Love’s Unending Legacy (2007)

Erin Cottrell is Missie LaHaye, now a young widow after her husband, a sheriff, is shot and killed in a dispute in a saloon.

Two years after his death, she decides to leave the cattle ranch she and Willie LaHaye started and return to the home of her parents for a fresh start.

She finds a house for rent near town, settles her young son Mattie into that home, then returns to teaching, a lifelong passion since her stepmom taught her to read.

Soon, she takes on another major responsibility.

The Children’s Aid Society has sent a group of orphans to the local church, hoping residents will adopt them.

Missie feels drawn to the adoption event and leaves with Belinda Marshall, a somewhat contrary 14-year-old no one else wanted.

The two don’t exactly hit it off at first. And in spite of Missie’s encouragement, Belinda is convinced there are limits to what a poor orphan can expect out of life.

She also keeps slipping away from the LaHaye home in the middle of the night, often stealing food, only to sneak back a short time later.

It’s only after Missie follows her one night that she learns the truth. Belinda had a brother named Jacob at the adoption event.

He was taken in by farmer Henry Pettis, who was looking more for free labor than a child to raise. Jacob’s being beaten and is malnourished.

So Missie sets about freeing Jacob from the clutches of Henry Pettis.

Erin Cottrell as Missie LaHaye, setting eyes on Sheriff Zach Taylor for the first time in Love’s Unending Legacy (2007)

Victor Browne as Sheriff Zach Tyler, offering Missie advice about teenage girl she’s adopted in Love’s Unending Legacy (2007)

Review:

It’s often very predictable. It’s sometimes downright hokey.

Yet this Christian family drama still manages to be both heartwarming and entertaining.

The fifth movie in the “Love Comes Softly” series, based on books by Janette Oke, begins with Missie LaHaye in mourning mode.

She can’t imagine being truly happy again. She can’t imagine falling in love again.

Another sheriff (Victor Browne as Zach Taylor) has other ideas about that.

He takes a quick liking to the pretty new school marm and helps her deal with Belinda and the situation with Jacob.

The result might be the best film in the series since the first, thanks largely to the fine performances of Cottrell and Holliston Coleman as the rebellious teen.

Just beware, Western fans. If you’re an action junkie, preferring Westerns loaded with shoot-em-ups, look elsewhere.

Holliston Coleman as Belinda Marshall-LaHaye, being separated from her brother in Love’s Unending Legacy (2007)

Braeden Lemaster as Jacob Marshall, being adopted by Hank Pettis in Love’s Unending Legacy (2007)

Directed by:
Mark Griffiths

Cast:
Erin Cottrell … Missie LaHaye
Holliston Coleman … Belinda Marshall-LaHaye
Victor Browne .. Sheriff Zach Tyler
Hank Stratton … Pastor Joe
Braeden Lemastr … Jacob Marshall-LaHaye
Dave Florek … Hank Pettis
Stephanie Nash … Mrs. Pettis
Brett Loehr …. Calvin
Tanner Richie … Simon Stevens
Ned Schmidtke … Hendricks
Dale Waddington Horowitz … Mrs. Behringer
Brett Coker … Mattie LaHaye
Samantha Smith … Marty Davis
Dale Midkiff … Clark Davis

Runtime: 84 min.

Dale Midkiff as Clark Davis, Missie’s father, offering her solace after the death of her husband in Love’s Unending Legacy (2007)

Samantha Smith as Marty Davis, Missie’s stepmother, offering her advice in Love’s Unending Legacy (2007)

Memorable lines:

Missie LaHaye: “I cannot imagine being truly happy again.”

Missie LaHaye: “I’m not going to send you to work when you should go to school and be a child.”
Belinda Marshall: “I haven’t been a child for a long time.”

Sheriff Tyler: “I’m not much of a dancer.”
Clark Davis: “Don’t matter how good you are. It’s an excuse to wrap your arms around a pretty girl.”

Erin Cottrell as Missie LaHaye, returning home for a fresh start after the death of her husband in Love’s Unending Legacy (2007)

Dave Florek as Hank Pettis, eyeing up Jacob Marshall to see if he’d be a good farm hand in Love’s Unending Legacy (2007)

Stephanie Nash as Mrs. Pettis, defending her husband’s lack of church attendance in Love’s Unending Legacy (2007)

Brett Coker as Mattie LaHaye, Missie’s young son, settling into a new home in Love’s Unending Legacy (2007)

Hank Stratton as Pastor Joe, overseeing the adoption of orphans in Love’s Unending Legacy (2007)

Erin Cottrell as Missie LaHaye and Victor Browne as Sheriff Zach Taylor, concerned about Belinda’s safety in Love’s Unending Legacy (2007)