News: The Christmas Candle (2013)

I found news about this movie on Facebook recently and was immediately intruiged by the story, cast and time period. It's also based on a story by Christian author Max Lucado so faith in God will be a big theme. 

This movie looks like a really good family holiday film and it's coming to select cinemas in the USA November 22nd!

Story: 

"From bestselling author, Max Lucado, comes THE CHRISTMAS CANDLE, a timeless holiday film for the entire family.

Deep in the heart of the English countryside lies the enchanting village of Gladbury. Legend has it every 25 years an angel visits the village candlemaker and touches a single candle. Whoever lights this candle receives a miracle on Christmas Eve. But in 1890, at the dawn of the electric age, this centuries old legend may come to an end.

When David Richmond (Hans Matheson), a progressive young minister, arrives in Gladbury, the villagers discover a new formula for miracles: good deeds and acts of kindness. While David's quest to modernize Gladbury sets him at odds with the old world candlemaker, he finds an unlikely ally in the lovely skeptic, Emily Barstow (Samantha Barks). Now, the fiery candlemaker must fight to preserve the legacy of the Christmas Candle. But when the candle goes missing, the miraculous and human collide in the most astonishing Christmas the village of Gladbury has ever seen." - from Official Website

Official Trailer:

Cast:

There's several period drama actors in The Christmas Candle that I'm excited to see in these type of roles!

Hans Matheson as David Richmond

Period Dramas: Poldark (1996), Les Miserables (1998 as Marius), Doctor Zhivago (2002), The Tudors (TV series, not recommended), Tess of the D'Urbervilles (2008, as Alec D'Urberville), Sherlock Holmes (2009).

Thoughts: His past period drama characters have been creepy sometimes so it will be nice to seem him play a minister in this film.

Samantha Barks as Emily Barstow

Period Dramas: Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Concert, Les Miserables (2012 as Eponine).

Thoughts: So excited to see Samantha in another film and another period drama role! She looks so pretty in the 1800's costumes! It really makes me wonder if there might be some singing in this film.

Lesley Manville as Bea Haddington

Period Dramas: David Copperfield (2000), North & South (2004, as Mrs. Hale), Poirot (TV series), Cranford (2007, Mrs. Rose), 

Thoughts: Always enjoy her performances and happy to see her in another period drama role! 

Sylvester McCoy as Edward Haddington

Period Dramas: The Hobbit (as Radagast), Doctor Who (1987-1989, seventh Doctor)

Thoughts: He made a very quirky Doctor and an interesting wizard, it's neat to see him in Victorian garb.

James Cosmo as Herbert Hopewell

Period Dramas: Emma (1996, Mr. Weston), Merlin (TV series), The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (as Father Christmas), Ivanhoe (1997), Braveheart, The House of Eliott (TV series).

Thoughts: He's a big Scottish bloke and it's actually kinda funny to me seeing him in period costume. His character looks like a businessman.

Susan Boyle as Eleanor Hopewell

Period Dramas: Her film debut!

Thoughts: This looks like it will be a wonderful role for her film debut, she looks great in period costume! Now I'm really wondering if there might be some singing in this film!

Barbara Flynn as Lady Camdon

Period Dramas: Cranford (Mrs. Jamieson), Miss Potter, He Knew He Was Right, Poirot, Horatio Hornblower, The Forsyte Saga, Lorna Doone, Wives & Daughters, The Barchester Chronicles.

Thoughts: A period film wouldn't be a period film without her! So glad to see her in yet another lovely role!

John Hannah as William Barstow

Period Dramas: Poirot (TV series), Miss Marple (TV series), The Mummy movies,.

Thoughts: He's Scottish and I always enjoy seeing him pop up from time to time in films. 

~*~*~*~

Does The Christmas Candle (2013) look interesting?

Does having Susan Boyle and Samantha Barks in this film say singing to you?

Musical Lyrics Quiz

Bonus Photo Question: Can you guess which musical this photo is from?

