Customer Reviews

Girl of the Limberlost [VHS]

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

The fourth essay at converting Geneva (Gene) Stratton-Porter's most popular novel for the screen, this version conflicts markedly with the original story while yet managing to make a faithful adaptation of the book's pre-Great War era in a visually appealing film, with beautiful southern Oregon locations standing in for the author's eastern Indiana setting. Stratton-Porter is inserted into the scenario as the "Bird-Woman" of the Limberlost Swamp region, here played sensitively by Joanna Cassidy, and the naturalist writer's endeavours with camera, notebooks, and glass photographic plates is accurately rendered, even to a mention of her watercolour tinting for illustrations in a published volume of nature studies, but there are significant alterations in the characters of Elnora Comstock (Heather Fairchild) and her embittered widowed mother Kate (Annette O'Toole) that result in flaws of logic surrounding their actions. Since this product comes from Feature Films For Families, it was possibly deemed discreet to eliminate the important reference to Elnora's father's marital infidelity, but nothing is provided here to replace it in context, while the omission of the neighbouring childless couple, the Sintons, with their supportive counsel of Elnora; and of Phillip, beau of the young farm girl, are unfilled voids. The dramatic act of Kate that results in a climactic clash between mother and daughter is weakly altered and Fairchild's sporadic Valley Girl diction and mannerisms are not harmonious with O'Toole's more accurate dialect, especially since the two have lived only with each other since the girl's birth 16 years prior, but Fairchild nicely interprets Elnora's struggle to balance her desire for self-improvement with her loyalty to her mother and to their tax-endangered farm. Direction is pedestrian, and a minimalist score is nonspecific, but the sets and costumes are splendidly crafted.

"A Girl of the Limberlost" is one of my favorite books. I was so happy when I discovered it had been made into a movie. How disappointed I was that the movie was just terrible! The movie ended in the middle of the book leaving me to say, "huh?" when the credits started to role. The movie illiminated three major characters crucial to the plot and the charm of the book and altered one character so badly that the essence of his personality was completed misinterpreted. The pacing of this movie was slow, slow, slow. I suffered through it. Save your money! It's not even worth renting. What a shame that a beautifully written book did not translate to video. A great opportunity was missed! Save your time and money!

I personally did not care for the video A Girl of the Limberlost. Although Elnora did persevere through hardships at school and learned some valuable lessons, I felt the movie did not stay true to the book. For example, instead of Freckles being a person, he was an owl. And the Bird Woman was Gene Stratton Porter, the authoress of the book, just to name a few. Moreover, Elnora was not the same type of person as she was in the book. In the book, she was a well rounded girl who was intelligent, beautiful, and who had grown and matured by the hard knocks given to her by her mother. In the movie she seemed whiny and sorry for herself all the time. If you have not read the book and want a country 1900s movie that has some good morals, this is for you; however, if you are looking for the movie to have the same magic and wonder of the book, you will be sorely disappointed.

Elnora is a vivacious, bright and sensitive young girl who has a dream of attending high school. Isolated on the family farm with her mother, she is berated for her dreams. Elnora doesn't give in but challenges her mother in fulfilling her own dreams.

Thus begins the clash of generations. An embittered woman whose own dreams were dashed attempts to discourage her own child. A young teenager is coming to terms with herself, her talents and her mother's disdain. You have a remarkable story of how these two clash and attempt to come to some type of resolution that will be best for all in the early years of the 20th Century.

A Girl of the Limberlost tells the story about a dreamer who has so much potential if only she is allowed to blossom. It is also the story of a young woman whose dreams were unrealized and her hope destroyed. Her experiences led her into the spirit of cynicism to the point of being afraid to let go. The dynamics of these relationships mirror our own as we are hesitant in letting our children go due to our own experiences.

You will be enthralled by Elnora's free spirit and encouraged by her resolve not to give up. Limberlost, the swamp on the border of their farm provides you with the backdrop of the beauty of nature and its destruction by man as he progresses. Limberlost is a place of loss and renewal for Enora and her stubborn mother Kate.

I enjoyed this movie because it unfolded the joy of discovery, openess and rebellion that all young people must go through when they are stifled by narrow minded parents. It sensitizes us to the fact that our children must be allowed to dream if they are ever to grow into secure adults. For a dream to unfold, it must be nurtured.

It's my opinion that "A Girl Of The Limberlost" is a fine story to read or watch as per this video. If you enjoy a pure mind, good humor and olde-time lifelstyles, any story created by Gene Stratton-Porter is worth experiencing.

I'm having trouble accepting that the writers of this film actually read the book on which it was based. Other than mother-daughter conflict, an interest in nature, and the time period in which it was set, the book and the movie have almost nothing in common. Most of the important characters are missing, key plot elements have been left out, and the personalities of the characters who do remain have been distorted beyond recognition. I find myself wondering why they made the movie at all. No one who loved the book would find anything appealing in this disappointing effort. My real regret is that someone might see this movie before reading the book. They would never want to pick up the wonderful novel.

A great family movie with lots to say when it comes to the younger generation and their dreams. A young girl just wants to find out about the world and learn all she can but her mom doesn't want her to succeed. It is a story of perseverance and determination. I recommend for the whole family. It isn't the best made movie but really worth the watch. It you are looking for action, then pass this one up.

We read this book years back,and was excited to see that it was made into a movie. As with most of the books made into movies-this was not exactlly as the book.But,we all cried throughout the movie.The valuable lessons portrayed and the beauty of music were excellent.Our daughter fell in love with the violin and music from that film.She is still music hungry and is learning to play an instrument.
If you have a child that desires to learn to play any instrument-or you want to teach some valuable life lessons here-buy this movie.It is a MUST have.Believe me,it will be replayed over and over again!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA++++++++++++++++++++++
From VA.

I loved this book as a child. I really enjoyed the movie. It's an oldie but a goodie about a girl so saves her family's land and learns about her past.

What an in creditable family film with an extra ordinary value lesson. I would highly recommend this movie to any one who is trying to teach good values to their children.