The Magic of Ordinary Days - Hallmark
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DVD: Region Code 1Format: Closed-captioned, Dolby
Studio: Hallmark
Movie Reviews of The Magic of Ordinary Days - Hallmark
Movie Review: The magic of extraordinary gifts: definitely one of the top ten
Summary: 5 Stars
For those blessed with parents and grandparents who are still able to receive gifts, don't miss a chance to delight them. DVD or book, this production is worth their time and your money.
There are enough authentic artifacts throughout the movie to delight the men (the old vehicles and farm equipment) and women (the writing desk and actual fabric matches) who knew these days or the ones immediately following WWII. There is deep enough character development in the book to elicit memories of real friends and relatives who were similarly constituted. Stirring encounters, set in familiar and comfortably presented situations, bring joy to any viewer, but particularly those who would rather delight in than find fault with their entertainment.
For those who have chosen to live their lives as followers of Christ and His Word, this has a whole other dimension: it presents, in full color, people who actually seem to understand the real challenges and joys of living as believers, warts and all. This is more evident in the movie than the book, perhaps by intentional selection of the screenwriter or director (bravo!), or simply because the actors actually understood the reality of the characters they played (EXCELLENT jobs by all). Chapter 1 of Second Corinthians comes alive in this love story, with one who has been comforted of God passing that comfort on to another who will need it just as much. His life is not dwarfed by his relationship to God: it is enriched. He has more than enough of value to share, and she is given counsel by one who knows that forgiveness is simply one of the liberties that indwell believers. For those who don't know how real faith can be, this may be a foreign language film, especially if there has been no encounter with the abiding kindness of those who care for the soul.
In short, Ray has made an agreement that changes forever his situation on the family farm, and Livvy has made an agreement that stops the plans for her future in a single heartbeat. They both could have spent every day mired in regret, faced with failure in all the ordinary days of life. But, given the opportunity to marry this stranger, Ray sees this arrangement as God's will, and then lives out that plan in the face of a very slow listener, day by day. Ultimately, he shares the reality of his own pain, and his own redemption, and she has come to know him well enough to comprehend it. Along the way (in the DVD) she is able to pass that wisdom on to some friends she makes, sisters who are facing a similar crucible. In the original form, the friends make their fatal mistake, and suffer from its consequence, before Livvy has understood and received comfort, leaving her unable to be of any help.
I would encourage a sharing of this tenderness, even if only on an entertainment level, and a sharing of its well-delivered message, without reservation. President Truman changed Thanksgiving to the fourth Thursday: in 1944 it was on November 30, a rare mistake (only in the novel). There is more of an undercurrent of politically correct insistence by Livvy on the written page, but it is nice that it is left out by Hallmark. And, in reverse, Livvy's comments at the Thanksgiving table were not in the book, its only loss.
This isn't a keeper: it's a sharer.
Summary of The Magic of Ordinary Days - Hallmark
1944. World War II. Colorado. Livy Dunne (Russell) has been thrown out of her home by her father, Rev. Dunne, because she's pregnant and unmarried. She's banished to rural Colorado, to go through with an arranged marriage to a lonely farmer, so her child will have a father. When she arrives in the tiny town, Livy and her betrothed are wary of each other. Worldly Livy is bored by Ray and the hardscrabble life he leads-despite his inherent goodness and wisdom. As the months pass, Livy learns more about this calm, practical self-effacing farmer. Slowly almost imperceptibly, Livy realizes she may have found home quite accidentally. Stars: Kerri Russell, Skeet Ulrich and Mare Winningham Features: "Making of" featurette; full-screen version; closed captioned DVD also includes behind-the-scenes interview, biographies, credits and production story. Running Time: Approx. 110 minutesSimilar DVD Movies
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