James and the Giant Peach is a popular children's book written by Roald Dahl. It tells the story of a young boy named James who lives with his cruel aunts after his parents die in a tragic accident. James' life takes a magical turn when he encounters a mysterious old man who gives him a bag of magic crocodile tongues. James accidentally drops the tongues near an old peach tree, which causes a gigantic peach to grow. Curiosity gets the better of James, leading him to climb inside the peach, where he discovers a group of anthropomorphic insects who also grew to immense sizes due to the magic. The group consists of Centipede, Earthworm, Ladybug, Grasshopper, Glowworm, and Spider.

‘Ordinary Days’ is extraordinary

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. — "The Magic of Ordinary Days" (Sunday, 8 p.m., CBS/Ch. 2) isn't a sequel or prequel to any other "Hallmark Hall of Fame" production. It's a stand-alone TV movie based on the novel by Ann Howard Creel.

But this tale of unexpected romance does have something in common with the 222 "Fame" productions that have gone before: It's several steps above most TV movies — the sort of high-class, high-quality production you rarely find on either the small or big screen.

Which is entirely by design. And under the mandate of the Hall family, which owns Hallmark cards.

"They believe in this type of entertainment," said Brad R. Moses, president of Hallmark Hall of Fame productions. "They believe in trying to demonstrate to the viewer our commitment to good taste and to quality and to the kind of values that are embedded into this movie and the other ones we do."

While most movies race along at a breakneck pace, "Ordinary Days" unfolds more languidly, allowing characters to build. It's the story of Livvy (Keri Russell of "Felicity"), a single young woman who gets pregnant by a boyfriend who ships off to battle during World War II. Her stern father sends her to a marriage of convenience with an earnest, lonely and uncommunicative farmer, Ray (Skeet Ulrich), who ekes out a living in the middle of nowhere, Colorado.

Livvy isn't happy about her situation — she pines for the big city. And she finds Ray cold and distant.

It's no surprise where this story is headed. But it's the journey that matters — a journey well worth spending two hours to take.

"I was intrigued by the period, and it was just a beautiful story," Ulrich said.

"I just thought it was a beautiful, simple story," Russell echoed.

Which it is. It's the story that counts — a story that is wonderfully acted (by a cast that includes Mare Winningham as Ray's sister), beautifully filmed and skillfully directed by Brent Shields.

"Having . . . a lot more money on a 'Hallmark Hall of Fame' (movie), having the luxury of working with talent like this, it raises the threshold," Shields said. "Because (viewers) expect quality and they expect something that's not typically offered on the network, it does raise the stakes."

But Hallmark holds the winning hand. There's no gamble here for viewers — they come out ahead by watching.

"We do spend more on these movies, and the movies themselves are a little longer because we have less commercial time, so there is a different pace," Moses said. "We do that very consciously."

And they do it extremely effectively.

• Saturday, Sunday on TV

Laura's Miscellaneous Musings

THE MAGIC OF ORDINARY DAYS is a lovely Hallmark Hall of Fame movie which I enjoyed watching again, for the first time since it originally aired in 2005.

Unmarried Livy (Keri Russell), a minister's daughter, conceives a child with a soldier during WWII. As the movie opens, Livy arrives in a small Colorado town for an arranged marriage with Ray (Skeet Ulrich), a shy and lonely farmer with a big heart. When the local minister approached Ray about Livy's predicament, he agreed to marry her, sight unseen, because he felt the marriage might be God's will. Livy has agreed to the marriage so that her child won't be born out of wedlock, as the baby's father has not answered her letters.

The educated Livy struggles to adjust to a quiet life in the country, but as time passes she comes to value the love shown to her by Ray, his family, and the community. Ray is a kind man who goes to great lengths to make Livy happy, and Livy ultimately realizes that she loves Ray and is glad to be his wife.

It's a simple and somewhat predictable tale, told with great beauty. The dialogue is outstanding, and even more is communicated in this film with looks and body language. This is a visually gorgeous film, in terms of the landscapes, the set decoration and costumes, and the characters' actions towards one another. Little touches, such as the fresh flowers awaiting Livy in the bedroom of her new home, convey much about the characters without the need for dialogue.

The entire cast is excellent, particularly the three lead actors. Russell made this film a couple of years before her well-received movie WAITRESS (2007). She takes the viewer through Livy's journey and remains sympathetic even when she is slow to let go of the past and embrace her new life. Ulrich might just steal the acting honors for how much he conveys without the use of dialogue; it's a touching, deeply felt performance. Veteran actress Mare Winnigham, whose first TV-movies were the wonderful YOUNG PIONEERS (1976) and YOUNG PIONEERS CHRISTMAS (1976) nearly three decades previously, gives a marvelous performance as Ray's loving sister, Martha.

The supporting cast includes Stephen Strachan as Ray's brother-in-law and Katie Keating as his niece. Gwendoline Yeo and Tania Gunadi play two former students from the University of Southern California who are living at a Japanese internment camp near Ray and Livy's farm. Ken Pogue plays the Reverend Case, who marries Ray and Livy, and Jane McGregor is Livy's selfish sister.