To Play: Read the lyrics below and try to guess the song title and which musical each selection comes from. Also guess which musical  Leave your guesses in a comment and I'll reply with your score. Guess as many times as you wish. Answers will be posted next Saturday.

Scoring: One point will be awarded for each correctly guessed song title and musical title. Also three bonus points will be awarded for correctly guessing the musical for the Bonus Photo Question above. Highest possible score is 35 points. 

Musical Lyrics

#1

They never did return their plunder

The victor gets all the loot.

They carried them home, by thunder,

To rotundas small but cute.

And you've never seens so,

They tell me, such downright domesticity.

With a Roman baby on each knee

Named "Claudius" and "Brute"

#2

Small boy...

Rather pale...

From lack of sleep.

Feed him gruel dinners.

Stop him getting stout.

#3

Some people claim that you are to blame as much as I

Why do you take the trouble to bake my fav'rite pie?

Grantin' your wish I carved our initials on that tree,

Just keep a slice of all the advice you give so free.

Don't praise my charm too much

Don't look so vain with me

Don't stand in the rain with me

----- ---- --- ---- -- ---.

#4

What words of wisdom can I give them,

How can I help to ease their way?

Now they must learn from one another,

Day by day.

#5

All the curses have been ended,

The reverses wiped away.

All is tenderness and laughter

For forever after! 

Happy now and happy hence

And happy ever after! 

#6

Someone to smile once in awhile with;

whenever you're lonesome

I've a happy lot,

considering what I've got.

But, I couldn't do more

Than you do for your poor Father.

Things go asunder

and I wonder why you bother.

Could be, we three get along so famously

'cause

we two have you, 

and I have --- ---

too.

#7

When you see a guy reach for stars in the sky 

You can bet that he's doing it for some doll. 

When you spot a John waiting out in the rain 

Chances are he's insane as only a John can be for a Jane. 

When you meet a gent paying all kinds of rent 

For a flat that could flatten the Taj Mahal. 

Call it sad, call it funny. 

But it's better than even money 

That the guy's only doing it for some doll. 

#8

I sailed up the Skagerrak 

And sailed down the Kattegat 

Through the harbor and up to the quay 

And there she stands waiting for me 

With a welcome so warm and so gay 

W--------, w-------- C--------- 

W--------, w-------- C--------- 

Friendly old girl of a town 

'Neath her tavern light 

On this merry night 

Let us clink and drink one down

#9

-- ---- ----- - ------

For your eyes to meet and then

Your heart knows in a moment

You will never be alone again

I held her for an instant

But my arms felt sure and strong

-- ---- ----- - ------

To be loved a whole life long...

#10

And were there more 

Than twenty-four hours a day,

They'd be spent in sweet content

Dreamin' away

When skies are gray

When skies are blue

Morning, noon and nighttime too

All I do the whole day through
Is ----- -- ---.

#11

Every morning you greet me

Small and white clean and bright 

You look happy to meet me

Blossom of snow may you bloom and grow 

Bloom and grow forever

#12

From the table in the corner

They could see a world reborn

And they rose with voices ringing

I can hear them now!

#13

There's a place for us, 

A time and place for us. 

Hold my hand and we're halfway there. 

Hold my hand and I'll take you there 

#14

I wake in the loneliness of sunrise

when the deep purple heaven turns blue

And start to pray, as I pray each day, that I'll hear some word from you.

I lie in the l--------- o- e------ looking out on a silver flaked sea

And ask the moon, how soon, how soon, will my love appear to me? 

Will my love appear to me?

#15

There were bells on the hill

But I never heard them ringing,

No, I never heard them at all

---- ----- --- ---.

There were birds in the sky

But I never saw them winging

No, I never saw them at all

---- ----- --- ---.

