I saw this forever ago and barely remember anything about it. I came here hoping to find some details on it. Here is the little bit I do remember.
I think the main character was the young woman that was a school teacher and came to a small town to teach. I vaguely remember one scene with her and Karl Malden dancing while the song 'It's Twilight Time'? is playing.
That's about it. If you know more, could you please post it? Thanks.
I just saw early this AM on TCM; had never even heard of the film before, now I want to watch the whole movie (I only saw the last half hour). I think it may be a hidden treasure. Check out TCM's website to see if any more info.
shareI watched it yesterday. Malden's character was born in Yugoslavia but spent 20 years working in the US before returning to Yugoslavia to farm and raise grapes for wine. What's not clear is how long he's been back in Yugoslavia, and whether his son was raised in the US or Yugoslavia, and it makes a difference to the "moral" of the movie.
Malden's son and daughter-in-law have left their two kids with Malden while they go to work in Germany. They haven't been home to see their kids for more than two years. The kids miss them. I think they were expected to send some of their earnings home but they haven't done that either, and Malden and the kids are struggling.
The grandson does most of the farm work, house work, cooking, etc., since they can't afford to hire help. When a storm wreaks havoc on their garden, Malden gives the boy his savings and the boy uses that money to hire three men to help repair the garden (plastic over a framework).
Malden wants his son to come home, raise the kids. He gets a letter from the son saying that he and his wife have split up, and he won't be home for awhile. Malden is upset about his son caring only for money and neglecting family.
It's unclear what Malden wants for his grandkids. Does he want them to become educated and leave the farm, or does he want them to stay on the farm? At one point he tells his granddaughter that if she was in the US, she could be a famous movie star.
At the end, Malden dies of a heart attack while dancing with the teacher, and the last scene is the boy behind a pair of oxen, plowing a field, while the teacher watches.
I thought it was a beautiful movie, character-driven, and Malden was excellent.