THE MAGIC OF ORDINARY DAYS was directed by Brent Shields.

The movie was adapted from a novel by Ann Howard Creel. My older daughter enjoyed the book; I haven't read it yet.

THE MAGIC OF ORDINARY DAYS is available on DVD, which can be purchased for about $20 at many Hallmark stores. At present it's only available on Amazon from vendors; click on this Amazon page to indicate interest in a wider reissue. The movie is not available for rental via Netflix so Hallmark is probably the best option to purchase the movie. Tracking it down is well worth the effort.

THE MAGIC OF ORDINARY DAYS is an outstanding, uplifting film of a caliber which would have deserved theatrical release in an earlier era. Very highly recommended.

2 Comments:

According to author Ann Howard Creel's website, Hallmark is planning to make a sequel. (http://annhowardcreel.com/id22.html) They have a script, now they are waiting for the lead actors to become available. I wonder if it will really happen.

Thanks for that info, Missy! How interesting. I hope they only make it if they have the original cast and another uplifting script. I'd hate them to mess up something that was so good. :)

Collecting My Thoughts

I watched the Hallmark movie (2005) last night and I thought it was quite good--The magic of ordinary days. The plot is a college woman is pregnant by her soldier boyfriend (a cad, but she doesn't realize it), so her father arranges a marriage for her to a farmer in a remote area of Colorado a super nice guy whom she doesn't at first appreciate) who agrees to be the husband and father. There's a subplot involving Japanese farm workers whom she befriends.

In the end, of course, they fall in love.

But did rural women really wear hats while singing in the church choir in robes (one very brief scene)?

The male lead is Skeet Ulrich, whose real name is Bryan Trout. He's very good, and has appeared on some TV series, most recently Law and Order; Los Angeles.

This was adapted from a book by the same name, which might be worth reading, and there is a sequel in the works according to Wikipedia.

3 comments:

I saw that movie the other night for the first time too and I thought it was absolutely wonderful. So wonderful in fact, that the next day I downloaded the book and read it in one day. There's something to say about the love found in an arranged marriage where the man and woman didn't love each other to begin with but they still found a way to make things work. I was truly touched by this story. Perhaps it was by the husband's unswerving devotion and commitment to his wife and marriage. I hope Hallmark plays it again soon.

This was a rerun. I saw it first time around and had my sisters watch it with me. Neither sister ever married and I often wonder if they had lived in days of arranged marriages -they might have had the same good fortune. Love-real love- grows and never goes away..unlike today where many many play at love and hardly any stay in love. My dog lover sister liked the part where he softens to the dog living inside.all in all it was one of the better ones out there. lots of them are not so good.

Murray sez:
I always felt that there was 4 basic categories of love.

1. Love for animals and possessions

2.Love for relatives and friends

3. Learned love as in the movie. Brought about through mutual respect and the feelings toward each other.

4. Finally, for lack of a better name, there is what I call true love. This would be when two people meet and instantly know they were meant for each other and it grows throughout their lives. This is a rare happening and unfortunately most people never experience it.

The movie has an example of #3 &
#4. Except #4 was one sided.

The group consists of Centipede, Earthworm, Ladybug, Grasshopper, Glowworm, and Spider. Together, they embark on a remarkable adventure across the Atlantic Ocean. The journey in the oversized peach leads them to various challenges and encounters with dangerous creatures.

They face off against sharks, pirates, and seagulls, who all become adversaries on their voyage. However, with teamwork and determination, James and his newfound insect friends manage to overcome every obstacle they encounter. Throughout their journey, James learns valuable lessons about friendship, bravery, and personal growth. His encounter with the magic man and the giant peach opens up a world of fantastical possibilities, showing James that his dreams can become a reality. The story encourages readers to embrace their imagination and pursue their ambitions, no matter how unlikely they may seem. Dahl's captivating storytelling brings the characters to life, making them relatable and endearing to readers of all ages. James and the Giant Peach is a timeless tale that continues to capture the hearts and imaginations of children and adults alike. The magic man's gift unlocks the power within James, transforming his life and inspiring him to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that will stay with him and readers forever..

Reviews for "The Magic Man's Lessons for James in James and the Giant Peach"

1. Sarah - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "James and the Giant Peach Magic Man". The storyline felt disjointed and confusing, and the characters lacked depth. The magic element was thrown in without much explanation or purpose, making it feel forced. Overall, I found it hard to connect with the story and the lack of cohesiveness left me unsatisfied. I wouldn't recommend this book to others.

2. John - 1 star - "James and the Giant Peach Magic Man" was a complete letdown for me. The writing style was overly simplistic and the dialogue felt forced and unnatural. The supposed "magic man" aspect of the story was not developed enough to make sense or add any excitement. I was expecting a whimsical adventure but was left feeling bored and uninterested. This book did not live up to the hype for me.

3. Emily - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "James and the Giant Peach Magic Man", but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The plot was predictable and lacked originality. The characters felt cliché and lacked depth, making it hard for me to care about their journey. The magical elements were underwhelming and not fully explored. Overall, I found this book to be a disappointment and wouldn't recommend it to others.

The Magical Journey of James and the Giant Peach