Love's Enduring Promise Reviews

• Heart-warming & inspiring family-friendly movie!

  
  By A2L6QS8SVHT9RG on 2004-12-01
  I saw this film recently on the Hallmark Channel, and TIVO'd it to watch again and again (at least, until it hits DVD, and I buy it from Amazon): I am definitely going to buy the DVD when it comes out! Based on a novel by best-selling Christian fiction write Janette Oke, "Love's Enduring Promise," is a heart-warming continuation of the story of Marty and Clark Davis...
  
  By now, Clark's daughter Missy is all grown up and teaching at the local schoolhouse: she meets two very different men through circumstance, a young surveyor named Grant Thomas and a mysterious stranger named Nate; when a family accident forces her to accept the help of this mysterious stranger...
  
  For those of you worried about content, this is a clean film! There is no language that I can recall; there is an arguement between father and son, some blood when a man accidentally hurts himself, and little else.
  
  This is a wonderful, family-friendly story that promotes good values of love, honor, courage, faith, forgiveness, and much more! Highly recommended as a break from the typical Hollywood fare...
  
  

• Missie Grows Up

  
  By AQ8DU6XVA3USJ on 2005-08-21
  Though "Love's Enduring Promise" doesn't measure up to its predecessor, "Love Comes Softy," it is nevertheless lovely to follow up on Clark Davis and his family, who share their joys and sorrows, and their faith, strength, and commitment with one another. Missie is now a young lady, with serious choices to make. She is a schoolteacher, and is being pursued by a wealthy surveyor, but when Clark suffers an accident and can no longer work the farm, a young man comes to their aid, and the viewer knows long before Missie does, that he is a better match for her.
  
  The dialog and scene progression don't flow as well in this 2nd film, but I wouldn't mind seeing a 3rd and even 4th installment, as it is refreshing to see this type of family entertainment, where people speak without cursing, and keep their clothes on. It would make an excellent TV series, as it is full of wonderful characters, and themes of hope and redemption. Directed by Michael Landon Jr. for Hallmark, it is a little like his father's wildly successful "Little House on the Prairie." Based on a novel by Janette Oke, the 19th century plot is filmed in beautiful California locations, like Sable Ranch in Canyon County, with cinematography by Maximo Munzi.
  
  The cast: January Jones is good as Missie, with Mackenzie Astin as Grant, her rich suitor, and Logan Bartholomew, who is an exceptionally handsome and capable actor. as Nate. Katherine Haigl repeats her role as Marty, and as Clark, Dale Midkiff once again is superb. Cliff De Young plays Zeke, an embittered man with many scars that need healing. Total running time is 87 minutes.
  
  
  

• another great romance

  
  By A2Y2HURKWJWU0D on 2005-03-11
  Like its predecessor, Love Comes Softly, Love's Enduring Promise is a successfully produced romance that is clean, with morals and Christian values. Michael Landon, Jr. needs to be applauded once again for his work. He has accomplished making quality films such as this, that are inspiring and uplifting, and that can be watched by every member of the family without embarrassment!
  
  

• My very favorite movie!!!

  
  By AW1E0QYYJR2TL on 2005-03-02
  This movie is not much like the book, but I really loved it anyway! I got really involved in the story and the characters. All the actors/actresses did great, especially Logan Bartholomew! I would definitely recommend both the movie and the books!
  
  

• What was Landon Jr. Thinking?

  
  By ABKHMR87UQWLC on 2005-06-27
  I haven't even seen this movie and I won't because I have read all the books and what the heck happened to Willie LaHaye? Why do they feel the need to rewrite the story?
  
  Missie falls in love with Willie LaHaye and goes West with him. Willie is her neighbor and the school bully. Janet Oke's stories are SO GOOD, there is no need to alter them in any way. What is WITH this love triangle they've got Missie in??? Never happened. She saw Lou Graham for a while and some of the other neighbor boys but is in love with WILLIE.
  
