Product Description

Outline In A Change of Seasons, Christy returns to Cutter Gap with her adult daughter, Catherine, and narrates an episode in her life as a young schoolteacher. The story picks up where the PAX prod

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7405 in DVD
• Brand: Lions Gate
• Released on: 2001-08-28
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, Letterboxed, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 87 minutes

Amazon.com
In A Change of Seasons, Christy returns to Cutter Gap with her adult daughter, Catherine, and narrates an episode in her life as a young schoolteacher. The story picks up where the PAX production, Return to Cutter Gap, left off. In this recollection, typhoid sweeps the region, and Christy's faith is tested when her best friend succumbs to the disease. Christy (Lauren Lee Smith), Alice (Diane Ladd), Dr. MacNeill (Stewart Finlay-McLennan), and David (James Waterston), the local preacher, do what they can to save the rest of the inflicted, but they can only do so much. Towards the end, Christy gets engaged to one of the men, but then he contracts the disease. Fortunately, he recovers, but things end on an ambiguous note as Christy appears to have lost the friendship of the man whose affections she spurned. This dilemma will be resolved in A New Beginning. Ages 8 and older. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Customer Reviews

Wonderful! Just Wonderful!
Christy: A Change of Seasons is just a wonderful movie for both children and parents. I just love the whole Christy series, movie and mini-series. The story was aired on PAX tv in a two part series starring Lauren Lee Smith as Christy Huddleston. The story starts out on a wonderful night in Cutter Gap. All the residents in Cutter Gap gather to the Mission House to watch a movie which Christy (Smith) borrowed for Miss Alice Henderson's birthday. But as the story moves on not everything is so peaceful and happy. A few days later, after Doctor Neil MacNeill (played by Stewart Finley McLannen from the orginal series) exames some residents, he discovers that typhoid has come to the good people of Cutter Gap. Almost everyone becomes ill, encluding David Grantland, (played by James Waterston, son of actor Sam Waterston)the young mission preacher. Christy is devistated by the death of her dear friend Fairlight Spencer (played by Ingrid Torrance) and begins to question her belief in God. Christy throws herself into help Dr. MacNeill care for the ill and tries not to think about her loss. But David offers her hope and his heart to her. So she accepts his proposal. Miss Alice also tries to help Christy through her troubles, but she is also battling problems of her own. Dr. MacNeill soon finds out about Christy's choice to marry David and decides to leave the Cove, rather then see the woman he loves marry another. To find out what happens next and see who Christy marries check out Christy: A New Beginning.

Caution: Watch with an open mind!
After having watched the 20 episodes of the original Christy series, I was dismayed and disappointed with these subsequent videos. Not only are some key actors and actresses missing but the entire atmosphere of "Cutter's Gap" is topsy-turvy compared to the original episodes. I feel for the returning actors and actresses (Neil McNeil, Tom, Opal, etc.) that had to watch this change take place and still try to respond like the old characters did to their surroundings. These new videos (in my humble opinion) demean the mountain people whereas in the original there was nobility to their characters even in the midst of their ignorance. Not only that, but the handling of God and Christianity in these new videos is ridiculous -- throwing around cutsy little sayings, etc. with no depth.

Unlike the originals, these videos portray life there in one dimension. There are too many dramatic elements just seemingly thrown in for the sake of action -- no real thinking behind the events. It seems to me someone meant well but missed the mark completely. Very sad. I could easily just get up and walk away from these movies even as badly as I wanted to see the outcome for Christy's marital decision.

So I caution those that were touched and moved by the original episodes. They were truly over with the last episode depicting Christy holding her engagement ring from David in one hand and Doc McNeil riding up on his little horse (they do give him a larger, more handsome horse in the new videos). Finishing those episodes in your mind is much better than contaminating them with these new imposter videos.

Thank you for the space to air my thoughts.

p.s. I am told by my daughter, and I agree to an extent, that the new actresses for Ruby Mae and Fairlight were the only ones that lived up to the original characters.

Extremely good movie of love, redemption and renewal
This continuation of COTH Part 1 begins 3 months after Dr. Neil MacNeill has left Cutter Gap, TN. Christy Huddleston is seen growing ever more conflicted over her engagement to David Grantland while preoccupied with a wedding that is two weeks away. Dr. MacNeill's unexpected return to the cove further complicates the young woman's emotional state.

A surprise invitation from one of the suitors is the prelude to an impassioned declaration as the skies break into what becomes a torrential rainstorm. The risk of traveling back to the mission house in Cutter Gap necessitates staying overnight in a nearby cabin. A dramatic confrontation leads to the most revealing, emotionally bare conversations of the movie.

Stewart Finlay-McLennan gives the single best, most affecting performance of the entire movie and possibly his career in a scene that is pivotal for his character, Dr. Neil MacNeill. Lauren Lee Smith remains luminescent and vivacious in her performance as Christy Huddleston. James Waterston plays an earnest and likeable David Grantland. Lush mountain scenery, a well-written script and extremely good acting from the cast make this movie a joy for the mind and heart.

The subtitle for the movie is "A New Beginning." By the end of the movie and of the storm, the viewer sees the seeds for renewal in the lives of several characters. The potential for continuation of this classic story is well worth the effort and more than worthy of the viewer's time.