Jack Vasen Belinda comes into this movie with her husband having recently died from disease. As a result, Belinda is bitter with God. This faith based movie centers on her struggle.In the previous movie, Belinda, as a teen, had a chip on her shoulder as she face a male dominated world with the dream of becoming a doctor. In this movie, that chip has become a mountain, and it makes her completely unequipped for the challenge before her. If she isn't facing enough of a challenge, her attitude can do nothing to help her deal with townspeople who are already suspicious of a stranger and a woman. It also doesn't make her winsome for the viewer.Lee is a saint and a little too perfect, but he is likeable. Unfortunately, Belinda is so bitter, it's hard to see any chemistry.Lou Diamond Phillips is the director and as an actor plays a character that is totally one dimensional. It is a terrible job of acting and only he can be responsible. None of the acting is outstanding. Sarah Jones shows almost no spark but much of that is the result of the character's bitterness.The story is somber. There is a complication or two that really aren't altogether clear as to how they impact the outcome. Despite all the negatives, the underlying story comes through. Of course it is sappy, and ultimately predictable, but there is room to enjoy the finished product.There is a scene near the end that has no subtlety whatsoever. When you see it, you'll know it.

Jay Harris Love Takes Wing is one of a series 'Love Is......' made for the Hallmark Television Channel.Now most of us know that Hallmark makes films for the entire family, similar to films from years back.The executive producer is Micheal Landon Jr.; this is the type film his late father would have made.It was written by Rachel Stuhler & adapted from the novel by Janette Oke,Lou Diamond Phillips directed capably & portrays a villainous character.Even though the setting is a small town in Missouri in the 1880's or '90's,it is not the usual type western that we know so well.The acting is very good,The following have major roles Sarah Jones, Hayley Duff, as 2 very young Doctors. Patrick Duffy as very political small town mayor. Cloris Leachman (she may be in her'80's) is excellent as the orphanage caretaker. Jordan Bridges (Grandson of Lloyd) as the blacksmith hero. I do not know the name of he actress who has the main juvenile role, She is adorable.Love Takes Wing is the sort of film that used to be on the lower half of a double bill.Nothing great just pleasant hokey entertainment.Ratings: *** (out of 4) 81 points (out of 100) IMDb 7 (out of 10)

bkoganbing Two female doctors Haylie Duff and Sarah Jones come to Sikeston, Missouri and none too soon. The town is in the grip of an epidemic that appears to have started in the town orphanage. It's soon identified not as a kind of influenza as was thought, but the far more deadly cholera, most common back in a time of less sanitation.Besides having to battle the usual Victorian prejudices about women in certain male only professions, both women especially Duff have their own demons to battle. Duff in fact is a recent widow who was unable to save her husband despite her medical training. Back two centuries ago, it was common for folks to die a lot younger.The only real support they get is from the matron of the orphanage, Cloris Leachman and from Jordan Bridges the town blacksmith whom Duff gets romantically involved with. They have a week mayor in Patrick Duffy who wants to do the right thing, but is also mindful he has to go to these folks for votes later on. Sikeston also has a rabble rouser in Lou Diamond Phillips who lost family members and is willing to just throw the sick orphans on the street and out of town. In addition to being the Grinch of the story, Lou Diamond Phillips also directs Love Takes Wing and gets nice performances from his cast. Particularly effective are the scenes with Haylie Duff and orphan Annalise Basso who bond quite nicely in the story and on the screen.How do they deal with the epidemic? Well it seems that Johns Hopkins has developed a brand new technique for dealing with dehydration which is how cholera kills. I won't say, but I will say that nowadays it's something taken for granted.Which shows you that even the most matter of fact and mundane things we have now are things that someone had to think up and bring about. And prove they work.Love Takes Wing is a nice family film from the Hallmark Channel definitely worth a viewing.

boblipton The eighth of Janette Oke's novels to be translated to a Hallmark TV movie is full of peculiar choices. First is the casting of Annalise Basso and Haylie Duff as nineteenth-century graduates of Harvard Medical School. Each is younger than 25 and could play 15 if she wished. This makes for a very unprepossessing start to the movie that it never quite overcomes.Director Lou Diamond Phillips makes some interesting choices among his supporting cast, including Cloris Leachman as the orphanage matron, Patrick Duffy as the out-of-his-depth mayor and himself as the local bigot. These characters are presented early on, along with with a cholera epic, leading to a story that by now is fairly cut-and-dried.