Keeping The Promise
(Telefilm)
Picture: B-
Sound: B- Extras: C Film: C+
As the debate on quality TV and the search for it goes on,
some of the better telefilms are finding their way onto DVD, as Night
Stalker/Night Strangler did before Anchor Bay stopped carrying it, or of
the several companies that have issued The Autobiography of Miss Jane
Pittman. Keeping The Promise
(1996) stars Keith Carradine and Annette O’Toole as parents of a three-child
family ready to lay claim to land for a great future. When the father’s cousin fails to help him, it is up to their
eldest son (Brendan Fleischer) to stay there alone to hold the fort.
Once gone, he has to contend with a con artist pretending
to be his friend (Maury Chaykin, who recently became Nero Wolfe) and
learn about the Native Americans and their conflict on the land. The telefilm is based on the book “The Sign
of the Beaver” by Elizabeth George Speare, an award-winning work. We can especially embrace the lesson this
tries to teach children about tolerance, racism and fitting in.
At the time, Chaykin was an unknown, and Fleischer made
his debut here. Turning out to possibly
be another Brad Renfro-caliber of actor, he has since starred in other
independent projects, including the remarkable 1999 Scott Smith film Rollercoaster
(reviewed elsewhere on this site), so it is nice to see a telefilm that can
still do something right, and even help launch and push good talent.
The full-screen image looks like it was shot on video,
than made to look somewhat like film, but is on the clean side. Color is slightly off, but it’s not bad for
an analog video production of its age.
The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo plays with an occasional surround, but is
mostly simple stereo in nature. Extras
include a quiz for families to use, a bio. of Speare, historical background on
Spain and previews of other family DVDs.
I am no authority on children’s television and this
production obviously has its limitations, but Keeping The Faith is
better than you would expect and it is worth a look for all families interested
in something good for a change.
- Nicholas Sheffo
