Harvest of Fire (1996)
directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman
starring Lolita Davidovich, Patty Duke, Tom Aldredge, James Read, Craig Wasson, Sam Huntington, Jean Louisa Kelly, Marta Kristen, J. A. Preston
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MPAA rating: Studio: Hallmark Home Entertainment Suggested retail price: $14.98 (US) Tags: Amish; Crime; FBI; Mystery; Pennsylvania; religion; shunning Tactical strength: [6/10]
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for thematic elements
An arsonist sets fire to three barns belonging to Amish families in Pennsylvania. The local sheriff suspects a hate crime and calls the FBI, which sends Sally Russell (Lolita Davidovich) to investigate. Sally follows several leads and, when she doesn't develop solid suspects, moves in with one of the Amish families to better understand the community. Harvest of Fire poses several convincing red herrings before revealing the true criminal.
I found Harvest of Fire one of the least sentimental of the Hallmark movies. In only a few cases, did Hallmark resort to using chubby-faced children for emotional effect. Hallmark also showed astonishing restraint by using a soundtrack that subtly enhanced the mood, and they avoided the typical scenes contrived for emotional effect.
Davidovich seems occasionally uncomfortable with her delivery. Although she should seem uncomfortable with the unfamiliar situation, you instead get the impression that her discomfort arises from an unfamiliarity with her lines.
A pleasant family movie that earns, rather than manufactures, its warm-and-fuzzy emotional effect.
