Love Comes Softly

2003 1h 28m EN

👍

6.8

SOLID

⭐

7.3

IMDB

★6.8TMDB · 153★7.3IMDB · 7,454

DramaRomanceWesternFamilyTV Movie

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Nineteen year old pioneer woman Marty has recently married. She goes west with her husband Clem, hoping to start a new life. But Clem unexpectedly dies, and Marty finds herself alone, two months pregnant. Widower Clark offers her a marriage of convenience: she needs food and money, and he needs someone to take care of his daughter Missie. She accepts his proposal as a temporary solution.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

UP Faith & Family Apple TV channelSubscription

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Cast

Katherine Heigl
Marty Claridge
Dale Midkiff
Clark Davis
Skye McCole Bartusiak
Missie Davis
Corbin Bernsen
Ben Graham
Theresa Russell
Sarah Graham
Oliver Macready
Aaron Claridge
Tiffany Amber Knight
Laura Graham
Adam Loeffler
Clint Graham

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Michael Landon Jr.
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

88 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 23 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Love Comes Softly Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Michael Landon Jr., shot by James W. Wrenn. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by William Ashford. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Colleen Halsey shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Katherine Heigl and Dale Midkiff and Skye McCole Bartusiak carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0345591 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Michael Landon Jr. directs. James W. Wrenn behind the camera. William Ashford scores. Colleen Halsey cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

188 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
2Released 23 years ago.
3Part of the "Love Comes Softly Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
4Directed by Michael Landon Jr., shot by James W. Wrenn. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by William Ashford. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Colleen Halsey shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Katherine Heigl and Dale Midkiff and Skye McCole Bartusiak carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0345591 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 14 themes, including "based on novel or book", "widow", "sequel", "marriage of convenience".

The technical file

Cinematography: James W. Wrenn
Original score: William Ashford
Editing: Colleen Halsey
Production design: John F. Brown
Costume design: Carlie Tracey
Makeup / hair: Janice Heaton
Stunt coordinator: Clint Lilley
Runtime: 88 min · 1h 28m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
IMDB: Love Comes Softly (2003)
IMDB rating: 7.3/10 · 7,454 votes
MPAA: TV-PG

Awards

3 wins total

Part of

Love Comes Softly Collection

A Christian drama television movie set in the 19th century, based on a series of books by Janette Oke.

Also by

Michael Landon Jr.

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Reno2015-11-24
★ 8/10
1. The story of Marty: The beginning of the Love saga. This was the Hallmark's production, a television movie series called Love saga. This is the first one in the 11 episodes, a long movie series. The first 8 are based on the books by Janette Oke and remaining 3 are not. Each chapter in the each film that briefs different stages of lives in the different timeline and characters. Its the dramatised romance stories in the times of the cowboy culture in the United States, but in the realistic approach. So in the next few days and/or weeks, my reviews are going to be sequels and prequels to this one. I haven't done this like since five years, after the 'Ernest' movies. I watched them one after another for weeks, that was a quite an experience apart from my likes and dislikes parts from that series. Watching all together in a short period of gap is better and gives an opportunity to follow the series easily than watching them one per year on the television. It is going to be a simple and short review, that's what I'm thinking to give. Okay then lets jump into the 'ocean of love' for a long swim. As I said the first film in the eleven. Kicks off quite quickly with a tragic in the beginning. All about the present narrative, it does not let you know any past events except the characters talks about it in required parts which somehow allows the viewers to get it. I bet in the follow-ups we are going to know more about those, so I did not bother about the character developments in this pilot episode. Engaging story, but very-very simple and too short. A perfect television movie with some great acts and with the well blended background scores. "You know... Sometimes love isn't fireworks. Sometimes love just comes softly." The story is set in the middle of the 1800s. A young woman begins to narrate her story in the background. A journey of her life in a wagon wheel with her husband. All they have dreamt together is about to happen, but unexpectedly it all shatters like a tree struck by a lightning. Leaves misery behind to carry with clueless about what's coming up. It is about the time to face the Nature's challenge, so the decision must be made quickly to avoid the threat. All these happen within the first ten minutes, the actual story constructive unfolds in the following hour. That lets you know the meaning of the title. Having Katherine Heigl on-board was the advantage for the movie to grab the attention of the television audience. In fact, it was one of her earlier movies in the career before she was getting very famous. I was interesting only after seeing her name in the cast. But everyone performed well in their roles. The whole story was told in the span of one rotation of the yearly season. As the seasons change how the characters as well refines and finds the life's pleasure from the new beginning. There might be no large cast, but within its well managed to tell a beautiful tale that covers theme like faith, hope, dream and love. This kind of story suits for the reading, and might look short for a movie, but surprisingly a better movie than I anticipated. There's no second thought, it was a fine adaptation. I enjoyed it and I can't wait for the rest of the installments. 8/10

Production companies