  Furthermore, I was dissapointed in Love Comes Softly (which I did see.) Although a lot closer to the original, they changed Missie's age (in the book she was only about a year old when Marty came to live with them) and they changed Marty's husband's name (Clem) for unknown reasons. They also made Marty more educated than she was and without an accent (as if she were from the East or something) And I hate to break it to the director, but no one but bar girls had bobs in the pioneer days. Also, during the snowstorm, Marty was the one shooting the gun for Clark to hear so he could get back (although I don't think she needed to use it) He had taken the dog with him so he found his way back. The only scenes that happened the way it did in the book was the funeral and Clark's proposal, and the fried chicken incident. It's too bad. There were so many other great events in the book.
  
  So, just reading the story line of Love's Enduring Promise makes me so angry! Why do they do this to good literature? WHY? When a book has a following, if you mess with the story, we get MAD.
  
  I won't be watching Love's Enduring Promise and I recommend you skip it too and get the book instead.
  
  
• A great sequel to Love Comes Softly.
  By A39U6SVDU3L113 on 2005-02-16
  I watched this movie on the Hallmark channel the other day and i loved it! It was good as and even better then the first movie - Love Comes Softly. Its about Missy, the young girl from the first movie who is now grown up and is the community school teacher. In this movie about love and forgiveness, Missy's father has a bad accident during the planting season. Because of this, Missy must stop her teaching for the season and help with the farming and plowing so her family will not go hungry. Then Will, a young man from the past comes back to ask his father forgiveness for something done along time ago. While gathering enough courage to go and talk to his father he finds missy and her family in need of help. When it comes time for him to leave, Missy must face her feelings and decide between Willy and a young, rich surveyor who has already asked her to marry him. This is another good, clean movie for the whole family to watch. This sweet story will make you laugh and cry!
  
  
  
• Nothing like the book, disappointing
  By A27B62Y9LP7Q8P on 2005-02-27
  I don't understand why moviemakers pick out a book with a fantastic story and loyal following to make a movie from and then completely invent their own story. I am a huge Janette Oke fan. I own all her books and have read the Love Comes Softly series until I've about memorized the books. I was so excited that they were being made into movies. Love Comes Softly movie wasn't too bad. Love's Enduring Promise, however, was a huge disappointment. It was nothing like the book at all. The books are supposed to be about Clark and Marty and Marty had hardly any role in this one at all. The acting seemed weak except where Clark needed his leg cleaned and bandaged after a logging accident and then everyone over-acted. I wondered if they were going to amputate his leg (a scene from a later book, following an extremely serious cave-in). The sets were not at all real looking. I hope the little plot of land being plowed was just one of many fields, because that was not big enough to sustain a family of five. The plot seemed to jump around and not make sense. Missy teaches school, but there's only one small school scene. She has two younger brothers -- Aaron (Marty's son from her first marriage) and Arnie (Clark and Marty's together), yet they were hard to tell apart and had very little purpose in the movie. While Clark is healing, a young man is hired to take over his chores. Once Clark figures out who the young man is, the whole movie is diverted to talk about his story. There weren't really any peripheral characters in the movie -- they didn't run into people in town, go to church, have visitors over for tea. It was like they were the only people in town. When Missie and Willie headed west, I hope they weren't going far. That wagon was tiny (the prairie schooners used by pioneers were pretty large) and hardly had anything in the back of it. I don't think they were prepared to spend up to a year living out of it. Missie's explanation of the phrase "love's enduring promise" was way out in left field. The book's title refers to Marty saying that Missie and Willie's "love had promise, enduring promise."
  
  
• Love's Enduring Promise by Janette Oke
  By A1JZ81M9RPE6ZI on 2005-03-16
  A wonderful sequel to Love Comes Softly, by beloved Christian writer Janette Oke.This is Love's Enduring Promise. I did not see the Hallmark Special on TV, but did have the original books in this series by this author. I wasn't sure if I would like this one as much as Love Come's Softly, but I did equally as well. Great actors including the original ones in the first story. Very poignant and hard decisions have to be made, but made they are. A great family movie promoting real and true values.
  
