HARVEST OF FIRE
US, 1996, 99 minutes, Colour.
Lolita Davidovich, J.A. Preston, Jean Louisa Kelly, Tom Aldredge, James Read, Craig Wasson, Patty Duke, Wesley Addy, Justin Chambers, Jennifer Garner, Sam Huntington, Catherine Kellner, Eric Mabius, Gabriel Mann, Millie Perkins, Madeleine Potter.
Directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman.
Harvest of Fire is an above-average film made for television. Nominated for a number of Emmys, it won an award from the Writers’ Guild of America.
The setting is an Amish community. Audiences are generally familiar with aspects of Amish life from Peter Weir’s Witness. This film capitalises on audience knowledge – and also includes a strong barn-raising sequence.
However, the film focuses on life in the community but especially the burning of barns. Lolita Davidovich plays an FBI agent sent from Chicago to help because of her expertise in hate crimes. She works in partnership with the sheriff, J.A. Preston.
The strong personality in the Amish community is played by Patty Duke. She is the mother of a woman who marries at the beginning of the film (a glimpse of Jennifer Garner in an early film). She also has some problems with her other two children, especially in their falling in love, one with somebody outside the community, the other with the son of a man who was being shunned. To this extent, the film offers insight into the details of Amish living but also their regulations and laws.
A bond grows up between the FBI agent and Annie, warm performances from both Lolita Davidovich and Patty Duke.
The film also offers background to the attitudes of outsiders, ‘the English’, some of whom are eager to exploit the Amish and buy their land after disasters. Craig Wasson is the real estate agent. There are a number of character actors in support, both young and old. Wesley Addy, a veteran of many films, has a fine final role as the Amish bishop.
1.The impact and quality of the telemovie? For the wide audience?
2.The background of the Amish communities, the countryside, their farms, barns and houses? The nearby town and detail? Chicago? The contrast of the two worlds?
3.Audience knowledge of the Amish, from Witness? Audience attitudes towards their life, style, beliefs? Sally and the audience identifying with her, her ignorance – living amongst them, her change?
4.The presentation of Amish beliefs, religion, community, codes, sanctions? Their work ethic, simplicity of life, no modern conveniences? The telling the truth, yet shunning those who disobeyed the rules? A hardness in the administration of the laws, the reasons? The raising of barns? The barn as central to life? Church and worship, the bishop? Sin and forgiveness? Condemning the sin but not the sinner? Solidarity? Their attitude to outsiders, the English?
5.The opening wedding, the genial atmosphere? Jacob Hostetler and his not attending, watching? Audience suspicions? His sons? The reasons for his being shunned, the work of his barn, his disobedience? The two sons, Sam and his love for Rachel? The meetings? The younger son lying for his father? The ultimate telling of the truth, the revelation of Sam’s guilt, his confession? The solidarity of the community behind him as he went to trial?
6.The visualising of the burnings, the effect, Sam helping, rescuing the animals? The other barns on fire? The method that he used? His love for Rachel, being shunned? The scenes of his courting Rachel, visit to the family, his confession?
7.Sally and Scott in Chicago, as a couple, her birthday, the cake, the tickets for the flight to Hawaii, the tension between the two, her being on call for work, the phone call, leaving? The phone calls to Scott, love, talking about her relationship to Annie, his visit, help in raising the barn, the bond between the two?
8.Sally, as a competent woman, FBI and hate crimes? Arrival, talking with the sheriff, his warnings about the Amish attitude to women, to her work? Her attitudes, visiting and interviews, Annie and her sons? Learning a lot, asking questions, the elderly people being suspicious, the hostility of the bishop? The interview with the young people? John, his girlfriend, going to the bar, Sally saving him? The discussions with his mother, the revelation of the truth? The possibilities for young men to go outside the community, learn about the outside world, and return? The clues, the sheriff? The young men of the town, their animosity, the car attempt of attacking Sally?
9.Rachel and hate attitudes, the young boys, the girl and her explanation of their angers?
10.Greed, the real estate agent, the visits, the clashes with Sally?
11.Sally, her work, watching Sam and Rachel from the bridge, saving the baby? Her collapse, people’s concern? The baby and the gift of the doll? The bishop and his change of attitude?
12.Sally and her moving in with Annie, sharing the life, understanding, the work?
13.Annie as mother, a good woman, her married child, her being a widow, John and his problems in the town, Rachel and her relationship with Sam, her stern taking a staking a stand, the truth, suspicion of Sally, the resolution?
14.The barn-raising sequence and its importance for the community?
15.The solution, the confession, the sheriff and his role, taking Sam into custody? The community all arriving in their carriages to support Sam during the trial?
16.A satisfying drama, insightful, humanity?