#16
If dreams came true I might have been a better man. 
If dreams came true you might have have set me free. 
But God is kind, for you He had a better plan 
And saved you from the pain of loving me.
And even if I'd not surrendered long ago
All you can ever do for me you've done.
You've been the finest dream a man could ever know:
That this abandoned fight might have been won.
Old voices I had thought long since dead
Whisper of another life I might have led.

Happy Guessing!

Faces Of Period Drama Game - Answers!

Thanks so much for your feedback on this game, it went well so I'll probably do more in future. Thanks for playing!

No game this week folks, I ran out of ideas and time. 

Period Drama Faces:

Face #1

Actor Name: Romola Garai

Character Name: Kate Nickelby

Period Drama: Nicholas Nickleby (2002)

Face #2

Actor Name: Blake Ritson

Character Name: Mr. Philip Elton

Period Drama: Emma (2009)

Face #3

Actor Name: Carey Mulligan

Character Name: Kitty Bennet

Period Drama: Pride & Prejudice (2005)

Face #4

Actor Name: Ioan Gruffudd

Character Name: Philip Pirrip "Pip"

Period Drama: Great Expectations (1999)

Face #5

Actor Name: Gillian Anderson

Character Name: Miss Havisham

Period Drama: Great Expectations (2011)

Face #6

Actor Name: Rufus Sewell

Character Name: Thomas Clarkson

Period Drama: Amazing Grace (2005)

Face #7

Actor Name: Ruth Wilson

Character Name: Jane Eyre

Period Drama: Jane Eyre (2006)

Face #8

Actor Name: Bill Nighy

Character Name: Colonel Osborne

Period Drama: He Knew He Was Right 

Face #9

Actor Name: Judi Dench

Character Name: Mrs. Fairfax

Period Drama: Jane Eyre (2011)

Face #10

Actor Name: Dan Stevens

Character Name: Edward Ferrars

Period Drama: Sense & Sensibility (2008)

Face #11

Actor Name: Kate Beckinsale

Character Name: Emma Woodhouse

Period Drama: Emma (A&E/ITV 1996)

Face #12

Actor Name: Tom Hiddleston

Character Name: John Plumtre

Period Drama: Miss Austen Regrets (2008)

~*~

Players Scores:

Miss Sneyd - 360 points

Miss Elizabeth Bennet - 350 points

Birdie - 330 points

Katherine Cox - 330 points

Emma Jane - 320 points

Miss Dashwood - 310 points

Sadie Ann - 290 points

Melody - 280 points

Esther Romaine - 260 points

Hayden - 260 points

Kiri Liz - 220 points

Hamlette - 130 points

What do you think of this game?

When Calls The Heart - New Hallmark Series!

Janette Oke's When Calls The Heart airs Saturday night!!!!!

So there's been a lot of info circulating about the new Hallmark movie When Calls The Heart (aka Heart). I had heard they had changed the main actress mid-filming but the new trailers and behind the scenes clips feature both a blond haired actress and brown haired actress.

  

There isn't any information about this on the official Hallmark page, in fact all the Preview and Behind The Scenes interviews there are with the dark haired actress (Poppy Drayton) and the younger dark haired Mountie (Daniel Sharman). Then I found this trailer on YouTube that made the storyline make a bit more sense!



So it looks like the story will mostly center on the dark haired Elizabeth with flashbacks of her aunt who is the blond haired Elizabeth. The only problem with this is that the blond haired Elizabeth Thatcher and her guy Wynn Delaney are the main characters from Janette Oke's original stories (at least the first book, I haven't read the other three and don't remember a niece being mentioned).

Then I'd seen the preview on the Hallmark Channel and it mentioned about Heart is going to be "an original series" - what? it's going to be a TV series???

