Nancy McKeon is Abbie, a young woman from Blackhawk, Iowa, whose dreams of pursuing a singing career in New York are interrupted by the Civil War.
Her brother marches off to fight. Ed Matthews (Adam Storke), the man who’s been courting her, wants to become a doctor for the Union Army.
Drafted, he pays Abbie’s best friend, Will Deal (Adrian Pasdar), $500 to take his place in the Union Army.
At her mother’s urging, Abbie accepts a proposal from Ed while he’s off at war. She could do worse than to marry a wealthy man, even one she doesn’t love, her mother advises.
But Will returns to Iowa first. And when he professes his love for Abbie, she agrees to marry him instead and head West to Nebraska, even though doing so means giving up her dreams of becoming a world-renown singer.
Flash forward several years, and William and Abbie Deal own a successful, if quite overextended, farm in the growing community of Buffalo Wallow.
When they go put out an advertisement for a town doctor, Ed Matthews responds. He’s still in love with Abbie.
And the Deals have two children.
William expects his son John to become a farmer and inherit the substantial tract of land he’s acquired.
Abbie dreams of her daughter Isobelle dazzling crowds in New York opera halls with her skill as a pianist.
Neither of those expectations will be fulfilled.
Nancy McKeon as Abbie Deal, cautiously watching Pawnee approach in A Mother’s Gift (1995)
Adrian Pasdar as WIlliam Deal, considering Ed Matthews’ offer of $500 to be his substitute in the U.S. Army during the Civil War in A Mother’s Gift (1995)
Review:
More family drama than Western, this is nevertheless a well done TV movie that’s bound to pull on your heartstrings a time or two before the credits roll.
Nancy McKeon is especially effective as Abbie, faithful to her husband though she doesn’t always agree with his business decisions and though he’s quite often insensitive to her needs.
The movie was based on the book “A Lantern in Her Hand” by Bess Streeter Aldrich. The movie title refers to a string of pearls that have been handed down through Abbie’s family.
Jeremy London as John Deal, a bank manager turning his father down for a loan in A Mother’s Gift (1995)
Lucy Deakins as Isobelle Deal, sharing her dreams with her mother in A Mother’s Gift (1995)
Directed by:
Jerry London
Cast:
Nancy McKeon … Abbie Deal
Adrian Pasdar … William Deal
Lucy Deakins … Isobelle Deal (adult)
Jeremy London … John Deal (adult)
Max Wright … Herman Mandelbrot
Judith Hoag … Sarah Lutz
Randle Mell … Gus Reinmuller
Beata Pozniak … Kristine Reinmuller
Adam Storke … Ed Matthews
James Hansen Prince … Henry Lutz
Gail Cronauer … Maggie
Tim Simek … Erland
Runtime: 90 min.
Adam Storke as Dr. Ed Matthews, admitting he still loves Abbie in A Mother’s Gift (1995)
Beata Pozniak as Kristine Reinmuller, one of Abbie’s first friends in Nebraska in A Mother’s Gift (1995)
Memorable lines:
William Deal, as he and Abbie head West: “You homesick already?”
Abbie Deal: “The nights are hard. It’s like we’ve left this world entirely and we’re wandering like the dead.”
William: “There’s a cheerful start to the day.”
William Deal, after Abbie has impressed visiting Pawnee with her vocal ability: “Well, I guess there’s something useful about that singing, after all, isn’t there?”
Abbie Deal: “Is that how you really feel? My singing is useless?”
William: “Nah, Abbie, it ain’t that it’s useless. It just ain’t useful.”
Abbie Deal, of her daughter, when she announces plans to marry a local farmer: “She has such enormous talent.”
William Deal: “What does that have to do with getting married?”
Abbie Deal, as the family finances falter: “You have to talk to John.”
William Deal: “I could have saved this farm if I had him by my side. I’ll be darned if I’m going to ask him for money.”
Isobelle Deal to Abbie: “Is that a terrible thing, mother? To want to be a farmer’s wife?”
Max Wright as Herman Mandelbrot, head of the Buffalo Wallow bank in A Mother’s Gift (1995)
Judith Hoag as Sarah Lutz, Abbie’s friend, suggesting they bring Ed Matthews to Buffalo Wallow in A Mother’s Gift (1995)
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