  
• I think it's great!
  By AESPJHWTYMT0X on 2005-09-26
  I first watched Love Comes Softly on Hallmark. I was enraptured by the cleanness and the costumes. Then I watched the second one, Love's Enduring Promise. Then I read the book Love Comes Softly. It was a lot different, but I liked the movie and the book both for their own "things". I would highly reccomend these movies to ANYONE. They are both clean, funny, sweet, cute, and great family movies. The acting in Love's Enduring Promise was good. Not as bad as soon movies I've seen! The cast was good, the costumes were not period-correct in Love Comes Softly, but oh well. It's squeaky clean, what more could you want?!
  
  
• As good as "Love Comes Softly"...
  By A1NTLJG1ODRJ75 on 2005-01-21
  If you LOVED "Love Comes Softly", you won't be disappointed in this sequel...The daughter has grown up...it is her love story..but her parents have fairly good roles in this one also...how can it miss with Dale Midkiff in it!!!??
  
  
• Great Movie to instill and reinforce Christian values!
  By A3771RPCWLFDA5 on 2006-05-04
  This is one of the best movies I've seen in a while. And it's a movie you can watch with the entire familyn without worrying about something being offensive to someone. I loved it because it talks about adversity which is what everyone faces at some point in their lives (if they live long enough). I really liked the way they incorporated prayer and Biblical advice in the movie. It's a movie I wouldn't mind buying and having around to see for years to come.
  
  
• This movie is a favorite of mine!! You'll watch it over and over again!!
  By A2OVVHO35L9GW8 on 2006-07-17
  I've never read the books, but I love the movies!! My family is pretty fussy about the movies we buy and watch and after we bought the movies they instantly became favorites. Love Comes Softly and Loves Enduring Promise were both excellent. They are very enjoyable to watch. Even my father and brother enjoy them!! Very clean cut movies you can watch with the whole family and share with friends.
  
  
• Wonderful Christian Family Movie
  By A3OXSCTIPGWX4B on 2007-01-29
  I had purchased the first in the series "Love Comes Softly" from a local christian book store because it was a promotional item at a very good price and looked like it might be a ok movie. After I watched it I was hooked and had to have the other three in the series. We are now watching them through for the 2nd time and they are wonderful. As I watched them I loaned them to a friend and she loved them as much as I did. Great stories and wonderful examples of how God's promises can take you thru all you face in life. These movies had everything: romance, adventure, scripture, values. They all deserve 10 stars. They will capitivate everyone in the family from 6 to 90. Wonderful!!!!
  
  
• Great movie, but the book is better
  By A30SWM4KKDPILQ on 2005-03-01
  If you've read the books in the "Love comes softly" series and hope to find a faithful portrayal of the book in this movie, you will be disappointed. But, if you set aside the book and focus on the movie as a story in and of itself, you will find it's a heartwarming film. It is clean and wholesome. The characters behave in an upright and respectful manner. I can watch the movie from start to finish without compromising my moral standards. With that said, I would recommend this movie.
  
  
• Not worthy of the book. Completely different stories.
  By A2WF24S28QXG1H on 2005-05-27
  Being an avid lover of this book series by Janette Oke, from childhood, Iooked forward to this movie release....
  
  What a disapointment!
  
  If you have read this book, you will see that this movie is NOT based on the book but instead is a story butchered and changed completely.
  
  If you have not read the book, you would probably enjoy the movie, but don't pick up the book. You will be shocked.
  
  2 thumbs down for re-writting the book to make this movie and ruining the movie in my opinion, and I'm sure in Janette's Oke's heart.
  
  
  
  
• January Jones plays one very interseting role in this great movie!
  By AILBDL6ATVDCJ on 2005-07-26
  "Loves Enduring Promise" is an excellent movie in every aspect. I have never read a Janette Oke book in my life. This movie made me want to go out and read everything she has written. With so many Christian fiction films falling short on talent and creativity, not to mention financial backing, it was great to watch a Christian-based film firing on all cylinders.
  