There isn't any information about this on the official Hallmark page but I did find this article that helps a bit:

"Hallmark Channel said today it is boosting its original programming efforts, adding another scripted series to its schedule and two pilots to its development slate. The network unveiled during parent Crown Media’s upfront presentation in NY that it has greenlighted 10 episodes of When Calls The Heart, based on the book series by Janette Oke. The movie pilot is set to premiere October 5 and the series will debut in January 2014. It joins Hallmark’s first original scripted series, Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove, the Andie MacDowell-starrer that premieres July 20 as a two-hour movie, followed by new one-hour episodes on Saturdays beginning July 27. Set in the Western frontier, Heart centers on young teacher Elizabeth Thatcher (Poppy Drayton) who trades high society life for a classroom post in the prairie, determined to prove she is brave enough to live on her own. She learns through her aunt’s secret diary that she had been a pioneer woman herself, and uses it as a guide to embark on her own adventures." - quoted from Deadline Hollywood article

 So the movie airing this coming Saturday night is a two-hour pilot for an original series based on Janette Oke's books that will start in with one hour episodes starting in January! I also remember reading somewhere that there will be 12 episodes in all (not sure if this includes the pilot or not). Hallmark's Cedar Cove series aired a new episode each weekend and just finished up (I watched one or two and didn't like the modern story very much, it got very soap opera-ish). It's hard to tell right now whether the When Calls The Heart TV series will have more flashbacks of Aunt Elizabeth (Janette Oke's character) or if it will focus completely on the dark haired Elizabeth's new life as a teacher. 

There's always got to be those bigger name actors in a Hallmark movie and besides Maggie Grace (who will play Aunt Elizabeth), the movie/TV series will star actresses Lori Loughlin (of Full House fame) and Jean Smart (who I mostly remember with a Southern accent from the few episodes I've seen of Designing Women). These actresses seem to enjoy the period costumes and fit into the time period fairly well. Their characters sound like antagonist for the young Elizabeth character. Actor Stephen Amell who plays Aunt Elizabeth's Mountie beau Wynn Delaney also seems to be a fairly popular actor.

Also in a highly interesting discovery the two British actors who play young Elizabeth's parents are period drama actors!!! Cherie Lunghi who plays Mrs. Thatcher has starred in The Buccaneers, David Copperfield (1999) and Horatio Hornblower, while Mr. Thatcher is played by Christopher Villiers who I loved as Tom Bertram in Mansfield Park (1983) and who Leaguettes will recognize as Lord Anthony Dewhurst in The Scarlet Pimpernel (1982)! Main stars Poppy Drayton and David Sharman are also British born actors dropping their accents for their roles. 

So what are your thoughts on the flashback type storyline?

Do you like that this has graduated from a TV movie to a TV series?

Have you read Janette Oke's When Calls The Heart and the other books in that series?

Will you watch this when it airs?

P.S. Not sure yet if I'll get to watch this right when it airs but my aunt is as big a Janette Oke fan as I am, so there's a strong possibility that if we're able to we will! If not I'm sure there will be re-runs on Hallmark that I'll be able to catch! Yipee! Writing this post does make me want to borrow all four books in this series from my aunt's church's library and devour them...then move on to the complete Love Comes Softly book series! ;)

Faces Of Period Drama Game

The game this week took a bit to put together but it's based on a new idea I had. The basic idea is I give you a photo and you tell me the character's name, actor's name and the name of the period drama they are from. This round should be fairly easy but in future rounds I might make the game a bit harder. Hope you enjoy and let me know what you think! 

To Play: Look at the faces from period dramas below and guess the character's name, actor's name and what period drama each one is from. Try to guess without looking up the answers. Leave your guesses in a comment. I'll respond with your score. Answers will be posted next Saturday.

Scoring: Ten points for each actor, character and period drama guessed correctly. A maximum of 360 points can be earned!

Period Drama Faces:

Face #1

Actor Name:

Character Name:

Period Drama:

Face #2

Actor Name:

Character Name:

Period Drama:

Face #3

Actor Name:

Character Name:

Period Drama:

Face #4

Actor Name:

Character Name:

Period Drama:

Face #5

Actor Name:

Character Name:

Period Drama:

Face #6

Actor Name:

Character Name:

Period Drama:

Face #7

Actor Name:

Character Name:

Period Drama:

Face #8

Actor Name:

Character Name:

Period Drama:

Face #9

Actor Name:

Character Name:

Period Drama:

Face #10

Actor Name:

Character Name:

Period Drama:

Face #11

Actor Name:

Character Name:

Period Drama:

Face #12

Actor Name:

Character Name:

Period Drama:

~*~

Have fun!

