuds and not caring to concern and love. All four stars tell a great story and by the end you care about each one of them.
Joe Slowensky wrote and produced this TV Movie.
User Reviews:
If you have tears, prepare to shed them
“It’s just a formulaic tear-jerker, but Della Reese is wonderful. It’s a pity there can’t be one of her to act all the time and another one to sing all the time.”
Sad Story
“Very interesting story from the beginning. You learn about the background of the Characters and Della Reese’s character was so well played. Meredith Baxter came off so mean but then you realize she has things going on also. Patricia Heaton is great and I’ve always loved Anna Chlumsky who plays the daughter MB. This is a film that will warm your heart and make you sad.”
Spiritual tears…
“As I watched this film, tears spilled from my third eye. I can give no higher recommendation. I have enjoyed other Anna Chlumsky films in the same vein and they often have me reaching for the tissues.”
The movie was a little long, but I enjoyed it. It told a nice story AND made sense . . . kinda. The four actresses carried everything on their shoulders. The flashbacks told a story about Jim Crow and racial issues, but the ending story was just about people depending on other people and that’s what real life should be about.
For more information on the movie, please visit – imdb.com/title/tt0129238/