  From the opening scene, where Marty and Clark are laying in a meadow talking about how blessed they are, to the last scene, this is a movie that ya just have to love. It reminded me of the best episodes of "Little House on the Prairie" (yes, there were some episodes of that great show that delivered cheesy plots).
  
  January Jones is fantastic as Missy Davis. She has so many great scenes in the film, from being locked out of the schoolhouse by the children to telling the handsome railroad heir what she thinks about a man that wouldn't help her tend the fields if that help was ever needed. Her character is so interesting and fun to watch interact with those around her.
  
  I really can't say enough good things about this film.
  
  
  If you haven't seen "Loves Enduring Promise", I suggest you do. It is a movie the whole family can enjoy.
  
  See ya next review!
  
  
  
• Great story of faith, renewal, and love
  By AH4GPLZAEVT1E on 2005-09-23
  This is a great story of faith, God's provision and strength in times of difficulty, renewal of broken relationships, and love that endures. I highly recommend Love's Enduring Promise and the first movie, Love Comes Softly, which was even better than this one. They're both great for the entire family. We all loved them.
  
  
• Heartwarming Sequel.
  By A3AEYDNYCWH2IZ on 2005-09-24
  Michael Landon Jr. has put together two awesome movies in "Love Comes Softly" and now "Love's Enduring Promise". I normally don't care for the "Little House" setting, but I have thoroughly enjoyed both of these two movies. The messages of love, commitment, faith, hope, and hard work bellow out at you and make you want to have the character qualities of the people in the films - something you can't say for 95% of the films we see today. You will not waste a minute of your time watching these two movies.
  
  
• Very Nice
  By A2Z8P7U58NI6OJ on 2005-11-30
  There are very few Christian based novels that I actually like to read but all of Oke's are at the top of the list. I was so excited when I found out recently that some of them had been made into movies and I can't wait until I can add these to my collection. I just wish that there were more movies this clean out there that actually told a good story as well. They are becoming fewer and fewer every day. I do agree that Landon shouldn't have removed the word Jesus entirely from the story but that is the world we live in. People work too hard to keep from offending anyone else. However, someone brought up the point that good Christian women never wore pants in that era and I would like to correct you. MOST women did not, but you certainly could find women wearing pants on the Prairie. At times, that was the only way they could do their work. They would only hold to convention when going into town or to Sunday service. Someone also mentioned that although they hadn't actually read the book, they still expected this movie to revolve around Marty & Clark. You really should read the books, or at least what they are about before forming expectations. Although her books keep the same characters throughout the series, everyone has their own story and their roles change in each book.
  
  
• Big disappointment
  By AQ80NLAT1T3LQ on 2005-12-05
  I started reading this series when I was a teenager and loved them. I was thrilled when I saw the advertisements for the movies. I was pleased with Love Comes Softly. I thought the characters they picked for Marty and Clarke (especially Clarke) were just about perfect for the parts. I understood why Landon chose to cast an older Missy, and was okay with other changes they made to the book. I was so excited to see the sequel. What a bummer!! I thought the sequel was HORRIBLE!! Did it even come from the same book? Where were Marty and Clarke? They were very present in the book. We weren't even introduced to the rest of the family! I just don't understand why this movie is getting such high reviews. Maybe if I hadn't read any of the original books I might have enjoyed it more.
  
  
• This movie is a joke!
  By A38K5ZPC8CA85M on 2006-09-12
  I enjoyed reaching all of the books in this series, but I'm sorry to say I can't say the same for the movies. "Love Comes Softly" wasn't an exact duplicate of the corresponding book but at least the basic storyline was right for the most part. "Love's Enduring Promise" concentrated on about 5 pages' worth of the entire book, and even screwed that up. "Nathan Willie LaHaye"??? Hello.....Nathan was Willie's OLDER brother, and he did NOT have a little brother named Mattie who froze to death - his OLDER SISTER died in childbirth after marrying the schoolteacher (BEFORE Missie was old enough to teach school in the first place)! In the book, Grant Thomas was only "present" in the story when he asked Missie's mother if he could take her for a drive, and was never heard from again except when Missie asked her mother how she could tell him she only wanted to be friends. Furthermore, Grant was the son of a local businessman, NOT a railroad heir. I realize that all moviemakers use poetic license, but ruining a perfectly good story to create an unbelieveable one is STUPID!
  