What do you think of this game?

Period Films Quotes Game - Answers!

These are the answers to the Period Film Quotes Game from last week.
It was lovely to see how many of you knew these quotes! Congrats to Amy Wegner and Miss Amy Dashwood (the Amys have it!) who both guessed all of the period dramas and characters correctly, thus earning the maximum 300 points! Thanks so much for playing everyone!

Period Films Quotes:

Quote #1

Mrs. Bennet: Look at them! Five of them without dowries. What's to become of them?

Mr. Bennet: Yes, what's to become of the wretched creatures? Perhaps we should have drowned some of them at birth.

Period Drama: Pride & Prejudice (1940)

~*~

Quote #2

Amy March: He put snow on your ankle? With his own hands?

Mrs. March (Marmee): I won't have my girl being silly about boys.

Period Drama: Little Women (1994)

~*~

Quote #3

Character 1


Emma Woodhouse: He always as a small man. Made smaller by his wife!

Period Drama: Emma (2009)

~*~

Quote #4

Eliza Doolittle: I ain't dirty! I washed my face and hands before I come, I did.

Period Drama: My Fair Lady (1964)

~*~

Quote #5

Doctor: Mr. Merdle is dead.

Scary Butler: I see. In that case I should want to give one month's notice.

Doctor: Mr. Merdle has destroyed himself.

Scary Buttler: Yes, it's very unpleasant, Sir, to the feelings of one in my position. I think I should leave immediately.

Period Drama: Little Dorrit (2009)

~*~

Quote #6

Miss Pole: They are all the same! They know everything about everything, save, when it is to happen and how it can be stopped. My father was a man. I think I understand the sex.

Period Drama: Cranford (2007)

~*~

Quote #7

Mr. Thornton: You did bring your brains with you to work today, didn't you!

Nicholas Higgins: Well I tried to keep them hidden, but you can't live without them all together.

Period Drama: North & South (2004)

~*~

Quote #8

Gavroche: This is the land I fought for liberty, now when we fight, we fight for bread... here is the thing about equality, everyone's equal when they're dead.

Period Drama: Les Miserables (2012)

~*~

Quote #9

Anne Shirley: Fortunately for you, Josie, the only thing you've ever had to wear twice is a sour expression.

Period Drama: Anne of Avonlea

~*~

Quote #10

Charlotte Palmer: She'll be wet through when she returns.

Mr. Palmer: Thank you for pointing that out, my dea.

Period Drama: Sense & Sensibility (1995)

~*~

Quote #11

Mrs. Winifred Banks: We're clearly soldiers in petticoats, and dauntless crusaders for women's a-votes! Though we adore men individually, we agree as a group they're rather stupid.

Period Drama: Mary Poppins

~*~

Quote #12

Queen Victoria: Why did you do it? So stupid, why did you do it?

Prince Albert: I had two very good reasons. First, I am replaceable and you are not.

Queen Victoria: You are not replaceable to me!

Prince Albert: Secondly, you're the only wife I've got or ever will have. You are my whole existence, and I will love you until my very last breath.

Period Drama: The Young Victoria (2009)

~*~

Players Scores:

Amy Wegner - 300 points
Miss Dashwood - 300 points
Melody - 260 points
Chloe Cruz - 250 points
Kiri Liz - 240 points
Eleanor Rose - 230 points
Lady Eowyn - 220 points
Maddie Rose - 210 points
Emma Jane - 180 points
Sarah Grace - 180 points
Meredith - 150 points
Hamlette - 110 points
Samantha - 110 points
Katelyn - 70 points

Thanks for playing!