  
• You won't get up to go to the bathroom!
  By A1DF4N5BQV4WBQ on 2004-11-29
  I stongly suggest you read or see the first one (Love Comes Softly) to completely know what is going on. This is a wonderful decent feel good movie. At times I could taste the biscuits she finally learned to cook and I could really feel the emotions that are sure to keep you on the couch. This is a great movie for all ages. Be sure you go to the restroom before you push play, it is really that good!
  
  
• love's enduring promis
  By A2SFGZ6VQQQ7CA on 2005-02-17
  Excellent movie, but watch Love Comes Softly first. Really enjoyed watching January Jones; finially, someone let her speak. She's been in a few movies but very small parts. Hey, Hollywood, we'd like to see more of this young actress.
  This is a good, clean family movie. Highly recommend.
  
  
• What Happened to Those Days?
  By A1PSB82ODRVDIE on 2005-09-21
  This movie is excellent! The character of Clark gave me hope for my own trials that I am going through. When I watch a movie like that I just want life to be like that again. Things are so complicated now. I know they didn't have it easy but it seems like they hung on to the One thing that gets you through-Jesus Christ! I am a Pastor and I was especially excited to see January Jones in this movie since I confirmed her at Zion Lutheran Church here in South Dakota when I was Pastor there. It was great to see her in this film and she did great! Excellent movie!
  
  
• Somewhat dissapointing...
  By ASV9DYAW4ZM89 on 2005-11-07
  Am not sure if this is how Janet Oke wrote the story or not, because i haven't read the book...but i was expecting it to be moslty about the two main characters (Marty & Clark), from the first film. It is not.
  It was somewhat dissapointing. Not that i didn't enjoy it, and not that it wasn't a good story, it was, but overall, it could have been much better. For one, it's obvious the director, Michael Landon, jr., showed us he is a good Catholic and never wants to offend any other religions...keeping the name of Jesus Christ (or even just, 'Jesus'), out of the entire dialogue. To say that a devoutly Christian man, living circa 1880, never used the name of his Lord and Savior, even during prayers, is ludicrous. Not only would they have ended every prayer in the name of Jesus, His name was a common part of every day language of the period. I've noticed that most films produced by Jews rarely use the name of our Lord, unless in the abstract, or unless said by a church authority figure, such as a priest of professor. As if the common believer was not educated enough to properly express His name. That flaw was inexcusable.
  There are other flaws too, although not as appalling...none-the-less they take away from the power of the story (as i do feel the author, Janet Oke, intended it to be inspiring!?), and degrade it to 'B'-class status.
  Too bad. The acting, costumes, locations, sound quality, etc. were all superb...what a waste.
  One flaw i noticed might have been intentional, when Missie (now a young woman), was riding her horse, she was not riding side-saddle...and she was wearing a dress. I know she grew up kind of a tom-boy, but a Christian lady of that time period, wearing a dress, i seriously doubt would've rode like a man, tom-boy or no. Since i haven't read the book, then i can't say if that was intended or not. Not to be too critical, but that seemed to be an inaccurate portrayal of a Christian lady, circa 1880.
  The other flaw was not as obvious. If you noticed, when Missie had to plow the fields, they first showed her wearing a dress. Then they show a scene of her wearing trousers. The final scene she is again wearing a dress. Now i don't know about you but as far as i know, Christian ladies back then did not wear men's trousers, period. The only pants they wore were their bloomers, and that was under their petticoat. Women were extremely modest in those days...especially when outdoors. We're not talkin about Annie Oakly here...we're talking about the daughter of a very devout Christian man. Again, i don't know if this was part of the original story, but i do know it was not historically accurate. Either that or the director just couldn't make up his mind, or the editors just botched the scenes.
  Other than that, the only other thing i didn't like, was the fact that the story centered around other than the two original characters. My question is, why? We barely got to experince life with Marty and Clark, and now they have two young boys, and Missie is all grown up. Excuse me, but this is not how you make a series of films on this type of story. We need to get to know the characters better. Yes, i cried in both films, but hey, I'm a big cry-baby anyways . But they could have done a much better job. Overall though, it is a good family film, and certainly better than all the immoral sex, violence and drug crap put out by Hollywood every day. So i do commend them on that. But if you watch the film, Time Changer, then you'll know why i had a major complaint about this poor effort.
  *** 3 Stars.
  
  
• Love's Enduring Promise
  By A15A82DA8QWPII on 2006-03-11
  This was an awsome movie! It was a great sequel to Love Comes Softly. The content was clean (NOTHING offensive) and had a great storyline with some really good life lessons. Our whole family, including three young children, could watch it and everyone loved it. This is one of the best dvds I have ever bought.
  
  
• Jones ruined what could have been a great movie!
  By A15864HSAJJLW4 on 2005-03-04
  Whoever said that they finally let Jones speak doesn't know anything about decent acting. Jones absolutely ruined every scene that she was in. She shows a complete lack of emotion and was completely unbelievable. She has never been able to act her way out of a wet paper bag and never will. I was really looking forward to this movie after seeing Love Comes Softly and was horribly disappointed after seeing this one. I will say that Logan Bartholomew and of course Katharine Heigl were amazing. It's too bad that the movie had to be ruined by Jones. Completely surprised to see that they cast Jones in this wholesome part after her basically topless picture showing up in a European magazine and on the internet.
  
  
• "Never Despise A Meager Beginning."
  By A1SPB225CVTRUU on 2005-05-17
  Love's Enduring Promise certainly promises to be a heartfelt and wonderful period family drama. It's a story about trauma, redemption, hardship, love-triangle, and family values in the 1800's of Midwest of America. Often times, period pieces can be slow-paced, but this film is thoroughly captivating and the characters are well written.
  
  Missie Davis(January Jones) is a well educated country young woman, who works as a teacher and on the farm as well. One day, his father Clark Davis(Dale Midkiff) had a serious accident, and was left bed-ridden for weeks. She has two younger brothers, and her stepmother is from the east of America. While struggling to work the land for pre-plantation, along came two men whom would changed her life. One is a wealthy world-travelling business man named Grant Thomas(Mackenzie Astin), who instantly fell for Missie's beauty, and he thinks he can convince her to become his future wife. The second man is a drifter named Nate/Willie(Logan Bartholomew), who had ran away from from a broken home six years earlier, and he's returning in hoping to reconcile with his father who blamed him for the death of his younger brother. He happened to rescued Clark and took hime back to Missie's house. Later, he even treated Clark's infected leg, and volunteerily worked the land for the season.
  
  Missie eventually would have to face the decision of a lifetime when Grant increasingly pressured her to become his wife, while Nate is secretly in love with her. Her father had established a strong connection with Nate and helped him deal with his traumatic past. Nate's reunion with his estranged father turned out to be an ugly experience. Missie must decide what to do about her love life.
  
  The leads all turned in very good performances, and I think Logan Bartholomew was more captivating, because his character was multilayered, and his scenes were more touching. Do prepare to endure a few tearjerking moments.
  
  
• Love's Enduring Promise
  By A30B9LPLSAIP7C on 2006-02-01
  As a sequel to Love Comes Softly, this was a wonderful continuation of the story by Ms. Okes. The introduction of Logan Barthlomew as Willie was great. He is very talented and was perfect in the role. I sincerely hope they keep him for the upcoming sequels. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the movie and believe you will too.
  
  
• Excellent Movie with fantastic Faith and Christian Moral Values
  By A2NXWJIT26X23K on 2006-02-25
  Another wonderful family movie I recommend it highly to all family's to watch this Christian faith based and Moral values missing in our day and age.
  
  

• Love Comes Softly
• Love's Long Journey
• Love's Abiding Joy
• Love's Unending Legacy
• Love's Unfolding Dream